Job’s Redeemer and our Redeemer lives! Is there any better news than this?!
Job 19: Job Replies: My Redeemer Lives
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 "How long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times you have cast reproach upon me; are you not ashamed to wrong me?
4 And even if it be true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.
5 If indeed you magnify yourselves against me and make my disgrace an argument against me,
6 know then that God has put me in the wrong and closed his net about me.
7 Behold, I cry out, 'Violence!' but I am not answered; I call for help, but there is no justice.
8 He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.
9 He has stripped from me my glory and taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone, and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.
11 He has kindled his wrath against me and counts me as his adversary.
12 His troops come on together; they have cast up their siege ramp against me and encamp around my tent.
13 "He has put my brothers far from me, and those who knew me are wholly estranged from me.
14 My relatives have failed me, my close friends have forgotten me.
15 The guests in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger; I have become a foreigner in their eyes.
16 I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, and I am a stench to the children of my own mother.
18 Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me.
19 All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!
22 Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?
23 "Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
28 If you say, 'How we will pursue him!' and, 'The root of the matter is found in him,'
29 be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment."
Job 20: Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 "Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me.
3 I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
4 Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth,
5 that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
7 he will perish forever like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'
8 He will fly away like a dream and not be found; he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him.
10 His children will seek the favour of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youthful vigour, but it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 "Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,
13 though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth,
14 yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him.
15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17 He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds.
18 He will give back the fruit of his toil and will not swallow it down; from the profit of his trading he will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build.
20 "Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.
21 There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.
23 To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body.
24 He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through.
25 It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him.
26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.
28 The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God's wrath.
29 This is the wicked man's portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God."
Things to think about…
I weep for Job. Look at him. He is skin and bone, Job 19:20, his brothers mock him, vss13, 17, his servants do not respond, vs16, young children despise him, vs 18, his wife finds him offensive, vs17. In all of this he pleads with his friends to have mercy on him, vs 21. How cruel it is to shut our hearts to those who are crying out in pain and anguish. Who are those in such a condition who live near you who are suffering under the weight of abuse, neglect, drugs, divorce or violence. Let’s turn our ears on and hear their cries for mercy and provide it ‘in Jesus name’.
Job’s situation is so bad and worthy of declaration that he says “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!”, Job19:23. His words have been written and were inscribed in God’s book, forever. All our cries are heard by the Lord. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it but God hears even the innermost cry of the heart. We are of such value to Him that we are inscribed on His hands and heart through the cross.
“my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth”, Job19:25, is a cry of faith and truth even in the midst of the fires of suffering. May we proclaim the same when we are put in a similar place. He says “in my flesh, I shall see God”, vs 26. We know that we cannot see God in the flesh and live. Job knows there will be a glorious change in him. Jesus is our Redeemer who came in the flesh and one day we will see Him in the flesh with our glorious redeemed bodies – on the earth!
One has to wonder which spirit answered Zophar when he spoke, Job 20:3. Had he heard nothing from Job’s heart?!. He refers to Job when he says “though evil be sweet in his mouth…it is the venom of cobras within him”, vss 12-14. What can be said, only that the venom belongs to Zophar. We need to check our spirit’s. The spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets, 1Cor 14:2. Let’s make sure we check our thoughts/hearts/intents before they fly out of our mouths.
Zophar goes on against Job, Job 20:4ff, but let’s not forget Zophar’s words are true with regard to their integrity as applied generally. The words, ‘terrors’, vs 25, ‘utter darkness’, ‘consumed’, vs 26, ‘God’s wrath’, vs 28 are all part of the ‘portion from God…decreed for him by God’, vs 29, for the wicked. The place of eternal punishment via the judgement of God cannot be avoided. As such, let’s labour for Christ while we still have the chance and opportunity to snatch people from hell.
Vision Point for Cell groups
CBC's Vision "To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission".
Cell group questions from Sunday morning’s sermon “Who needs enemies” Job 4.
1. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt that you didn’t have any friends. Jay shared being picked last in his “Continuous Cricket” example. Often these situations happen as we grow up, but not always. Discuss.
2. Some of the words directed towards Job by Eliphaz in Job 4 were true, but misapplied. Discuss some examples.
3. Job calls God his accuser, Job 9:13, and he cries out for an arbitrator between him and the Lord, Job 9:32, 33. Have you ever felt like the Lord was being unjust to you?
4. In Job 19:25 Job testifies that he knows his Redeemer lives and that He will one day stand on the earth. Paul says to Timothy ““For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all” 1Tim 2:5,6. Discuss the meaning of this verse and how it has applied to you in the highs and lows of life.
5. Prayer and praise points below.
Prayer Points
1. Zac’s dad, Mark Torrington responding well to treatment. Lumber puncture not required. He is off oxygen and responding. Not out of woods. Pray against infection.
2.Pray for those who are struggling with health issues in the church.
4. People who have visited the church that they settle in.
4. Others who are struggling in their commitment to Christ and relationship strain/choices.
5. Sunday’s messages. The message this week – “God’s got this” Job 19, Jay.
7. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
8. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times.
Praise Points.
1. More visitors on Sunday.
2. Our worship team on Sunday – thanks Rod, Molly, Riley, Dan. Sounded amazing.
3. Rin did a great job with visuals and streaming.
4. Young Life will be using our facilities on Friday afternoons. Zach Lipp heading this up. Contact Jay for more details.
5. Unity, peace and grace at CBC.
6. Praise God for all those who serve at CBC. Thanks again to Helen, Angelo, Catherine, Yuki, Doug, Maddison and many others who go about making CBC an amazing place to worship.
Announcements
1. Carols Sun 20th Dec 6pm. Start with a meal. Carols to start after the meal around 7pm.
2. AGM – Sunday 15th November after the morning service. Open for all.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Kids Church activity sheets provided – either in the house or church.
