"My Redeemer Lives."

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. (Job 19:25 ESV)

The Book of Job epitomizes human struggle. The root of the struggle is Satan for Job, just like he is ours. The book of Job reminds us that God does not cause evil in our lives; however, He may ordain it for His glory. God knew Job's righteousness and his faith and trusted  Job would not falter in the face of evil.

God will allow us to be tested, but He will not ordain a test we cannot withstand. Such was the case for Job. Did Job sin? No, but He did question God, did he not? And God corrected Job for his error. What Job came to realize is the infinite providence of God. God’s providence is His sovereign, active involvement in sustaining, governing, and directing all events and creation for His purposes and good. Paul told of this providence in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” 

Those who have accepted Christ as their Savior know that salvation can be found only through Christ our Lord. He is the living Son of God, our living redeemer. Job also tells of God's infinite being. God is eternal, He has no beginning and no end, He is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 22:13). Job knew of the “Day of the Lord” as it was foretold in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, the Torah of the Hebrew Bible. In this Job knew that no matter the struggles of his life, he was counted as righteous, and he would be plucked from the wrath and tribulation of the “Day of the Lord,” when God comes in judgment.

Are we not like Job? In our times of trouble and woe, do we not question God? When we read the headlines of another mass shooting, the horrible abuse of a child, the corruption within our government, do we not ask, “God, why would you allow this to happen?” As a minister, I am asked this all the time. For us, it is difficult to answer such questions, especially when they deal with the death of a child or young person. I think Billy Graham said it best when he was asked about the tragic MGM hotel fire. The Reverend Graham said, “‘There’s a mystery to tragedies like this. We don’t know the answer.’ And we may never know until God explains all things to us.”

 We are not God. We do not think like God, nor did we lay out the end of all things before the beginning (Isaiah 35:10). God called us to His own. He decided who would come to the gospel and who would not. He did this not out of clairvoyance, but by individual choice. He decided who would come to the calling, eliminating the choice and appointing salvation. We make a decision which may prolong our coming to God, but if you are His elect, you will come at God’s appointed time.

Is this message God’s call to you? Are you searching the internet for answers to the meaning of your life, is there a God, or why are you here? How did you wind up on this website today, where the glory of God is professed and the gift of salvation proclaimed? Because God led you here.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, seek Him today. Do not wait, because in death there is no choice; but to those who are dead in their sins, living in the world, there is a choice (Ephesians 2:1). Choose life; choose Christ.

Grace and Peace.