Let us turn to God's Word, turning to the book of Job. Job chapter 19, and I'll read the end of that chapter, Job chapter 19, reading from verse 23 through 29. Job is the one who is answering, speaking, and here at verse 23, following, he says, Oh, that my words were now written, or that they were written in a book, that they were graven with an iron pen and laid in the rock forever.

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 eye 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. you may know that there is a judgment.

It's remarkable how we find the brightest of Gospel declarations in many parts of this ancient book of Job. And of course we have one of them in this portion that I've just read. What a declaration in verse 25 when he says, I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." Oftentimes, as I say, we have these bright gospel words.

He also speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as that one who is the daisman, or the umpire, the mediator, back in chapter 9 and verse 33. or that there were a daysman between us he says that he may lay his hands upon us both addressing God and looking for that one who is himself God man and able therefore to lay his hands upon us both upon both God and upon man but then also we see him speaking in chapter 16 of that one who is his witness in heaven because of his witness in heaven and his record on high. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is there in the glory appearing before God for him. And then of course also we read in chapter 17 of the surety and it's Job speaking those words there in verse 3 of chapter 17 lay down now he says put me in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me that one the promised one who would indeed come to be the surety of his people who was made of a woman and made under the law that he might stand in that law place a surety of his people and answer for them with regards to all the demands of that Lord and fulfill all righteousness but not only so but then also that holy righteous and just surety would be the one who would die as their substitute. Oh what remarkable words then we find scattered throughout this book as Job directs us to the person and the work of him that was to come, even our Lord Jesus Christ.

And here, at the beginning of the portion that I read, verses 23 and 24, he says, oh, that my words were now written, or that they were printed in a book, that they were graven with an iron pen and laid in the rock forever. And we know that that request has been granted. Because the Book of Job is part of the canon of Holy Scripture, ever recognized by God's ancient covenant people. It's there in the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures. Part of that that the Apostle speaks of. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction. and for instruction in righteousness.

It's part of that that the Lord Jesus Christ himself speaks of in the course of his ministry. Remember the words that we have there in the Sermon on the Mount where Christ declares verily, till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Lord shall all be fulfilled. And those words of Christ apply to what Job as to say what's recorded here in the book of Job again later in Matthew the Lord says heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away and so what Job desires in these verses 23 and 24 is a truth is The words are printed in a book. They are graven with an iron pen. That's it. It's laid in the rock for forever. The words of God.

Well, this morning I want really to concentrate more particularly upon the words that we have at verse 25 through 28. 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, my inward parts, be consumed within me. But ye should say, why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in him? thinking in particular of verse 25 for our text, but looking at those words in their context, I want to deal with some three headings this morning. First of all, to say something with regards to the Redeemer, and then secondly, what he goes on to say with regards to resurrection, the resurrection life, And then finally, those words that we have in verse 28, where he speaks of the root of the matter, is found in me. First of all then, the Redeemer.

What a glorious statement is this that we have in the 25th verse. I'm sure it's a text, a verse that's familiar. to all of us and it is of course the testimony of this man in the midst of great trials and troubles and in it we have a wonderful fullness really because here he speaks of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth He speaks of the latter day. And it is, of course, a prophetic word, really, because it is speaking, in fact, of the day, even the day in which we're living, even this particular day. Remember how in his first general epistle, the Apostle John declares quite plainly, it is the last time.

There in 1 John 2.18 it is the last time, it is the latter day. It is that day of which Job is speaking then here in the text. It's the fullness of the time.

And it begins of course with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. those words of Galatians 4.4 when the fullness of the time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that they might receive the adoption of sons it is the latter day, it's the last time, it's the day of grace again the language of Paul writing to the Corinthians in chapter 10 of that first epistle now all these things happened unto them speaking of Israel in the Old Testament and that would include Job of course all these things happened unto them for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope those are the words of Romans 15 but in 1st Corinthians 10 he says all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they're written for us. They're written for us upon whom the ends of the world have come. The day in which we're living this is the end time, the ends of the world.

But it's still the day of grace. God says, I have heard thee in a time accepted, in the day of salvation have I succored thee. Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation. And so the significance of what we have here in this 25th verse, it is that latter day, that last time that Job is referring to.

And, as I said, it commenced with the Lord Jesus Christ standing on the earth. He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, says Job. It's a reference into the wonder of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great mystery of godliness, the incarnation, without controversy great is the mystery of godliness says Paul God was manifest in the flesh or when that last time began it it was with the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and in him the fulfillment of all those things that are spoken of throughout the Old Testament scriptures how they have their accomplishments in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus and as the last time begins with his first coming so it ends with his second coming his first coming is that as the one who is the savior of sinners his second coming of course is that in which he is to be the judge of all And when he comes will he not stand again upon the earth and make that final separation? In the book of the Revelation we read of the angel who set his right foot upon the sea and his left foot on the earth. Well, so will Christ stand astride the whole earth in that final day of judgment? We know that the Father judges no man. but he has committed all judgment unto the Son.

Now those words of the Lord Jesus himself in the fifth chapter of John he was well aware that he would come again as that one who would be the judge of all and make that separation between the sheep and the goats and how his enemies will then be dust under his feet those words of Philippians 2 verses 10 and 11 that in the name of Jesus every knee is to bear of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue is to confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father oh yes he has come and he has ushered in the day of Christ with his first coming but so at the end of time he will return and close the day of grace and bring in that awful day of the final judgment and then what will this earth be will be as dust under his feet and really that's the basic meaning of that word earth that we have at the end of this 25th verse it is literally dust he shall stand at the latter day upon the dust he will trample over all his enemies and his name will be vindicated before all peoples what a fearful day that for the unbelieving And yet, surely here we are primarily to think in terms of that first coming. That's what Job's looking to, primarily. Not the end of the day of grace, but the wondrous beginnings of that day.

And we can think of the language that we have in the book of Psalms, Psalm 72, which of course is a psalm for Solomon. But we know that a greater than Solomon is there in that 72nd Psalm. We think often times of the words of Isaac Watts, his paraphrase of Psalm 72. Jesus shall reign. Where'er the sun doth his successive journeys run, his kingdom stretched from shore to shore, Till moon shall wax and wane no more. How, in his paraphrase of that 72nd Psalm, Watts brings out the truth of the prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ that he found in the words of Psalm 72.

And amongst them, what do we read of verse 9? They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents, the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him.

O the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who is being spoken of here by this ancient patriarch, even Job himself, I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand. that the latter die upon the earth. And in that first coming, how he stands. And how he stands here as that one who will fulfill all that he had engaged to fulfill in the eternal covenant. He would be obedient to all the will of the Father. He would accomplish that work that the Father had given him to do.

What we have then, I say in verse 25, primarily, is Christ coming in grace. How do we know that? Because we see Him here as that one who is the Redeemer. But interestingly, the word that we have is that great Hebrew word, Goel. The Goel, that's the kinsman. The kinsman, Redeemer.

And the root of it, of course, is back in Leviticus, that book of Moses, the third book of Moses, which is really a gospel book, isn't it? It's full of types and figures. All those feasts, all those sacrifices, all types of the Lord Jesus Christ and what do we read in Leviticus 25 verse 25 if thy brother be waxen poor and has sold away some of his possession and if any of his kin come to redeem it then shall you redeem that which is brother's soul. Now there's the origins of what was known in Israel as the kinsman redeemer and a great example of that as we're aware is what we have in the case of Boaz in the book of Ruth. Boaz is the kinsman redeemer and how ready, how willing he is to redeem that would be the possession really of Ruth. And we see it in the language there in the third chapter.

There was a kinsman who was a closer relation, wasn't there? What does he say there, this faithful man? In Ruth 3, verses 12 and 13, addressing Ruth he says now it is true that I am thy near kinsman albeit there is a kinsman nearer than I tarry this night and it shall be in the morning that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman well let him do the kinsman's part but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee as the Lord liveth lie down until the morning.

He makes an oath as the Lord liveth. And then in chapter 4, and you can read the chapter through, that last chapter, how we see him as the faithful kinsman, redeemer, when the nearer kinsman declines, refuses to take that part. But not so with Boaz. And isn't Boaz a wonderful type of the Lord Jesus Christ? He's our kinsman. He's our kinsman, he's bone of our bone, he's flesh of our flesh.

For as much as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, we're told he likewise took part of the same. Verily he took not on him the nature of angels, he took upon him the seed of Abram. Abram's seed, Abram's seed. He's the father of all them that believe. and the Lord Jesus then is the near kinsman of every believer and as that near kinsman he is now that one who is all together identified with them he's made in the likeness of our sinful flesh and for sin now he has humbled himself although he is without any sin, no original sin that holy and harmless and undefiled and separate from sinners in his birth as in his life because what was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary was that holy thing that perfect human nature no taint of any sin there that holy thing that was to be called the Son of God, He is God manifest in the flesh. What does he do? He comes to redeem. He's made of a woman, he's made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, it says.

And as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, Cursed is everyone who continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them. If we keep the whole law and offend in one point we're guilty of all, says James. We have to continue in all things written in the Book of the Law. One sin, one sinful, one unclean thoughts and we are condemned. We are cursed as transgressors.

And what has the Lord Jesus Christ done? He has come to stand in that very place of His people. He has redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us. for it is written cursed is everyone that hangeth on the truth this is what Job is speaking of the kinsman redeemer I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth what faith in this man is looking and longing for the appearing the coming of the Lord Jesus and it is by Christ and by Christ alone of course that he is saved as was the case with all the saints of the Old Testament Scriptures. There's only ever been one way of salvation. And it is in and through that great work of the kinsman-redeemer. But in the second place, he speaks also, doesn't he, in this passage of resurrection.

I know that my Redeemer liveth, you see. and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. Notice he's a living Redeemer. He's a living Redeemer. It's interesting because the verb here, to stand, has the literal basic meaning of to rise. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall rise at the latter day. upon the earth.

Isn't there here then some reference to the truth of his rising again from the dead as a redeemer? He's the one who was paid the price that the Holy Lord of God requires. Death. How was he redeemed his people? He made a curse for them. He's died. The accursed death of the cross. But Job speaks of a living Redeemer. He has risen again from the dead.

And of course we know these things are clearly prophesied. Think of the language of the 16th Psalm. And there at the end of that Psalm is there not a prophecy of Christ? It's a miktam. of David, a golden psalm of David and he says at the end there verse 8 following I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, sheol, the realm of the dead, neither wilt thou suffer thine only want to see corruption, thou wilt show me the path of life, in thy presence is fullness of joy at thy right hand, there are pleasures for evermore.

Now of whom is the prophet speaking? Of whom is David speaking here we might ask? Well we find the answer of course when we come to the New Testament and we see what the apostolic gospel was there on the day of Pentecost. Do we not find Peter making reference to those very words that we've just read in the psalm? And Peter speaks of those words being fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. There in Acts 2, verse 25, David speaketh concerning him. He's preaching Christ to the multitudes on the day of Pentecost. David speaketh concerning him.

I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, and I should not be moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad. Moreover also my flair shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life, and thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

And then he says at verse 31, he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ. that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This is the apostolic gospel. They preach the Lord Jesus Christ and they preach the blessed truth of his resurrection. And we have the same later in what's recorded of that great sermon of Paul's at Antioch in Pisidia in the 13th chapter of the Acts. And there at Acts 13, 35, Paul says, Wherefore he, that is David, saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption. But he whom God raised again saw no corruption. What did the apostles preach? They preached the resurrection. of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He himself declares the truth of it when he appears to John there on the Isle of Patmos. That remarkable vision of the glorified Saviour. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell and of death Christ declares it, the apostles declare it and of course we have that remarkable 15th chapter in 1st Corinthians now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruit of them that slept for since by man came death by man came also the resurrection from the dead It's every man in his own order, isn't it? Christ the firstfruits and then they that are Christ's at his coming. So his hope here, Job's hope is in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's a living redeemer. He's risen from the dead. And his resurrection is that of the first fruit. Here is the guarantee, surely, of a general resurrection from the dead.

And this is what Job is anticipating in verses 26 and 27. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. whom I shall see for myself, whom I now shall behold, and not another, though my reins, my innards, be consumed within me." He will go the way of all flesh, he will see corruption, but he will know a general resurrection and he will see Christ in his flesh. It's a remarkable statement that Job is making. is anticipating that general resurrection at the end of time.

When you think of Job, in a sense, what was his life? His life, in a way, was like a living death. He loses everything, doesn't he, in the opening chapter. And then when we see Satan coming again in the second chapter. of course initially he's not permitted to touch Job in his own person but we know what comes upon Job, he loses all his possessions he loses his children, everything's gone it seems his wife would have him curse God and die what a trial it was and then when the The great adversary comes again and Job is now going to suffer in his own person. His life was such a miserable life.

Look at how he speaks of it in other parts here in chapter 16. In verse 8 he says, Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me, and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face. and he goes on in the 17th chapter my breath is corrupt my days are extinct the graves are ready for me verse 14 there I have said to corruption thou art my father to the worm thou art my mother and my sister where is now my hope? his life was was really like a living dead but he looks forward he looks forward to a glorious body Paul says doesn't he there in that 15th chapter 1st Corinthians this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality oh that's the blessed hope and this is what Job is speaking of as I said here in verses 26 and 27 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 veins be consumed within me oh what a blessed hope was that that he had All would be well, ultimately. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law.

But, but, thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, I know that my Redeemer liveth. And you see, Christ's resurrection is that blessed pledge and that guarantee that there will be a general resurrection thy dead men shall live says Isaiah as the mouthpiece of Christ thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise and again in the course of his own ministry there in the 14th chapter of John the Lord says because I live ye shall live also Job he speaks of the the redeemer, the kinsman redeemer but he also speaks not only of redemption but also of resurrection and now in that resurrection of course it is the father who is owning and acknowledging the son and accepting all that that he is accomplished by his obedience unto the death of the cross.

He's declared, he's marked out, he's distinguished in the opening words of Romans as the Son of God according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. It's a vindication, it's a justification of the Lord Jesus Christ as that one who is the only Saviour the kinsman redeemer but then finally this morning this reference in verse 28 to the root of the matter but ye should say why persecute we him? all these these so-called friends they were poor comforters they couldn't understand Job they said wonderful things, remarkable things at times but they had no real conception of where Job was or what Job was having to endure and their words were a persecution to him in many ways he should say why persecute we him seeing the root of the matter is found in me, he says he has this firm belief his firm belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as the kinsman redeemer his firm belief in the blessed truth of his resurrection from the dead remember there were those rationalists weren't they that the Lord had to deal with, the Sadducees as well as those legalists who were the Pharisees and how the the Sadducees, of course, they denied the resurrection.

Now the Lord silences them just as he silences also the Pharisees. In Luke, for example, in Luke chapter 20, we see the Lord Jesus addressing the Sadducees there at verse 27 following then came to him certain of the Sadducees which deny that there is any resurrection and they ask him, they begin to try to catch him in his words but now the Lord answers them there at verse 37 he says now that the Deadeye raised even Moses showed at the bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living.

For all live unto him. Oh, Job, you see, is one who has that living, that lively faith. In the truth of the resurrection, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, And now, as I've already said, it's a truth that we see the apostles delighting to declare, to preach it. Again, there in that second chapter of Acts, what does Peter say? We read just now from verse 25, but previous to that, he speaks of Christ being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, whom ye have taken and with wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held of it. Oh, they crucified the Lord of glory, but God raised him up. God raised him up. And you know, as we saw, it's not just Peter, is it?

It's also Paul preaching the resurrection there in Acts 13. But again, in chapter 17 of that book, when we have Paul at Athens, amongst all the great philosophers as he was, what does he preach? He preaches unto them Jesus and the resurrection. And they say, well, these are strange gods. that you are preaching to, strange gods in the plural what was he preaching?

Jesus and the resurrection it would appear that Peter or rather Paul there made so much of the resurrection they thought that the resurrection was a god these so-called wise men they didn't understand these things well the natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of God they are foolishness to him Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.

Ah, but here is one who has the root of the matter. Or do we, friends, have that root of the matter in us today? We are not worthy of the least of God's favours. And all the truth that He has showed us, He has to show us the truth. He has to show us the truth. It was Paul's experience, wasn't it? He pleased God, he said, to reveal his Son in me.

It's Christ in us, the hope of glory. That's the root of the matter. That's the root of the matter. What do we see here then, with regards to this man who has the root of the matter? Well, look at the language that he uses in these verses. It's a language of appropriation.

He doesn't just say, I know that the Redeemer liveth. No, He says, I know that My Redeemer is Mine. He's My Redeemer. What does He go on to say? Verse 27, Whom I shall see for Myself, and Mine eyes shall behold Him, and not another, though My reins be consumed with evil.

It's all together the language of appropriation. He'd lost everything, this man. As I said in chapter 1, we see he loses all his possessions, all his wealth. He's one of the great men of the East. It's all gone. All his family's gone. His health is gone. He'd lost everything, this man. What a sad state we find the man in. Verse 13, he hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed, my familiar friends have forgotten me.

Ah, but there is a friend, there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, says the wise man. Christ is that friend that loveth at all times, is he not? And a brother born for adversity. That's the Lord Jesus Christ, and this is the one. Oh, this is the one that Job is looking to, my Redeemer. I know that my Redeemer liveth. He's a living Saviour. He's a real Saviour. He's alive. He's able to save to the uttermost. all that come to God by Him. He uses this language, the language of appropriation, but it's also the language of assurance, isn't it?

How does the text begin? There in verse 25, I know. I know, says Job. Remember what the Apostle says there in Philippians 3? He wants to know, doesn't he?

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. Well, Job certainly knew something of the fellowship of his sufferings. in all that he had to endure but Paul there you see that earnest desire to know to have that assurance of course a little later in chapter 23 and verse 10 we have that lovely confession of Job's he knoweth the way that I take the Lord knows he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall come forth as God all the Lord knows but assurance is when we also know the Lord knows us but ought to know the Lord this is what we see in this dear man Job he has such an assurance I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth we read that 20th chapter there in the gospel according to John and all the evangelists in the four gospels they bear such a clear, plain, straightforward testimony to the blessed truth of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and John in some detail not only his appearance there in the garden to those women who were first at the tomb and then to Peter and to John but also how he appears to all the disciples on the evening of that first day of the week and then eight days later the next first day of the week Thomas is with them and he appears again. But what did we read?

The very closing words really of our reading in that chapter John says these are written these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God and believing ye might have life through his name and so too with Job or that my words were now written, or that they were printed in a book, that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in a rock forever. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. Oh God grant that the truth of Job's testimony then might be written upon all our hearts to the glory of God and to the salvation of our never-dying souls. Amen.