Job's Redeemer

I get really excited every time I see Job makes a reference to Jesus. Whether or not he knew he was uttering Messianic prophecies is debated by scholars. Frankly, I find it more amazing to think that he expressed all of these longings for a mediator, advocate, friend, and now Redeemer (vs. 19:25), without any foreknowledge that such a person existed. But everything Job anticipated and longed for, is found in the One we now know as Jesus. What exactly did the term "Redeemer" mean to Job? In that time and culture, a "redeemer" was considered to be the nearest blood relative obligated to come to the aid of one in trouble. Several specific circumstances are outlined in the Law, including the redeeming of property that had been sold in time of financial need, the freeing of a slave who had sold himself in time of need, the marrying of a childless widow to produce heirs for the deceased, avenging a murder by the familial retribution law, receiving restitution for a wrong done to an injured party. So, the main idea is that the Redeemer bailed his family members out of tough spots they found themselves in. Can you think of a tougher spot for a person to be in than to be standing before the throne of God when He asks, "Why should I let you into my heaven?" That's when our Redeemer will step in and bail us out! Job may not have known exactly what he was implying, but what an interesting choice of words for him to use! And intentional or not, Job's words lend credence to the idea that the ancient Hebrews had a belief in an afterlife. Verse 19:26 says "And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God". There is no way to return to the body after it has decayed unless one believes in a resurrected body!

Tomorrow's reading: Job 22-25:6