Day 8 – Job 17-20

Talking points

• Job believes his terrible circumstances have made him a joke in the eyes of the people. It seems true today: people look down on those in suffering.
• Job is still in despair, longing for death. His friends are not only assuming he is guilty and has brought this suffering on himself, but they are now insulting him repeatedly. He says they “crush” him with their words (19:1). Job feels completely alone, as those he loved have rejected and abandoned him. He feels like his future is over.

Thoughts

– yet –  

Job says, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” Of all that Job doesn’t know, he goes back to what he does know — that he serves a living God and that he will see Him face to face.

Interestingly, “Redeemer” literally translates ‘kinsman’. In Jesus the Nazarene, born in the city of David, we have our Kinsman Redeemer, our Vindicator, our Defender. Job’s hope, our hope is realized in the person of Jesus. He lives! (Hebrews 7:25)