Job 19:25-27 - Job's Hope of Resurrection

Job 19:25-27
²⁵ “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
²⁶ “Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God;
²⁷ Whom I myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.
My heart faints within me!

Message: Job's Hope of Resurrection; Or Job's Hope of Being Redeemed

Time: The time of Job is unclear and commonly debated. Often the language of the book can give clues. It seems to be that Job had a lifespan of close to 200 years as Job 42:16 says he lived 140 years after the events in the book.

What the Lord is Saying:

Beginning in verse 23 Job records words that express his dream or his desire to have his words recorded. He had been experiencing injustice from his friends. The previous verses in this chapter express this. He desired that his words might be recorded in some form, like on a tablet or rock, as was the way to record words in those days. 

The Septuagint records these words as: 25 For I know that he is eternal who is about to deliver me, 26 and to raise up upon the earth my skin that endures these sufferings: for these things have been accomplished to me of the Lord; 27 which I am conscious of in myself, which mine eye has seen, and not another, but all have been fulfilled to me in my bosom. 

This, I guess, is a very interesting set of verses. Jews do not ascribe these words to the Messiah while Christians do think it points directly to Jesus. In my reading of these verses since we are not real sure who the source of these verses are it seems what we can do is focus on Job and the condition of his being when he was writing these words. He clearly was hurting and he clearly expected God to solve his hurting. As verse 26 records the fact that even after his skin is destroyed, he will see God. 

Chapter 19 begins with Job feeling insulted and he wants his friends or others to stop the insults. He could be wronged or on the side of error, but, if so, God is the one dealing with him (verse 6). He would hope at least his friends would come to his aid and stand by his side. As "the hand of God has struck" him (verse 21), but why must his friends do the same. 

And it is here then that he turns to God, knowing that God will in the end protect him. And he concludes with words expressing why there is injustice or evil. Evil is the result of punishment to remind us that there is judgment. God wants us to know that judgment is real. So many people spend their lives thinking that there is little in them that deserves God's judgment or even warrants it. In this world in which we live, God wants us to remember that judgment is still real.

Promise: God will rescue us. God may also be punishing us. What we need from each other is consoling and comfort, not more judgment.