2021-04-04
Jonathan Falwell
Job found himself in a hopeless situation. His life had been forever changed because of the suffering he endured. His friends and family that remained were blaming him for his losses. His wife told him to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). He was fully embroiled with the opportunity to dismiss hope and embrace his wife’s admonishment. But Job does exactly the opposite…he continues to trust God. His redeemer lives!
“Wherever he looks, he finds himself isolated and alienated. And it is God who has caused this, not directly but through making him suffer. For Job’s suffering means to everyone who knows him that, despite everything they thought they knew about him, Job has been a dreadful sinner. It is dangerous to associate with such a wicked person.”[1]
Because our Redeemer lives…
1. There is hope in our loss
Job 19:23-26 (NKJV) Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! 24 That they were engraved on a rock, With an iron pen and lead, forever! 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God.
David also found himself in a similar situation. His life certainly was a challenge at times. He faced those who wanted to kill him, depose him, stop him. His own family would walk through desperate situations and David too would even lose his own children. Yet, in all of this, David continues to trust God.
2. There is hope in our heartache
Psalm 16:9-11 (NKJV) Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
This assurance that God will preserve and protect. That we shall SEE God and He will raise us up. Interpretations vary as to whether David was speaking of himself, putting himself into a special category or whether he was prophesying of the coming Messiah. At least we know that Peter used this as an OT predictor of the coming messiah.
3. There is hope for our eternity
Acts 2:29-33 (NKJV) Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
Peter preached this message to point people to the truth that Jesus was crucified and that He was raised from the dead and this is the source of hope. That hope is found in believing in Jesus.
Acts 2:36-38 (NKJV) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Himself echoed this statement when He stated at the early days of His ministry:
Mark 1:14-15 (NKJV) Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Because our Redeemer lives, we can have all the hope we need to make it through today, and to experience the promise of eternity. Because Christ lives.
[1] David J. A. Clines, “Job,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 472.