For I know that my Redeemer Liveth...the Wayfarer 2/13 /16

For I know that my Redeemer Liveth

2/13 /16

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.”

(Job 19:25-29)

Job, in all the patience for which he is still noted to have had, bemoaned the fact that condemnation without comprehension was constantly given by his friends, and even his family.

The test endured by him was excruciatingly painful, both physically and spiritually as his friends turned on him, his family, what was left of it, harangued him to simply curse God and die.

Yet he held on. Yet he maintained the faith that was the cause of the test being imposed on him by Satan for that faith.

His hope was never in the here and now, in the physical world, or in the things that were seen as a reason by Satan to initiate that test, but, in a Redeemer, known by him, honored by him, loved by him, to whom he clung in even the worst of his adversity.

Job was confident that the justice of the judgment of that Redeemer would triumph over that adversity, and that despite the physical misfortunes and pain imposed on him that the truth of the matter would be known and justified by God.

In the opening of this 19^th chapter he upbraided his torturers for that continual harangue, and their lack of shame at the giving of it.

 The final few verses of the chapter, with which I open, are in rebuke of them, and in explanation of his confidence in the fact that it is the judgment of God alone that matters, not any condemnation given him by men, who themselves need to find the same truth of that judgment that he himself knew to be that truth.

Yet, those “friends” continued in their self-righteousness, in judgmentalism to attempt to find fault with Job, to prove that he had in some way brought all this misery on himself, paying no attention to the fact that they too would eventually face the same judge and Redeemer that Job professed, all the while proving that confidence in, needing to have fear of themselves instead of haranguing, and attempting to pass judgment on without perceiving their own failures.

It is the confidence in that same Redeemer, the total confidence in that God, the understanding that even after the human body is long decayed and destroyed, rotted and returned to the dust, that the soul given that body will eventually stand in judgment that is missing in so many today that allows the deterioration and decay, the rotting and putridness of society that continues to plague the human race as it denies that Redeemer, and denies that judge, denies the need to have any fear of the sword mentioned by Job, or the punishments brought with it when that judgment is finally realized as it is brought to fruition.

That Redeemer that Job spoke of, devoted his life to, despite his trials and pains, is still available,  still willing to redeem any who recognize Him, and, recognize as well the requirements given for that redemption that were so well recognized by Job, whose continual repentance and praise of that redeemer are recorded throughout this book, another of my favorites in the Old testament, because of the hope it proclaims to any and all who endure and maintain that faith and hope held by Job throughout his test… throughout his life.

Jesus is that redeemer, and brings with Him that sword as well!

His teachings, parables, admonitions, all given in love, were tempered with the warnings of that sword as well.

The judgmentalism addressed by Job, was addressed by him as well in His sermon on the mount, and throughout the gospels as he constantly reminded all of the need to return to looking at the inner man for each instead of looking at the outer man evidenced in others.

His reminders of what is required of that inner man, for each of us are recoded throughout those gospels in all of the teachings, and through the miracles performed, each of which required the forgiveness of sin, repentance for redemption.

The rebuke and admonition given BY HIM was constantly and consistently given to those who refused to accept the individual responsibility for their own failures, and turned to the ceremony and pageantry that allowed them the semblance of respect that was so important to them, the riches that meant so much to them that denied the emptiness of soul and utter failure to understand what should have been the purpose of their lives as they lived in condemnation of all but themselves.

Life itself is a constant test of wherein faith is given.

There are no substitutes that can take that test for any one.

The answers to that that test are given daily through the lives led, through the decisions made, through following the “source material” that has been provided, and how well that “source material” has been memorized, not with the mind, but with the heart.

The correct answers for that test are readily available. It is, after all, an open book test, with those answers provided completely within the book from which that test is taken.

Answers given are also seen when given by others, as their lives, too, become an open book, to be judged by that Redeemer also ding the judging as the test is graded, recorded, waiting a final grade at the end of the test.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

That final grade will simply be a passing grade, given through the belief in that Redeemer, or Failure for having never bothered to pay attention to the “source material” choosing to ignore the course while attempting to party through life, pursuing no goal but the pleasures of the here and now.

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”

(Matthew 10:32-34)

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work may be.”

(Revelation 22:12)

Amen and Amen, even so come Lord Jesus!
..the Wayfarer