JOB’S REDEEMER Lesson 12 for December 17, 2016

The exemplary Redeemer. The crucified Redeemer. At the end of Job’s story, God introduces Himself as the great Creator and ends up with Job’s sorrow. Nevertheless, the conflict between God and Satan that caused this problem went unresolved. However, Job foresaw the solution to that conflict. He understood there’s only a solution for sin: a Redeemer. The living Redeemer. The Redeemer made man. The exemplary Redeemer. The crucified Redeemer. The suffering Redeemer. The victorious Redeemer.

THE LIVING REDEEMER “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.” (Job 19:25-26 NIV) Job fully believed that a living redeemer will rescue him from death in the future. Nevertheless, he didn’t have to wait long to see his Redeemer. He introduced Himself as the Creator (Job 38-41). Redemption and Creation come together in Jesus Christ: “In the beginning was the Word […] All things were made through Him […] as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:1-12). The love of our Creator is wonderful, He gave His own life to save His creatures from death!

THE REDEEMER MADE MAN “Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees? Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a strong man?” (Job 10:4-5 NIV) Job fully trusted his Creator and Redeemer. Nevertheless, God was in Heaven and he was on Earth. God was free of all suffering but he was suffering. “God cannot understand me because He’s not a man! He cannot suffer like we do!” That complaint was solved in Jesus: “So the Word became human and made his home among us.” (John 1:14 NLT). God became fully human to redeem us. “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)

THE EXEMPLARY REDEEMER “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:6) The Redeemer suffered like we do and He also lived a life like ours, but He lived sinless. Jesus is the only perfect example we have in terms of how to live the kind of life to which God calls us. That’s why we are encouraged to imitate him in every aspect. Living a perfect life is not what made Him our Redeemer. He can redeem us because He decided to become our Substitute. He came to more than just being an example and sympathizing with us. He came to suffer our death.

THE CRUCIFIED REDEEMER “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man MUST SUFFER many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31) The redemption plan always involved the Messiah dying at the Cross. Jesus died the eternal death in our place. HE MUST DO IT. Each one of us has been substituted by the Lamb of God, like Isaac was substituted by a lamb. He came to offer “one sacrifice for sins forever.” (Hebrews 10:12). Everyone whose life “is hidden with Christ in God” will not die forever (Colossians 3:3). Let’s accept that substitution and cling to the crucified Redeemer by faith.

THE SUFFERING REDEEMER “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4) The story of Job introduces but doesn’t solve the problem of human suffering. Only Christ is the solution for our problem; He is the “man of sorrows.” He carried the cross with all the suffering of humanity. The suffering of each human being. No one can teach God anything about suffering because He experienced all our past, present and future suffering as a human being. The suffering of Jesus at the cross is our hope when surrounded by pain and sin; that’s the assurance of our salvation.

THE VICTORIOUS REDEEMER “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” (John 12:31) Satan questioned God’s character. Job’s victory was just a small defeat for the devil. Jesus defeated him completely. Satan’s lies were exposed. Satan described God as a tyrannical and proud being. Nevertheless, God humbled Himself to the point of death to save the sinners (Philippians 2:5-8). And He wasn’t alone. “God [the Father] was in Christ [the Son] reconciling the world to Himself”, who “through the eternal Spirit [the Holy Spirit] offered Himself.” (2 Corinthians 5:19; Hebrews 9:14). The divine/human Jesus overcame for us. By faith we can have the assurance of eternal life in Jesus.

“Jesus, precious Saviour “Jesus, precious Saviour! We may study the love of the Father in that He gave His dear Son to die for a fallen world. As we study this inexpressible love in the light of the cross of Calvary, we are filled with wonder, with amazement. We see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended harmoniously with justice and dignity and power. Jesus bids the sinner to look to Him and live. “I,” He says, “have found a ransom.” The gulf of perdition opened by sin is bridged by the cross of Calvary. Penitent, believing souls may see a forgiving Father reconciling us to Himself by that cross of Calvary.” E.G.W. (This Day with God, June 16)