Sorry friends for dealay in "Daily Word", I was away on trip to
I know my Redeemer lives", a statement that Job (one of the oldest book of the Bible) confidently made with hope and assurance in the midst of despair, loss, and personal pain and suffering. Job knew without a hint of doubt or disbelief that this was an eternal truth. Job could not defend himself against all of his friend's accusations and arguments nor justify himself in their eyes but he knew one thing "My Redeemer lives". He felt that he was lost to suffering and death, but he had hope that the Lord would somehow buy him back from the grave and thus deliver him from this regretful fate.
Job was a man who lost everything exactly as the case with Adam and Eve. He wanted to understand what was going on. He wanted to know that his life meant something; that his life could be anchored. He knew that he was going to die. He knew that his physical body will decay and become dust from whence it came; but in spite of that he knew that there will be a day when he will see God with his own eyes. This was Job’s only comfort and assurance in the midst of total despair, loss and grief. Job's statement in 19:25-27 'I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another; How my heart yearns within me'. He believed that God will rescue him somehow and he will "resurrect" and see Godand his' heart yearns within' him.
Job knew that he needed first reconciliation with God. He was wondering 'If only there was someone to "arbitrate between us to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God's rod from me" (Job 9:33). He needed a kinsman-redeemer, someone related to him in order to do the part of a kinsman. He was wondering who "this someone would be"; someone related to man and God; someone divine; someone who would be both man and God at the same time. This mediator should have a dual nature.
This someone is Jesus Christ the Son of God who became man to reconcile man to God. II Corinthians 5:18-19 says "and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation." He became our brother in the flesh (Hebrews 2:14-17) "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."
Luke 19:10 says "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost".
Will continue tomorrow!
Prayer: Thank you Lord because you came "to seek and save that which is lost". I admit that I am a lost sinner, and I admit that I chose to reject your dominion over my life, I therefore, ask you for forgiveness and ask you to enter into my heart and to be my personal savior and lord over my life. Please save me from my sinful nature and have my spirit be born again.
Dear Jesus, I thank you because in spite of all of my rejections, you said "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and him with me." I am opening the door of my heart to you and am inviting you in to help me live my life holy. Amen.
October, 13, 2006 10:44 AM