I shall see God

"Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, - Job 19v23-26

One of the great topics of discussion deals with how people were saved in the Old Testament. I had never seen this passage in this light until an internet friend mentioned it online recently, but the answer is clear and plain and simple and contained in this one short passage. This friend pointed to this passage and made the statement that people in the Old Testament were saved the same way we are – by personal faith in their Redeemer.

Let’s look at Job’s words.

‘I know that my Redeemer lives’ lets us know that he knew he needed a Redeemer and that this Redeemer was personal and not some kind of generic panacea for sin.

‘He will stand one day on the earth’ tells us that he knew, even at this early stage that the Redeemer would literally come and stand on the earth.

‘In my flesh I shall see God’ informs us that he believed in a bodily resurrection that he would see God face to face.

Though Job had to look forward in faith to the coming Christ and we look back to an accomplished fact we exercise faith in the Redeemer. We both look forward to our resurrection, and we both look forward to seeing God face to face.

Praise God for Job’s example. Praise God that I can say with the same confidence – ‘I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will one day (again) stand on the earth. And that after the skin worms destroy my flesh I will see God face to face.