My Redeemer Lives

                                                                     Sunday School Lesson

                                            
Lesson: Job 19:1-7, 23-29
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25).
INTRODUCTION.  The book of Job addresses the question: “Why do righteous people have to suffer?”  We know that Job’s sufferings were brought about by Satan with God’s approval.  We also know that God only wanted good to come to Job from his sufferings.  But Job didn’t know anything about Satan’s conversation with God, and his so-called friends only made his misery worse by accusing him of sinning instead of providing consolation.  We all have had someone accuse us of doing something we didn’t do.  Although we knew we were innocent, others around us didn’t believe we were.  What we wanted and needed was for someone to defend us and prove our innocence.  Just like Job, we needed a redeemer.  Not the kind that saves us from the penalty of our sins for we already have that in Jesus, but someone who can save our reputation, and clear us of all false accusations.  Our lesson this week will reveal Job’s deepest despair as well as his glimpses of hope.
BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  It’s believed that Job lived during the days of the patriarch Abraham.  Job was a righteous man from the land of Uz who feared God and turned away from evil (see Job 1:1).  God had prospered him greatly and he was known as the greatest man in the east (see Job 1:2-3).  But this all changed dramatically.  In an appearance before God, Satan accused Job of being righteous only for what he could get out of it (see Job 1:6-10).  To prove Satan wrong, God granted him permission to attack Job on two different occasions (see Job 1:11-12).  First Satan destroyed all of Job’s possessions, including his children (see Job 1:13-22).  Then Satan attacked Job’s health (see Job 2:1-8).  To make matters worse, Job’s wife complained that he was still holding on to his integrity after all he was going through.  She suggested he curse God and die (see Job 2:9-10).  When they heard of Job’s troubles, three of his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar came and sat silently with him for seven days (see Job 2:11-13).  Job then broke the silence with a monologue in which he cursed the day he was born (see Job chapter 3).  This started three rounds of arguments between Job and his friends.  Eliphaz spoke in chapters 4, 5, 15, 22; Bildad spoke in chapters 8, 18, 25 and Zophar spoke in chapters 11, 20.  Eliphaz spoke first in chapter 4 claiming that Job was suffering because he had sinned (see Job 4:7-9) and advised Job to go to God and plead his case before Him (see Job 5:8).  But Job told him to take back his accusations because he hadn’t done anything wrong referring to his integrity (see Job 6:29-30).  When Bildad spoke in chapter 8, he inferred that Job was still suffering because he wouldn’t admit that he had sinned (see Job 8:1-7).  Job replied saying that he would ask God what he had done wrong (see Job 10:2-12).  Then Zophar spoke accusing Job of the same things as Eliphaz and Bildad that Job was suffering because of sin.  However, Zophar’s language was arrogant and full of anger, insensitive to Job’s unique situation (see Job 11:1-11).  Job replied by comparing his friends to doctors who didn’t know what they were doing (see Job 13:1-4).  Job ended this first round of debates by lamenting about how unfair life is (see Job 14:1-12).  The second round of debates begins in chapter 15 with Eliphaz basically repeating the same accusations as he did earlier, but this time he was more rude and threatening adding that Job’s words were empty and useless (see Job chapter 15).  Job answered him in chapter 16 by calling his friends miserable comforters.  They were no help to him at all.  In chapter 17, Job appears to be giving up hope for any future restoration of wealth and family, wrapping himself in thoughts of death and the rest from grief and pain death promised (see Job 17:6-16).  In chapter 18 Bildad speaks for the second time asking Job when he would stop his senseless talk (see Job 18:1-4) and gave his opinion of death (see Job 18:5-21).  Chapter 19 from whence our lesson comes gives Job’s reply to Bildad’s second round of attacks.
JOB’S LONELY PLIGHT (Job 19:1-7)  
A. Job vexed by words (Job 19:1-2). 
1. (vs. 1).  Our first verse says “Then Job answered and said.”  After listening to his friends attack him accusing him of suffering because he had sinned, this verse tells us that Job was about to respond to them again.
2. (vs. 2).  In this verse Job speaking to his three friends asked “How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?”  Earlier in Job 18:2, Bildad asked Job how long would he keep speaking useless words.  Now Job returns the favor by asking them “How long will ye vex my soul?”  As his friends these three men should’ve brought Job words of comfort, but instead their words vexed or troubled his soul.  In addition, Job said you “break me in pieces with words.”  This means that they used many words to try to break him down to get him to admit he was guilty of some sin.  They had already concluded that the kind of trouble Job was experiencing must be due to sin.  Bildad had compared Job with a wicked man whose family was destroyed (see Job 18:5-6) because of his own sins (see Job 18:7-10).  According to Bildad, just like the wicked man, all that was left for Job was death and no remembrance of his name (see Job 18:15-21).
B. Job misunderstood by his friends (Job 19:3-4).  
1. (vs. 3). In this verse, Job continues to say to his three friends “These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.”  The words “These ten times” does not refer to an actual number of ten times, but is a figure of speech meaning numerous times, or more than necessary.  Centuries later, Jacob accused Laban of changing his wages ten times, but in reality his wages were only changed twice, (see Genesis 29:15-20; 21-28; 31:7).  Job was saying that his friends “reproached” him numerous times.  The term “reproach” means “to charge or blame someone for something wrong.  It can also mean “to rebuke.”  Instead of Job’s friends comforting him in his afflictions, they were blaming him for his afflictions, and rebuking him for not admitting that he had sinned.   Job also said “ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.”  In other words, Job was saying that their behavior toward him was strange, and they without shame were insulting him by unjustly accusing him of sinning.  Note:  It’s easy to point out someone else’s faults or sins.  Job’s friends accused him of sin to make him feel guilty not to encourage or correct him.  If we feel that we must admonish someone, we should be sure we are doing it because we love the person, not because we are annoyed, inconvenienced, or just seeking to blame him.
2. (vs. 4).  Job went on to say “And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.”  Here Job told his friends that if he had “erred” or sinned, that was his problem not theirs.  Job was not aware of anything he had done wrong, but even if he had, he stated that “mine error remaineth with myself” meaning that any sin he may have committed was for him to deal with not his friends.  He had done no wrong to them, so they didn’t have the right to play God and condemn him.  Note:  Job’s friends weren’t aware of any sin that he had committed.  They simply looked at his sufferings and reasoned that he must be a sinner.  We must be careful not to assume that a person is guilty of sin when we see them suffering any hardship or sickness.  Only God knows the heart of the one suffering.  Our part is to be humble and pray for the person’s deliverance and that they learn whatever lesson God may be teaching.      
C. Job afflicted by God (Job 19:5-6).
1. (vs. 5).  In this verse Job continues to say “If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach.”  This verse actually introduces the next verse.  But here, Job began telling his friends that if they were going to “magnify” or lift themselves up above him as if they were God and “plead against me my reproach” meaning to continue to use his suffering to prove his sinfulness, there was something they needed to know.  He told them what that was in the next verse.
2. (vs. 6).  Here Job told his friends what they really needed to know.  He said “Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.”  The word “overthrown” means “to bend” or “perverted.”  Job was accusing God of doing him wrong and treating him in a perverted way.  Job had blamed God for his troubles earlier (see Job 3:23; 6:4; 9:22-23).  As far as Job was concerned, he had examined himself and couldn’t find any sin in his life that would cause his trials.  Therefore, he came to the conclusion that God was not treating him justly.  Bildad had previously accused Job of falling into a net or trap because of his own sin (see Job 18:7-10).  But now Job used the same word “net” declaring that God had “compassed (enclosed) me with his net.”  Job felt that God had set a trap for him and he unknowingly fell into it.  Note:  It may seem easy for us to condemn Job for so boldly blaming God for his problems.  But we must remember that Job was a godly man (see Job 1:1, 8; 2:3) who knew the difference between right and wrong (see Job 1:5).  As a result, when the calamities came upon him, he earnestly looked within himself for a reason why he was suffering.  When he found none, he concluded that his sufferings were due to divine injustice.  Job felt that God was treating him like an enemy, but in reality God was his friend and thought highly of him (see Job 1:8; 2:3).  In Job’s difficulty, he pointed at the wrong person.  It was Satan, not God who was his enemy.
D.  Job’s complaint unheard (Job 19:7).  Here Job says “Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.”   This verse reveals Job’s tremendous struggle.  The phrase “Behold, I cry out of wrong” can also be rendered “Listen, I cry that I’ve been done wrong, seeking help.”  Even as Job cried out for help, he said “but I am not heard.”  There was no answer from God to his cry for help.  He went further saying “I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.”  When he received no response, Job yelled out louder “help!” but realized since there was no answer, there was no “judgment” or justice.  No doubt he felt that God had turned his back on him.
JOB’S EXPECTATIONS (Job 19:23-29).   Verses 8-19 are not part of our printed text but those verses continue to reveal how deeply Job felt that he had been abandoned.  He said that God had hemmed him in and kept him in darkness (see vs. 8) and had taken away his crown of glory and crushed all his hope (see vss. 9-10).  Job also felt that God had fought against him and besieged him like an enemy (see vss. 11-12).  He said that God had turned his family against him (see vss. 13-17) and even mere acquaintances, including children, would have nothing to do with him (see vss. 18-19).  And then as he reached his deepest point of despair in verse 21, Job pleaded with his friends saying “Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.”  These words describe a deeply dejected man who believes that the Lord has deserted him.  Then in verse 22, Job asked his friends “Why must you persecute me as God does? Why aren’t you satisfied with my anguish?”  This is where the remainder of our lesson begins.
A. A permanent record of innocence (Job 19:23-24). 
1. (vs. 23).  In this verse Job says “Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!”  It appears that Job believed that he wouldn’t be vindicated of any guilt in his lifetime, so he wished that his words would be written and “printed in a book” or scroll.  Spoken words can be blotted from a person’s memory, but written words can be preserved and become a permanent record.  As far as Job was concerned, his written words could be read carefully by future generations who would find him innocent of any sin that caused his suffering.  
2. (vs. 24).  It’s true that written words on a scroll could be permanent, but Job wanted something more permanent than a scroll.  Still talking about his words, in this verse he said “That they (his words) were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!”  Job’s desire was that his words be engraved “with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!”  An “iron pen” was an engraving tool used to engrave on surfaces.  Once words were inscribed on the surface of metal or rock, hot “lead” was poured into the engraved letters for visibility and permanence.  Job wanted his words cut into rock which would be a more lasting memory of his integrity.  Note:  Job was well aware that his spoken words most likely would die with him, but permanent records would live on.  Amazingly, his wish became a reality because today we have his complete story.  In his book, we can clearly see that he was innocent of any sin that would cause his suffering.  For sure, Job was not sinless, because he doubted God’s goodness.  But because of this record, we know that his suffering was not a result of his sin.
B. Job vindicated by his Redeemer (Job 19:25).  Job continued to say “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.”  Through all that Job was suffering, he still expected to be vindicated of his integrity (see Job 2:3, 9; 27:5; 31:6) which would confirm that he had not sinned.  Therefore he was able to say “For I know that my redeemer liveth.”  It’s one thing to be vindicated by future generations who read his preserved words, but it is completely another thing to be vindicated or found not guilty by God.  Job placed emphasis on the word “I” indicating that others may doubt that God lives, but Job was certain and sure of this.  As his “redeemer” Job believed that God would be on his side and avenge him of the misconceptions his friends had about him.  The word “redeem” means to buy back or to repurchase.  The word “redeemer” refers to someone who frees or delivers another from difficulty, danger, or bondage, usually by paying a ransom price. Not only was Job sure that his Redeemer lived, but he was also positive that “he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.”  The phrase “the latter day” can also be translated as “the last days” and refers to the end times when Job, by faith, saw his “Redeemer” or Avenger standing on the earth declaring him not guilty of his friends’ accusations and restoring his integrity or name.
C. Job’s vision of God (Job 19:26-27). 
1. (vs. 26).  Job continued in this verse saying “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”  Because his skin was covered with boils (see Job 2:7), Job thought that he would soon die.  So he said even when my skin is gone and my body has decayed, “yet in my flesh shall I see God.”   Job was sure that even after his body decayed, he would still see God in his “flesh” or his body.  Job believed that his body would be resurrected and at that time he would see God.  This is evidence of a bodily resurrection for all believers.  The doctrine of a bodily resurrection is clearly taught in the New Testament (see I Corinthians chapter 15), but it had only been partially revealed in the Old Testament (see Psalms 16:10; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2, 13).  We don’t know for sure what type of body we will have, but we do know that our resurrected bodies will be like Jesus’ glorious body (see Philippians 3:21) and we will see Him as He is (see I John 3:2).
2. (vs. 27).  Still speaking about God, Job here says “Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”  This verse can also be translated: “I will see my Redeemer with my own eyes , me and not another; my heart yearns for it.”  The word “reins” literally means “kidneys” but here it refers to Job’s inner being.  Therefore the phrase “though my reins be consumed within me” means that Job had a deep yearning to see His Redeemer who he now saw as his friend and not an enemy.
D. Job’s triumph of justice (Job 19:28-29). 
1. (vs. 28).  In this verse, Job again speaks directly to his three friends saying “But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?”  In other words, Job was saying “If you ask yourselves how shall you continue to pursue me considering that the root of the problem lies with me.”  Job’s three friends were determined to keep after him assuming that sin was the cause of his suffering.  If they continued to falsely accuse him of sinning, Job had a warning for them in the next verse.
2. (vs. 29).  The warning Job gave his friends for continuing to hound him about why he was suffering was “Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.”  In other words if they kept accusing Job of sinning they should be “afraid of the sword” which God would bring upon them for making Him angry over their treatment of Job.  God’s “wrath” or anger would rise against them and they will “know there is a judgment.”  Job wanted his friends to know that God was completely aware of their accusations and actions toward Job, and that they would certainly be subject to God’s judgment.
                     
V. Conclusion.  In this week’s lesson, Job thought his cries to the Lord for help went unanswered.  But God never left Job’s side, even though he thought God had abandoned him.  Job wrongly assumed that because God was silent, He had forsaken him.  We may have people who wrongfully slander us to our faces or behind our backs.  Sometimes it’s impossible for us to deal with these attacks. This week’s remarkable passage should also remind us that even in the darkest hour, saints can know that the Lord will eventually vindicate us and reward us with a vision of Himself.  But it’s also a stern warning against unjustly accusing a suffering believer of having brought on his condition through sin.