I invite your attention to the
book of Job, chapter 9, 10. The book of Job, chapter 9, 10. In last Lord's Day's message, I
alluded to Job and this declaration of his that I know that my Redeemer
lives. And Brother Chris and I were
engaged in conversation regarding that point after the message,
and as our conversation went further regarding the subject,
I just said, okay, I need to preach from that sometime. Well,
that sometime is this time, God willing. We're going to look
at Job chapter 19. My text is verses 25 through
27, and my message is titled, Saints' Knowledge of Their Redeemer. Now from our scripture readings
on the Lord's days, you have been considering Job. Oh, what
a man. Satan lied about Job. So God said, okay, he's yours,
do what you will, except take his life. You cannot have that,
but he will not deny me. Job's afflictions began, lost all his possessions, and
he was a very rich man. lost every member of his family.
Satan took him, except for Job's wife, and she told Job, curse
God and lie. Job lost his friends. He was
left with nothing but a body full of sores. He'd become emaciated and weak. He had three men who came to
comfort him and all they could do was find fault. He called
them miserable comforters. You know what a miserable comforter
is, don't you? That could be someone who comes
to you in the hospital bed and says, what you got? And you tell
them what you got. Oh, no, I had a friend who had
that and he died. painfully. Well, I did not need
to hear that. Or a miserable comforter is one
who, when some sickness has befallen you, says, you must not be living
right. In Job's case, he was afflicted
because he was living right. And then we come to chapter 19. Now let me read. Beginning in verse number 20,
my bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh. Now look, he's emaciated,
folks. He's emaciated so badly that
you can tell all his bones. I am escaped with the skin of
my teeth. That's where that phrase originates,
by the skin of my teeth. Have pity upon me, have pity
upon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched
me." Actually, it was Satan who had done it, but God permitted
it, and everything that happens to us is by God. Why do ye persecute me as God
and are not satisfied with my flesh? Oh, that my words were
now written. Oh, that they were printed in
a book. Well, Job, you got your wish. Here they are. Here they are. And oh, that my words were graven
with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever, as though to
say, I wish my words what I'm about
to say. would endure for all generations
that everybody may know what I'm about to say. And well, Joe,
you got your wish. Now what is it you want to say?
And here it is. 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 I
shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall
behold and not another, though my reins be consumed within me. And actually that last phrase
would probably be better translated, how my heart yearns within me. How my heart yearns within me. Job lived about the time of Abraham,
2,000 years before the coming of Jesus
Christ to this earth. And Jesus Christ is the Redeemer. 2,000 years before the Redeemer
came to earth, Job wrote these words. He'd never seen his Redeemer. The Redeemer had not yet been
manifested to men. There was no written revelation
regarding the Redeemer. Consider this point. Job had
no scriptures. Not a single word. He lived 500
years before Moses. And Moses wrote the first five
books of the Bible. When you and I talk about our
Redeemer, we can point you to book, chapter, and verse for
everything we're going to say about Him. Job could not. There was not one paragraph of
Holy Scriptures for Job. None! He had never seen the Redeemer. He had very little information
regarding the Redeemer. And yet, he makes one of the
most profound statements regarding the Redeemer you will find in
all the Scriptures. The word Redeemer appears 18
times in the entire Scriptures, Old and New Testaments. 18 times. All 18 are in the Old Testament. And Job was the first person
to ever use that word. Job used it before Moses did. Before anyone else. And made
this profound statement, I know that my Redeemer lives. And I know I'm going to see Him.
And when I see my Redeemer, I will see God because God is my Redeemer. Job, where in the world did you
come up with that idea? Job speaks far more than he could
have experientially learned. He spoke way beyond. any revelation that had been
given at that time. And yet his words, profound as
they are, are absolutely true. Absolutely true! How did Job
know what he wrote? How could he speak truth regarding
revelation that had not yet been given? Peter says, Holy men spoke as
they were moved by God. That's how we obtained the scriptures. Holy men spoke as they were moved
by God. And Job was a prophet. He here has prophesied, and he
did it under divine inspiration. The Holy Spirit has moved Job
to make this declaration, I know that my Redeemer lives. And everything
that we know regarding our Redeemer begins right here in the book
of Job, chapter 19, verse 25. Now we know Job was a holy man.
Remember, holy men spoke as they were moved of God for Even God
said Job is holy. He told Satan, have you considered
my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a
blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil. That's what God said of Job. I wonder if he could say that
of any of us. He said it of Job, so Job was
not afflicted because of any sin on his part, Job was
afflicted because he was righteous and holy and living as he should. Job's declaration regarding his
Redeemer, the first declaration regarding the Redeemer found
in the entire scriptures, it's our declaration today. We join with Job. In fact, we
just sang the hymn this morning, I Know That My Redeemer Lives.
Job's declaration is our declaration. We know what Job knew, five or
six points. My Redeemer is Jehovah, second. My Redeemer is my kinsman, third. My Redeemer is the God-man. Fourth,
my Redeemer lives. Fifth, my Redeemer shall stand
at last on the earth. And sixth, I will see my Redeemer. Now consider that first point.
Saints know our Redeemer is Jehovah. We know that our Redeemer cannot
be some mere mortal, for none of them can by any means redeem
his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. That's found
in Psalm 49 verse 7. And observe that both the words
redeem and ransom are found in that one verse. To redeem someone is to act. The ransom is the price. None
of us can redeem anyone else because we do not have the price
of the ransom. No mere mortal. Job knew that
his Redeemer was not a mere mortal, but he knew his Redeemer was
Jehovah. How did he know? Consider, I
know that my Redeemer lives, and Job speaks of his Redeemer
when he says, I shall see God. Job knew. His Redeemer was his
God. And he knew that his God was
Jehovah. And throughout the scriptures,
later revelation, Jehovah reveals himself as the Redeemer of his
people. I give you some references here,
Isaiah 44 verse 6, thus says Jehovah, the King of Israel and
his Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts, he says, I am the first and I
am the last, besides me there is no God. In Isaiah 54 verse
5, Jehovah says your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. He
is called the God of the whole earth. In Isaiah 60 verse 16
Jehovah says I Jehovah am your Savior and your Redeemer, the
Mighty One of Jacob. Well, okay. I'm not going to
argue with him. If he says that's the case, then
that is the case. And we respond in kind. Jehovah's people, even in Old
Testament times, acknowledged Jehovah as their Redeemer. Isaiah
47 verse 4, As for our Redeemer, Jehovah opposes His name, the
Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 63 verse 16, You, O Jehovah,
are our Father, our Redeemer from everlasting is Your name.
And they prayed In Psalm 74, verse 2, remember
your congregation which you have purchased of old. Now, I've got
to pause there for a minute. Remember now your congregation
which you purchased, redeemed of old. When was of old? Well, some will
say that's pointing to the exodus from Egypt and the passing through
the Red Sea. That was the redemption of the
Old Testament. True, but it only applied to
national Israel. There is the congregation of
God's elect purchased of old before the foundation of the
world through the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
crucified on Calvary to show to us what God had foreordained
before time began. Jesus Christ purchased His congregation before
the foundation of the world through His blood, His inheritance. So, first point, Our Redeemer
is Jehovah, none other than Jehovah. Second point, we know our Redeemer
is our kinsman. Now you may ask, now how can
you know that? It's very interesting. Look at
that word, Redeemer. Now, it is a very interesting
word in the Hebrew language. That Hebrew word And usually
in your commentaries, you will find it spelled G-O-E-L. It's the word Gawah. What does
it mean? It always means, always means
kinsman redeemer. Not just a redeemer, a kinsman
redeemer. Now, what is a kinsman redeemer? A kinsman redeemer is someone
who was very closely related to you and redeems what you lost and
restores it to you or redeems you from bondage and brings you
into liberty as Boaz did for Ruth in the book of Ruth. He
purchased what should have belonged to Ruth but now belonged to someone
else He said, I'm your kinsman. She came to him and she says,
you are my near kinsman. He says, yeah, I know what that
means. I'm going to redeem you. And he did. And he did. Boaz
was a very close kinsman of Ruth, and he redeemed her. It's a perfect
picture of Christ redeeming his church. But it had to be done
by a kinsman. What's the closest kinsman? That's
your brother. That's your brother. Now, how can Jehovah be the kinsman
of his people? I mean, he says, and this is
Jehovah in the prophecy of Isaiah repeatedly. He says, I am Jehovah,
your kinsman redeemer. Now you have to know that the
prophet would write those words and say, Lord, You are God, right? Yeah. And you want me to write
here that you are the kinsman redeemer of your people. Yeah,
write it down. Okay. Okay. But now, you are
God. You have the divine nature, but
you do not have the human nature. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. And
we are men. We have the human nature, but
we do not have the divine nature. Yeah, yeah, that's true. Well
then, Lord, there is no natural relationship between us. There
cannot be a natural relationship between us. How can you be our
kinsman? Well, just write it down, okay?
And I'm going to show you later. So they wrote, they wrote, The
New Testament says, they searched their own scriptures in a warning.
What does this mean? We understand because we have
a New Testament and it explains. How did God become the kinsman
of his people? How can he be called the kinsman
redeemer? Well, this brings us to the next
point. Saints know our Redeemer is the
God-man. Our Redeemer is God, for He is
the God of the whole earth, who says, besides me there is no
God. And our Redeemer is man, for
He is the kinsman of His people, who are of mankind. Our Redeemer
is the God-man, for He is both God and man, one person, having
both the divine and the human natures, and there's only one. Only one. Our Redeemer is not
God the Father. Our Redeemer is not God the Spirit. Our Redeemer is God the Son,
who has both the divine and the human natures in one person. The only person in all the entire
universe that has both the divine and the human nature, and he
did it through his incarnation when he came to this earth. Our
Redeemer is the God-man. We know that Jesus Christ is
Jehovah, our Redeemer, because everything that was said of Jehovah
in the proxy of Isaiah in identifying the Redeemer applies to Jesus
Christ. For example, Jehovah our Redeemer
said in Isaiah 44 verse 6 that I am the first and the last.
Now if you'll go to the last book in the Bible, the revelation
of Jesus Christ, you'll find Jesus Christ repeatedly saying
I am the first and the last. And there's only one. There is
only one who can be the first. There is only one who can be
the last. Jehovah says it's me. Jesus Christ says it's me. And
there is no contradiction. The first and the last is our
Redeemer, Jehovah Jesus. Furthermore, Jehovah, our Redeemer,
is the King of Israel. Isaiah 44, verse 6. And Jesus
Christ is the King of Saints. Revelation 15, verse 3. Our Redeemer,
Jehovah, is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 41, 14. Jesus Christ is
our Holy One. Acts 3, 14. Fourth, Jehovah our Redeemer is our Savior. Isaiah 49, verse 6. Jesus Christ
is the only Savior, for nor is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name given among men under heaven by which
we must be saved. Wait a minute, I thought Jehovah
is the only Savior. He is. Now you're saying Jesus
is the only Savior. He is. Well, which is it? Jehovah or Jesus? Yes, it's Jehovah
Jesus. He is our Redeemer. Jehovah,
our Redeemer, is our Father. Isaiah 63, verse 16. And Jesus Christ is named Eternal
Father. Isaiah 9, verse 6. Jehovah our
Redeemer is God, Isaiah 54 verse 5, and Jesus Christ is God as
all true believers in Jehovah affirm. So, now, I want you to
get this point. This word Redeemer, Goel, the
Kingdom Redeemer, 18 times it is found in the Old Testament,
most of them in the prophecy of Isaiah, where Jehovah identifies
himself as the Redeemer, the kinsman Redeemer of his people,
his people acknowledging Jehovah as the kinsman Redeemer of themselves. And every time that Jehovah says,
I am your Redeemer, it's Jesus Christ who speaks. It is Jesus
Christ who speaks. Jesus Christ is the God-man.
For in his incarnation God was manifested in the flesh, 1 Timothy
3.16. And the Word who is God became
flesh and dwelt among us, John 1.14. And he who was in the form
of God and equal with God came to earth in the likeness of men
and in appearance as a man, Philippians 2.5-8. So, consider, Jesus Christ
is Jehovah. And Jesus Christ is the God-man,
and Jesus Christ is our kinsman. Our kinsman. He is God, but in
becoming man, he became our kinsman. The scriptures are very emphatic
on this point. In the book of Hebrews, chapter
2, verses 11 through 17, we read, Jesus Christ is not ashamed to
call us brethren. He is not ashamed to call us
brethren. Is Jesus our father? Yep. Well,
then how can he become our brother? He's our brother too? Yes. Our
father is our brother. How can that be? He says to God,
I will declare your name to my brethren. Inasmuch then as the
children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise
shared in the same. Therefore, in all things he had
to be made like his brethren. that he might be a merciful and
faithful high priest and thanks pertaining to God to make propitiation
for the sins of the people as their Redeemer. God became my
brother. My brother! Our brother! We speak
of him as our elder brother. God's only begotten son is the
older brother of all God's adopted children. our brother. Folks, you cannot get closer
in the relationship of a family than a brother. A brother, not
a cousin, not an uncle, a brother. Jesus Christ became our brother
and calls us his brethren and forth he became our Redeemer. You are not redeemed with corruptible
things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. And we confess
you have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe
and tongue and people and nation. Now, listen. We we go to the scriptures and
we can prove everything that I have just said to you. I've
just done it. I have just showed you from the
scriptures. And Job did not have a single
word of these scriptures. And yet he says, I know that
my Redeemer lives. Oh, that my words were written
in a book. Yeah, Job, you got your wish. You got your wish. Furthermore, point number four,
saints know our Redeemer lives. Oh, that is a glorious declaration. Here is knowledge of the Redeemer
as a possession. Job says, I know that my Redeemer
lives. He's mine. Do you realize that
when Job said this, that was the only thing He had lost every animal he owned. Hundreds of them. All his sheep,
all his cattle, all his donkeys, it's gone. The devil took it
all. He lost every member of his family except his wife and
she just somewhat turned on him. lost all his possessions. He is reduced to skin and bones, and they're
covered with sores, and he's sitting in a dust heap. And he says, the only thing I
got left is my Redeemer. That's all I have left. Take
courage in this, my friends. When you have lost everything
you own, everything you own, you can still say, I have only
one thing left, and that's my Redeemer. And I know He lives. Satan may come and say, I'm going
to take all your possessions. Well, you just go right ahead,
but you can't have my Redeemer. I'll take every friend you have."
Well, you just go right ahead, but you cannot have my Redeemer.
Regardless of what we lose, if we lose everything we have, we
still have my Redeemer. I know my Redeemer. He's mine.
He may be all I have, but He's mine. He's mine. He owns me and I own Him. I am
His and He is mine. Here is personal knowledge of
the Redeemer. I know my Redeemer lives. No one can say that faithfully
except a believer in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Here
is certain knowledge of the Redeemer. I know my Redeemer lives. Are you sure? Absolutely. There is no if about this. There is no but about this. There
is no maybe about this. There is no perhaps about this. There is no hope so about this. I know my Redeemer lives. I may not know much else, but
I know this. My Redeemer lives. Here is comforting
knowledge of my Redeemer. I know my Redeemer lives. He ever lives because he is Jehovah. And when I die, he's still alive. He will plead my case and my
cause even after I'm dead. I know that my Redeemer lives.
Fifth point. Saints know my Redeemer shall
stand at last on the earth. King James Version says he shall
stand at the latter day upon the earth. If you read the commentators,
they're not in agreement completely. Albert Barnes is probably one
of the best I've read when he said, the simple meaning is,
he shall appear or manifest himself as the vindicator of my cause. Now to Job that meant a lot. His three miserable comforters. looking at him, Job, you have
done something wrong, that's why you're like this. Job says,
no, no, no, that's not the case. Job, you've not been living right,
that's why you're like this. No, no, no, that's not the case.
And Job is here saying, you go ahead and accuse me all you want
to, my Redeemer will vindicate me. And the Redeemer did. You
read the last chapter of this book of Job. where the Lord told them to go
to Job and maybe he'll forgive you for what you have done. The
Lord vindicated Job and he'll vindicate us at the last day
when we stand before the judgment and let's say Satan comes and
says, Lord I can tell you about every sin Moose Parks ever did
He may be able to, and I can probably tell you of some that
even the devil doesn't know about. Jesus will be my Vindicator.
My Redeemer will vindicate me. And He never lost a case. He
never lost a case. He shall stand at last on the
earth and vindicate His people. And we know that we will see
our Redeemer. When the skin worms have destroyed
our flesh, we're still going to see our Redeemer. Death is not a pretty thing. What happens to you after you
die is a revolting thing. They're going to embalm you.
try to preserve you, it will not work. It will not work. You're going to go down into
that grave. And eventually, may I be honest with you, even
if it is revolting, may I be honest, eventually, the worms
are getting in there. There's going to be organisms
inside your body that are going to start working their way out.
They go to work immediately when you die. Within a few hours,
they have devoured the organs in your body. It happens to everyone
except Jesus Christ, of whom we read, His flesh saw no corruption
Yours will see corruption. Mine will see corruption. It
is not a pretty sight. They go to work from inside the
body and eventually the worms of the earth have found their
way to you. That pretty skin you got, it's
gone. It's gone. Those beautiful eyes you have,
they're gone. They have been defiled. I'm just
being honest with you folks. It's going to happen to every
one of us. Job said, even though the worms come and devour my
flesh, including my eyes, yet with my eyes I shall see God. Job, Job, Job. You just said
they're going to eat your eyes? Yes. And you said with your eyes
you will see God? Yes. How can that be? How did Job know this? How did Job know that when the
Redeemer stands at last on the earth His body, Job's body would
be glorified and his eyes would have better sight than they ever
had in the days of his flesh. How did Job know that? Holy men
spoke as they were moved of God. And Job says, let my body be
consumed. Let every molecule of my flesh
be devoured. It matters not, because in that
last day my body will be restored, and with my glorified eyes I
will behold my Redeemer. And it will not be someone else's
eyes with whom I see Him. My eyes, not the eyes of another. I'll see Him. I shall see God. I shall see God. who condescended
to assume my humanity. I shall see God who became my
brother. I shall see God who, as my kinsman,
redeemed me. I shall see God who purchased
me. I shall see God who will vindicate
me. I will see God for all eternity,
my Redeemer." And then he concludes, how my heart yearns within me. Tell me, does your heart yearn
to see the Redeemer? Oh, if you were suffering like Job
was suffering, yeah, I think you would be yearning. The reins
of your heart Every inward part of you would
be longing to see Jesus Christ come back. Job says, my heart
yearns within me. I desire to see Him. I want to
see Him. Every part of my body is yearning
and aching to see Jesus Christ, my Redeemer. I hope that's true
of you. I hope that's true of me. I hope that no one leaves this
building today without being able to say, I
know that my Redeemer lives, and I know He's my Redeemer, and I know He will ever live
even after I die. And I know I will see Him, and
when I do, I shall see God. And O God, our Father, we thank You that our Redeemer
knows us. We pray that we may know Him. To Your glory in Jesus' name
we pray. Amen.