Job 19:1-29

Job responds to his friend’s condemnation by repeating the desperation of his state and then pleading with his friends to have mercy upon him and stop with their constant accusations but then he ends this chapter with a look at the Lord.  Job’s circumstances have not changed and his attitude has not changed very much either but at least in this defense he demonstrates that he still has an eternal hope in the Lord and that he sees Him as his Redeemer.  No matter what we might face in this life and how much pain the Lord may allow us to bear, it is a blessing to know that we have a Redeemer in the person of Christ who has redeemed us with His own blood and that He lives today representing us before the Father.  He is the source of eternal hope no matter how difficult our circumstances may become. 

JOB LAMENTS HIS FATE: Job once again repeats the desperation of his suffering.  He has lost everything, his body is wasting away and all those around him look on him with disdain.  His family, his friends and even his own servants treat him with great disrespect and despise him or simply ignore him all together.  We know how great his suffering was and how he has been treated by his friends and family, but there is no way that many of us can identify with this kind of suffering.  Until we have felt this kind of prolonged loss, illness and pain, we must recognize that Job’s laments are real and that he is well within his rights to remind his friends of what he has been called to face.  Sometimes we just need to be able to talk about what we are going through.  We should not be afraid to share from our hearts and lament over the pain in our lives.  God knows our pain and He knows our heart and I think He is pleased when our words reflect the reality of the pain in our hearts instead of us seething with anger on the inside and then just pretending that everything is fine in the way that we talk.  I believe God is pleased when we are genuine.

JOB LONGS FOR HIS FRIENDS: Job calls out to his friends and simply asks them to have mercy upon him.  He longs for the first days when they came and just sat with him in silence.  He wants to be understood, loved and cared for instead of being condemned and criticized for the circumstances that are beyond his control.  If the Lord gives us the opportunity to be in a position to comfort someone who is in pain, we would do well to remember Job’s plea.  There are times when the best thing we can do to provide comfort is simply to “be there.”  It is not the time for long sermons or to quote trite platitudes that may be true but simply do not provide the comfort that is needed at this time.  We must learn to be merciful in times when we comfort those who are suffering.  We must be able to overlook the pain and hurt and even the wrong words that may flow from their mouth.  A hug, words of comfort, patience, much prayer and long periods of silence may be the best way we can minister to those who suffer.

JOB LOOKS TO HIS FATHER: The end of this chapter contains some of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture.  Despite all of the pain and suffering and the injustice that he knows he has experienced; Job continues to look to the Father and know that he does have a Redeemer.  Job knows that one day he will stand before his Redeemer and be able to give account for all that he has said and done.  He is confident that he will be accepted into the presence of God based on this faith.  All of us must live in light of the fact that we will stand before God and give an account before Him.  Job warns his friends of this truth.  This is one of the first times that we see true hope in Job’s words.  Truly, we must be motivated and encouraged by this hope when we suffer for doing what is right.  There will be many times in this world where believers will suffer for obeying the Lord.  We must take courage in the face of this suffering because we know that God lives and that He is the just judge and that He has redeemed us through the blood of Christ.  He is our Redeemer.  He is our eternal hope.