Irrefutable Truth

Even if I have sinned, that is my concern, not yours. [Job 19.4]

Is that a fact?

Was Job correct in this statement to his friend?

As I was came across this portion of today's reading, I realized how contemporary this discussion sounds even though it is considered among the oldest of Old Testament writings.  Job's defense noted here sounds like it came straight from this century!

A lot of 'accusation-and-defense' has been recorded thus far in the book of Job.  A lot of questions have been brought up regarding the validity of the claims made during this bantering.  Neither Job nor his friends seem (in my understanding) to have displayed a lot of Godly character in their arguments with each other.  Just like the contemporary tone noted in the paragraph above, so throughout the book most of the disagreements thus far sound like they could have taken place just this morning between religious people!

And then Job makes a statement as profound as any in the entire Bible:

But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. [Job 19.25]

Whoa, that is the story of redemption - simple and experiential.  If we fail to catch a glimpse of this prophetic revelation spoken by Job, then we have missed much of the point of the book altogether!  Regardless of whether Job or his friends were right or wrong in all their other statements and accusations, this one statement made by Job qualifies his story as Scripture according to Jesus' statement in John 5.39 (You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life.  But the Scriptures point to me! -Jesus).  Job had pointed to Jesus!

I really don't understand why the change of tone in Job - maybe he had a moment of revelation - because before (and even after) his revelation statement about Christ, he sounded pretty much just like any other person caught up in himself and blinded by religion with basically no concept of an experiential relationship with his Redeemer!  Unfortunately, that sounds like me!

I am seeing two things then today in Job: myself and Christ.  I see myself in that I too make much ado over religious nothings - even arguing my point when I really make no sense at all.  Then, I see Christ in Job's 'weak'(?) moment when he makes a brilliant statement, irrefutable by anyone except the one who experiences it!

Of course my estimation of 'all things Job' will likely come under scrutiny as uneducated and foolish, but this one thing I know:

But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.

This truth is irrefutable.  Because this claim is based on what "I know" by experience, one would be hard pressed to convince me otherwise.  Also, because this claim is based on the future, one can only say "we shall see" for empirical evidence of validity.  So, this statement stands, for now, as irrefutable.  If we find out I am wrong... oh wait, if I am wrong, we will find out nothing!  So, the question is out there, "If the Bible is hoax, who stands to lose the most, the believer or the unbeliever?"

Thanks Job.  Thanks God.

Father, I feel a uprising in my spirit as I make my faith statement as Job did about our shared Redeemer!  No one can take this experience away from me!  Even though I may talk myself into oblivious confusion, it only takes just a moment of reflection to realize that I know You - I know Your Son, my Redeemer.  You have changed my life - if even for just this brief moment I actually realize it!  Thank You!