Today in God’s Word

Today in God's Word—June 2023

East Tallassee Church of Christ

June 14, Job 19

”For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God." - Job 19:25-26

Solomon said that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Even though the idea had been commonly expressed for centuries, it was the playwright Edward Bulware-Lytton who first coined the exact phrase of a similar idea in English: "The pen is mightier than the sword."

The underlying idea is that words are not just words. They are amazing conveyors of ideas with tremendous potential to do good or harm. Nations have been mobilized, armies have been both energized and demoralized by powerful words.

Job 19 is memorable for Job's great quote about his living Redeemer. As we will see, it is a beautiful example of the positive power of words. But there's also an ugly example of the destructive potential in words. Let’s look at both to see the contrast between the two effects of words.

I see words in this chapter that express Job's misery, and words that express Job's hope. That misery was related in part to words Job heard from people around him. Our mothers meant well, but were surely mistaken when they told us, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." We learned at an early age that words can rip and tear and crush us on the inside.

Harsh, hateful words may not draw blood, but that does not mean that there is no wound. Job said his friends tormented him and broke him in pieces with their words. They repeatedly reproached Job with their stinging accusations, and their words added to Job's misery. Job told them that if he was guilty of some sin he didn't know about, it was God and not them who found out his sin and punished him for it. He was not blaming God, but he did acknowledge

that a sovereign God either acted or permitted another to act against him.

Job was in physical pain, but he was in emotional distress as well. He did not know why all the terrible things had happened to him, and he felt isolated and alone in his suffering. His wife had mocked his faith and wished him dead. She could not stand the sight or smell of him. His brothers did not come near while he was suffering, but returned after God restored Job’s fortune. We've already seen how his visitors were cruel in their pious speeches to Job. But in this chapter, Job said that his houseguests and servants were disrespectful to him. Even children mocked him. His intimate friends abhorred him, and those he loved had turned against him. He pleaded with his friends to show him some mercy.

And then, Job's words turned from despair to hope. He longed for his words to be written down. I don't believe he was referring to his woeful cries of misery that went before, but the amazing statement of faith and hope that was about to come. Job said, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh, I shall see God."

Job's powerful words have lived on long after his death. This wholesome, faith-expressing and faith-building quotation has been printed in millions upon millions of Bibles. They live on the stunningly beautiful art of Handel's Messiah. And every Sunday, around the world, millions of Jesus’ followers sing the great hymn, " I Know That My Redeemer Lives.”

These words encapsulate so many of the great doctrines of the Bible in a few words. Here in Job's words we find the incarnation, the resurrection, and God's redemption of sinful human beings in Christ our Redeemer. Here is the beautiful image of the near kinsman Jesus who became flesh and blood to die for us. Here is the idea of the church becoming the bride of Christ, just as Ruth's redeemer Boaz took her from the field and made her his bride. He

rescued her from poverty to live with him in his great house. Here is eternity, the judgment and life after death — all in this bright shining example of the positive power of words.

How could Job know and say such a splendid thing? This was no product of the human mind or understanding. This verse has all the marks of inspiration, from the mind of God. Whenever we read or sing Job's words, his wish for these words to live on after him comes true.

If words have this much power for good or evil, how cautious we should be! We are without excuse when we are careless with our words. We know from the Bible and from personal experience that words can hurt or help. Let's make a conscious effort to make our words count for good. Let’s be a blessing to the people who hear us speak.

Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.