The Redeemer

Long before the Mosaic Law was given, there lived a man named Job. One day, all of Job's material wealth was taken from him. His ten grown children were killed in an accident. He was covered in terrible sores. He became disgusting to look at, and his neighbors went far from him. Even his last few friends thought he must have done something really bad to deserve what he was going through. The truth was that Satan had taunted God, saying that the only reason Job worshipped God was because God "put a hedge around his life" (Job 1:10). So, God allowed Satan to torment Job, to prove that Job's faith was real, and that He would not abandon God. But Job didn't know any of that was happening. All he could see was the pain and the sorrow. He could not explain God's actions, but he didn't charge God with wrong (Job 1:6-22).

As Job laments his situation, at one point he says: "I know that my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25). This is fascinating, considering that God's very character is that of a Redeemer. Without the Law, or much else to go on, Job apparently knew that God was a Redeemer. And even after all the terrible things that occurred, Job still knew God was a Redeemer.

In the book of John, Jesus made a very important statement to the Pharisees. He said "before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). By saying this, Jesus was directly identifying Himself with God, Yahweh of the Israelites, who said "I AM who I AM" (Exodus 3:14). Later, the Apostles would call Jesus "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15) and "the exact imprint of His nature" (Hebrews 1:3). The gospel writers and Apostles clearly believed Jesus to be God. Jesus' statement "the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10) makes perfect sense with Job's assertion that God is a Redeemer. God and Jesus are the same God — the Redeemer, the Savior, the Creator, the Source of life and light, the One who overcomes the darkness (1 John 1:1-5; 2 Timothy 1:10).

Yahweh is very different from other gods. Other gods require appeasement. Man is turned into a slave that serves the wishes and whims of the deity. Good works are rewarded, and bad behavior is punished. But since definitions of good and bad are often arbitrary — rewards and punishment are never certain. For example, Allah's mercy is never really guaranteed. Karma offers no assurance. Do your good actions outweigh your bad actions? How do you know? Is it enough to get you into a higher state? Or will you come back as a dung beetle? On the other hand, the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ, guarantees salvation and eternal joy to mankind. The only thing that is required is that you believe Him to be telling you the truth when He says "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

Next Week: Is Faith Really All God Requires?

Image Credit: Ilya Repin; "Job and His Friends"; 1869; Public Domain

Tags: Biblical-Truth | God-Father

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Published 10-28-15