ONE of the shortest, and one of the best known, and longest remembered names of the Old Testament is Job. And a wonderful man Job was contemporary with Abraham, it is believed, yet living far, far away from him, he nevertheless knew about God; and he also knew that access to God was by sacrifice. He knew that God was holy; he knew that He was righteous; and he knew that He was merciful: and not all his sorrows and all his losses could shake his soul from this rock. Sometimes with feeble utterance, be it said, he spoke of all this; yet nothing could move him from his confidence in Jehovah. And one of his most remarkable utterances, as proof of this, is found in chapter 19, ver. 25.
“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.” Beautiful utterance, indeed! And where, do you think, it was Job’s desire to have this recorded? “In the rock Forever!” Not only in a book, and surely not in the sand. No, but
“graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever”!
“For I know.” sweet words, indeed. No doubt, no fear. “My Redeemer liveth,” —yes, his own Redeemer, “liveth.” The One who had all power towards him and for him.
“Shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” Thousands of years have gone since then, but still the words are true. It shall be.
“In my flesh shall I see God.” His faith in the resurrection of the body, thus beautifully proclaimed as the hope of Job’s heart; “Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.” Here I pause, for I have a few words to say about this. Now, if you have marginal readings to your Bible, you will see that the word “another” is rendered “stranger”. Hence Job’s words were, “Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not a “stranger.” It was not to be a stranger-Redeemer, or a stranger-God whom Job was going to see, but One whom he knew, and before whom he had often bowed in worship and adoration. Job not only knew about God, but he knew Him. Like Paul, when he exclaimed, “I know whom I have believed,” so Job could say, “I shall see Him whom I know is living, and He won’t be a stranger.” Happy Job!
It may be, dear readers, you have often heard Christians singing that beautiful hymn, “There no stranger-God shall meet thee.”
That is, when all the flock of God is gathered home. He will not be a stranger-God, for all who are there will have long known, and long trusted Him.
Do you know God, dear children? Shall I tell you how He is to be known? As Job knew Him through the Redeemer Jesus. If you can say, like him, “I know that my Redeemer liveth,” you know God. Jesus has made Him known, “He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father.” There will be always much to learn about God. But we must know Him before we can increase in knowledge. We must all have to do with Him in some way, either as our Friend or as our Judge. One who is known to us, or as a stranger. O, see to it—and that now, “while it is, called today,” go to Him through Jesus; remembering His own precious words, “He that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent Me hath everlasting life.” May such be yours. Then when you get home to glory,
“He who to His rest shall greet thee,
Greets thee with a well-known love.”
ML-09/19/1920