Hope of the Redeemed

The Hope of the Redeemed

“For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last He will stand upon the earth”
Job 19:25

The testimonies of those whose hope was anchored in the knowledge of a living Redeemer have echoed through the annuls of history.

“For I know…”

There is a personal knowledge of the ONE. It is not folklore or legend, nor is it some vain hope or the rantings of a tortured soul. It is a statement of personal trust.

“For I know that my Redeemer lives”

This is the confident declaration of a man whose life had been totally upended by a string of calamities and catastrophic events. His belief was not in some idea or philosophy nor some distant Deity. His hope was in a Redeemer, one who would act on his behalf. This verb is personalized and is also found in the Book of Ruth concerning Boaz. This Hebrew word is of the Qal stem which refers to the act of redemption by a kinsman – someone related to his flesh and humanity!

גָּאַל – gā’al: A verb meaning to redeem or act as a kinsman-redeemer. The word means to act as a redeemer for a deceased kinsman

There was no human kinsman-redeemer on the earth in his day who would stand at the end of time upon the earth. There was no human kinsman-redeemer who could extricate him from the situation in which he found himself. His hope was founded upon the ONE who would come and resurrect his body to see Him who is eternal. The next verse is Job’s powerful declaration.

“After my skin is destroyed,
then in my flesh shall I see God…”
Job 19:26

His Redeemer would see him through death’s door and allow him to see God for himself. The clear hope of eternal life was firmly established in Job’s heart. “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” was a truth Job testified of over two thousand years prior to the birth of His Redeemer!

“For I know that my Redeemer lives”

Job not only declared that “a” redeemer was to come but that it was his personal Redeemer; One who was his “closest kinsman-redeemer” who would perform the act of redemption. Christ Himself was the anchor and hope of Job. The historical records are clear of this grand testimony of hope, irrefutable through the annals of time, written for our learning upon whom the ends of the earth are come.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
Romans 15:4

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Brian Troxel

Beautiful Photo by: eberhard grossgasteiger