My Redeemer Lives

How do you respond when you been wrong especially when it seems that God is silent you feel this horrendous state of injustice and you begin to begin to think God is God is listening to. Or if he is listening to. He doesn't care. There's no such thing as justice in the world was a horrible feeling visited and it's all too easy to fall into despair. Thankfully, we have an example in the Bible of one who experienced that feeling of injustice and came out the other side with his faith into Dr. Gary Thomas has been taking us through the book of Job this week.

Your on Renewing Your Mind.

And today we will see that even though Job's calamity was real, so was God's mercy and Job 18 and 19 and if you look at verses 25 and following of chapter 19. This is probably one of the most familiar buses in the book of Job, perhaps in the whole Bible, for I know that my Redeemer lives in at the last. He will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold not another.

My heart frames within me now are all familiar with this, of course, from George Frederick Handel's Messiah and perhaps the notes now of my Redeemer lives will be going through your mind for a few minutes as they are in mine just now, let's remind ourselves on two previous occasions, once in chapter 9 and up previous study we picked up verse 33. There is no better between us. It may also be a desire. I wish there was an arbiter between us and then if you turn to chapter 16 and verse 18 and 19 N., not my blood to let my cry final resting place is calling for justice. He wants his argument his case if you like is a case to make before God, and he wants this case to be heard even even if he should die. He wants his case to continue. He wants. He wants justice for himself but also for the universe in which Job finds himself even now verse 19. Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven and you testifies for me is on high friends call me. My boys are tears to God that he would argue the case of a man with God is a son of man does with his neighbor and thoughts so you have an arbiter in chapter 9.

You got a witness here in chapter 16 bananas go back to chapter 19 you've got a Redeemer on arbiter of witness a Redeemer that's a pickup. First of all, Job is pleading with God. He's pleading with God's case it's lost 10 children is lost all his wealth is less his health is dying's skin, bones, and is arguing a case with God about his innocence, what, how is this just how is God just to do this he wants answers expects God to speak to one of the things of course were in chapter 19 God hasn't said a word is spoken in chapters 1 and two, but that's to you and me. Job didn't hear that this dialogue that takes place at the beginning of the book of Job between God and Satan itself, something that Job himself is hurt so far. Job's consent but hasn't spoken, but is silent. The silence of God. The thought begins to grow in your mind and your soul or spirit. God is listening or worse that if he is listening. He doesn't care is not responding. So the suddenness of this expression. I know that my Redeemer lives somewhat surprising is that the work of the Holy Spirit.

I think in the life of Job in the midst of this darkness, there are these moments of light. Chapter 9 and chapter 16 inherent chapter 19. This would Redeemer someone go well, it's a very specific for this, but it's the word that's used in the story of Ruth and Boaz send Naomi and Naomi remember goes to Moab because of a famine in the Bethlehem and so on, and two sons Mary and the two sons died and her husband dies and she is and she's a window when she comes back in one daughter-in-law doesn't come back in the crossroads of Bethlehem and where you go I will go where you stay I will stay with you large I will large and so on. And you've got this one got this wonderful story about Bruce and in the middle of the story. You've got the issue of a Redeemer kinsman redeemer who is under obligation under legal obligation to Naomi and her deceased husband turned their family. The brother of Naomi's husband. The limo is a kinsman redeemer in some way. He is under obligation. He has obligation to take care of his families window. In this case somebody who has a legal obligation to take care to argue for justice to see that your rights and privileges subbing on it and saw that we must read this text is suggesting that what Job is saying here is, I know that my Redeemer lives in the sense of somebody forgives. My sense of symptoms point the site is case is not arguing for somebody to forgive him his sins is arguing that he's innocent what he needs is somebody to plead his case for him.

That is a very specific context to chapter 19 in the context of courses of chapter 18. Chapter 18 is a contribution by Bill.Mildred this you are to again build or destroy it.

Preachers this summer blasts the full length of chapter 18 and it's one of these well I like to call the sermon the dwelling places of the wicked.

The dwelling places of the wicked, and I want us to look at it. He pictures 20 pictures. An old man shuffling along on this particular progress to how long will you hunt for words. Consider then we will speak. We are counted as capital while we stupid in your sight. You tell yourself and your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you on the rock removed either its place in somebody thinks Job is saying seems to be saying to Bill that that the whole philosophy of the world. The whole model order of the universe has to be undone simply to meet the case of Job. Why should that be indeed the light of the wicked is protect the flame of his fire doesn't shine the pictures. An old man shuffling along the stumbling over obstacles in the way in and falling down and start he says in verse seven is strong steps are shortened, and his own schemes throw him down is cast into a net by his own feet and walks on its mashup trap seizes him by the healer's snare lays hold of them are representing 40 mg of chapter in the box terrors frighten him on every side and chased him at his heels. His strength is famished and calamity is ready for stumbling. It consumes the parts of his skin and saw is a terrific summer short is very exciting. Life is full of tests. Life is full of things that can happen at any moment and things that can cause you to stumbling and horrors in the night and and and so on and disease that eats up his flesh with a play on words bill that takes the common name of one of the Canaanite God's. Martin turns it into the Hebrew word for death and suggest that an emissary is coming that is going to mark him off in verse 14 to the king of terrors is a graphic sermon illustration is deathlike was that we marched off to the king of terrors in his tent as well as that which is none of his sulfurous scattered over his habitation to impact that just a little sulfur would be put on somebody's habitation where this corpse with his rotten flesh will Job was losartan of his children. Mrs. this is more than just the sermon illustration.

This this man is talking about how is 10 children have been buried descriptions, habitation, sulfur is been placed on the bodies decomposing saw fire and destruction verse 15 in his tent as well as that which is none of his. His offspring are gone is going to succeed him. Other people have come into his tent to try to sermon and is unbelievably cool and the manner in which it is delivered much in coming to somebody who's grieving +10 children. This is what you say you know you're getting older, stumbling the terrace on every site that his approach at any minute you could die. There's no one to succeed you are children of God. Somebody else is going to live in your house and and there's no one thing to remember you answer that for some surely he says in closing peroration of the sermon in verse 21, surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous such as the place of him who knows not God… Conclusion. Job was a man who doesn't know God well with friends like that, you might say, when his enemies promoted Job's response will look at verse one of chapter 19.

Job answered and said, how long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words when I was young mother said to me sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you. While it was wrong then is strong now as it wasn't true. Words hurt people said things about you in school people he thought were friends know when you 1230.

I still remember the hurt you went to a secret place and you dwelt on thought about woke up in the middle of the night thinking about words hurt they break up marriages.

They break up relationships between children and parents. They break up friendships.

I never read anonymous letters. If you send me Lola's letter after this I wanted to turn it over and I see there's no signature I will.

I made a promise to myself a long time ago.

The mistake of reading Lola's letter was full of bile or something very trivial and climate the decision that motivated words. Words are powerful. James tells us that how long will you.

How long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words. These 10 times your past reproach upon which I am not ashamed to wrongly and even if it be true that I ever my error remains with myself. It's understood your piston and interact these people as friends. Whatever it is these friends of his is saying he's done wrong.

Whether it's something now or something in the past isn't anything to them. It seems as if they are taking a person. We've already had 19 chapters of their contribution. God. God has long he's been rejected by his been rejected by his counselors and says that in verse three is ashamed to wrongly and then he's been rejected by his friends go down to verse 19 all my intimate friends support me and those who whom I love have turned against his friends have gone been up calling anymore they're avoiding then in verse six know then that God has put me in the wrong and closed his net about their sexual Job feels when his is been rejected by his counselors and is been rejected by his friends, but it appears to Job as though he's also been rejected by God. God has God has wronged him. That's what you feel isn't that when you feel you're in the right about something this wonderful experience of my dear wife are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year.

She's the only girl ever dated and the only girl I ever kissed justices wealth and progress of the parcel.

I should've done the names and said that I consider their manager but in the past me and altogether different category, but this is more about me than anything else. But last year. Last Christmas year ago my daughter and son-in-law and my two grandchildren surprised me and just a week before Christmas visit.

We may not know I cannot be not be invited to dinner and the I got annoyed with her to dinner. This is a rather smart Houston and impartial people, and so on. And they may listen to the stand smile, but she kept checking her phone and every now and then she would send us a text and she sitting opposite me I'm glaring at her looking is a dagger setter stop doing this. This is inappropriate – she was distracted all night and then once we had dessert in the 50s that this this conversation is to invite people over to eat and then since the deserters that organ donor – a male and that's precisely what you said we. We need to go so we can McAuley drive home in the silent is a word.

She doesn't say a word and and I'm saying to myself, I'm in the right.

She needs to apologize. I'm thinking what she's thinking she sang. I'm in the right. He needs to apologize. So we drive home to get into the garage and I'm I'm I'm sort of upset.

I wait to shoot. She innocently open the doors. I would normally do in a letter correct and she walks in the Hassan and closes the door and I'm even more. I'm in the right is she needs to apologize and she needs to apologize. So I'm getting the car open the door on the supply by children with her and grandchildren of that and that's what she'd been putting an end to the people that were having dinner with knew all about it.

Container pillows along the session, but I'm trying to appeal to that sense of justice. Given the right about something and you are in the right eye was I'm still was, was attributed reported for, but if you been raped.

What if your husband has been murdered to what if your children died and driver was drunk difficult case to the landmark is this is this is serious. You bring it before the Lord in 196 why why me by now. Why so why so intense.

What is the Lord tend to say here I want I want some answers.

And God is been silent. God hasn't said anything.

He is put my brothers far from me.

Verse 13 and those who knew me are wholly estranged from my relatives have failed my close friends and forgot the guest in my house and my maidservants, Kent, Ms. stranger, I become a foreigner in their lives. Another person was so consumed by something he wants to talk to them anymore. Nobody wants to speak to their avoiding the you feel this horrendous state of injustice and you begin to begin to think God isn't hearing God's blessing to Orpheus listening to.

He doesn't care. There's no such thing as justice in the world. Maybe that's it. Maybe that's what you gotta swallow.

We live in a world where every now and then there is no justice.

God isn't even able to provide justice. He says in verse 23, or that my words were written or that they were inscribed in a book. All that with an iron pen and lead, they were engraved in the rock forever, or they are of course there are here in the book of Job you are reading and studying the Jones case will forever be remembered, this case will never be forgotten.

For I know that my Redeemer lives is nothing. I know that my Savior who forgives me my sin lives this point. I know that my goal well there is there is someone who is responsible to take my case and defendant pleaded seated by all the five rights are not because Job believes that we live in a ordered universe and after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold or not another. My heart frames within me another.

Some interpreters do not want to, but there are some interpreters who suggested what Job is really saying here is not a statement of belief in the resurrection.

This is a passage that we read and sing at Easter time at the celebrate the resurrection of personal belief in the resurrection. There is Job in Job 19 and he believes in the doctrine of physical resurrection, though he dies it in his flesh, you will see God and sought and I think it does mean that there are some commentators who read this and they say know what Job is saying is that this case will net fish is embodying his case. This is case for justice. Even if he dies him if he is buried. Justice will prevail in the end that some commentators see this passage is simply a vindication that justice will prevail.

Job is simply testifying here to his continued belief in the integrity of the justice of God. I think the language is too intense for that. After my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh in my flesh I shall see God's will is no explanation for it from the surrounding culture. There's no explanation for it from any surrounding biblical revelation. Job is such an early book only explanation for this is that this is something that God divinely gave to Job in the midst of his sorrow in the midst of this trial seems to be this moment of wonder is this moment of light this moment of insight this moment to face and they die without justice in this world.

The prospect isn't that you may never see justice in this world. The person has been raped, the publishers and may never be caught. You may go to your grave justice will never be done will be done in the end is a day of reckoning day of accounting and God will put all wrongs right think that's part of what Job is saying here that in the end he still hasn't been tempted to send something she shouldn't of said but in the end still holds fast to the integrity of Almighty God.

Things are going to slip next few chapters: lost patience with Job roundabout chapter 23 or so and defended him wholeheartedly up until about chapter 23 Then Even Calvin Gave Way answers okay to say too much here in Job chapter 19 tremendous statement… We have goal well reading who will defend the case. The case for only two got his name Jesus.

There is incredible peace and that is that there Jesus is our mediator, our Redeemer. Thanks for listening to the Friday edition of Renewing Your Mind as we wrap up our highlights of a series by Dr. Derek Thomas Dr. Thomas is a regular teaching fellow and the senior minister at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia South Carolina and his series on the book of Job has proven timely and very helpful so many in America and around the world have experience suffering in new ways over the last few weeks and this week we have been able to gain a good perspective God's perspective on suffering. We like to send you this entire series and we pray that it will be a great comfort to you requested two DVD set when you give a donation of any amount to regular ministries or web address is Renewing Your Mind.org or you can call us her number is 800-435-4343 three remind you also ought to take advantage of legally or connect that her online learning community for limited time were making it available for free when interconnect provides you a way to link up with small groups are in your community. Your church and even around the world. It has a study groups feature in there that allows you to have a private online classroom where you can invite friends to take any course in our library together you can explore the various courses that are available and learn more. When you go to connect that linear.org well most Christians understand the importance of Jesus death on the cross that it one weekend, but it's just as important to consider Jesus life before passion with in next week we will spend some time doing just that doctors pull series. What did Jesus do I hope you enjoy this beginning Monday here for Renewing Your Mind