A Promised Redeemer – A Messianic Prophecy

“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, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.  My heart faints within me!.” –Job 19:25-27 (ESV).

The Hebrew noun, goel, translated “Redeemer,” is often used in the Old Testament to mean “kinsman redeemer,” or one who is legally responsible for vindicating a family member.  We see it in the familiar case of Boaz who married the widow Ruth who chose to go with her mother-in-law Naomi from exile in Moab back to Israel.  Use of goel with reference to God in the Old Testament indicates that He redeemed His people from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 6:6).  God also is noted as the Redeemer of individuals.  Joseph (Genesis 48:16) was redeemed and paved the way in Egypt for his whole family from Israel to escape famine. David in Psalm 19:114 called the Lord his “strength and redeemer.”  Job made the statement, often quoted, “I know that my Redeemer lives and at last He will stand upon the earth.”  Even though Job had suffered much since calamities befell him, he held faith that even though he should die he would still see God.  “My heart faints within me!” indicates the depth of Job’s physical and emotional suffering.  But I like to think that as Job thought of the marvelous truths revealed to him, my Redeemer lives…I shall see God” that his heart welled up so much within him he could not help but exclaiming (even as we do sometimes, just thinking about God’s provision for us): My heart faints within me!” Translated, this could mean, “I can hardly take this in (understand it)!”

In New Testament fulfillment of Job’s Messianic hope, we turn to these scriptures:  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.” (John 5:25-26).  “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4).  “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

With the meaning of redemption from Old Testament and New Testament teachings, the idea is not abstract but concrete.  Behind the words redeem, redemption is the custom of buying back something which formerly belonged to the person but for some reason had been taken over by another.  The original owner could get back the land or whatever the item by paying a redemption price for it.  And God made provision through the Redeemer, His Son, to pay the redemption price for man’s sin.  Before sin entered the human race, man was innocent.  But with the disobedience of Adam and Eve, a curse was therefore set upon mankind and he no longer had fellowship with Creator God.  Jesus became the Redeemer as he bought back man’s degradation from sin.  “Without shedding of blood there is no remission for sins” (Hebrews 9:22b).  It was remarkable that Job could foresee the time when the Redeemer would come to earth to do the work of redemption, to buy back man from the terrible penalty of sin, spiritual death, and separation from God.

Prayer.  Lord, pausing to think of how the Redeemer set us free is a heart-knowledge but again a thought too wonderful to comprehend fully.  We thank You and want to live for You in the sure knowledge that we are redeemed.  Amen.

Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this’?  She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’” –John 11:25-26 (ESV).

It took a funeral of a good friend for Jesus to reassure Lazarus’ sister, Martha, who came to meet Jesus as he approached their house of mourning, that He was, indeed, ‘the resurrection and the life.”  Imagine, if you will, the setting for this statement and the subsequent miracle of resurrection.  Jesus had been summoned, for Lazarus whom He loved was very sick.  Jesus delayed His going to Bethany and arrived after Lazarus died and was already in the tomb for four days.  Why had Jesus delayed?  Even Mary, the one who sat at Jesus feet earlier to hear him teach while her sister Martha was “encumbered with much serving,” reprimanded Jesus and told Him if He had been there, her brother would not have died.  Jesus delayed so that God could be glorified in the situation of death…and subsequent life.

Jesus showed his compassion.  He, too, wept (v. 35).  Jesus joins his friends in their sadness with heartfelt sorrow, even though He knew that resurrection and joy would soon follow.  Did His weeping not show us that heartfelt mourning in the face of death is a natural and normal human emotion?  Someone has also suggested that Jesus wept because He had decided to call forth Lazurus from death and eternity to return to this sad world of sin and its trials.  When we weep under such a sad circumstance as death it does not indicate our lack of faith but shows our honest sorrow for parting and for the reality of suffering death brings to the family members that remain.  But the mourning at Bethany would soon turn to joy.  Jesus simply commanded, “Lazarus, come out!” (v. 43). Someone has written that had Jesus not called Lazarus by name, all the dead in that cemetery in Bethany would have come forth, for He who holds life in His hand and in His Word was speaking.  The Resurrection and the Life was commanding the dead to live!

Jesus, in telling Martha (and any about her who might have heard His words), “Do you believe that I am the resurrection and the life?  She responded yes, she knew He was the Christ.  And therein lies the transfer from death to life—by simple belief.  Unsaved people aren’t just tainted and sick because of their sins.  They are “”dead in trespasses and sins”  (see Ephesians 2:1, 5).  And “by grace through faith” we are saved to walk in newness of life with Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Resurrection to newness of life means abundant and meaningful life in our remaining time on earth while we await the consummation of our sanctification, eternal life with the Father.  Unless the Lord returns to earth before our death, we know physical death is sure for every living person:  “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).  But for us who trust in Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, we have “eternal life and will not be judged…[but will] cross over from death to life (John 5:24).  For those who have had a near-death experience, as in the recent book entitled Heaven is for Real, tells us, what Jesus taught us about His being the Resurrection and the Life is also for real!  He conquered the last enemy, death, and so can we, through Him!  To God be the glory!

Jesus: The Bread of Life

“Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” –John 6:35 (ESV).

Jesus made seven “I Am…” statements that defined His identity and His work.  “I am the bread of life” is the first of the seven.   It follows closely in time after His miraculous feeding the five thousand with five barley loaves and two fish.  The crowd followed Him to the other side of the lake the next day, no doubt expecting to be fed again.  When no food service was provided that day, the crowd began to disperse and many who at first seemed to follow as disciples also turned away from Him.  Jesus is the “Bread of Life” in that He nourishes people spiritually and satisfies the deep spiritual longings of their souls.  The manna provided from heaven to the Israelites during the forty years of their wilderness wanderings was physical food.  We might say it also provided some spiritual food as well, for the provision of it demonstrated that God wanted them to live and that He was giving them sustenance under extremely hard circumstances.  The provision also freed the Israelites from worry about where their next meal would come from.  They often complained about the manna, but as long as they followed God’s directions, they had adequate food for each day.  But Jesus was a new kind of manna come down from the Father.  He provided for a deep spiritual hunger to know God and to have that spiritual hunger satisfied.  The “Bread” Jesus gives is His flesh (John 6:51), with reference to His death on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.  Jesus often taught by using literal objects to represent or be symbols of spiritual truth.  When the Bread (Jesus Himself) is our spiritual food, He is all-sufficient for our spiritual hunger.  We need not look any further to be filled.  To partake of the Bread He offers satisfies the inborn spiritual hunger that we as humans have.  As St. Augustine stated, “Thou, O God, Hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”  And as Jesus taught us:  “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life” (John 6:47-48).  “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  Whoever eats of this bread will live forever” (John 6;51).

Jesus gave us a symbolic way of remembering that He is the Bread of Life.  Each time we participate in the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, we are recalling that the bread represents His body that was given as a sacrifice for our sins on the cross.  The wine is symbolic of His blood that was spilled, for “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22b).  When Jesus says He is “the Bread of Life” he is using bread, a familiar and necessary material object, to teach a deep spiritual truth.  We receive bread into our bodies and it helps to sustain life because it nourishes our need for food.  Receiving Jesus into our life gives us both eternal life hereafter  and abundant life while still upon earth.  Comparing the manna which the children of Israel received in the wilderness to Jesus, the Bread of life we see by contrast how Jesus was the ultimate manna, the true Bread of Life:  Manna met a physical need; Jesus meets spiritual needs eternally.  Manna sustained physical life; Jesus gives eternal life.  Manna was for one nation, Israel; Jesus is for the whole world, “whoever believes.”  Manna lasted during the wilderness wanderings; the Bread of Life is from Adam to the end of time and beyond.  Manna came at no cost; Jesus paid the supreme price, giving His very life.  Manna delayed physical death; Jesus conquered spiritual death.  God sent a gift of daily sustenance; God sent the perfect gift to be the perfect sacrifice.  As we eat our daily bread and especially as we partake of the Lord’s Supper when we observe it at church, let us thank God for Jesus, the Bread of Life, and how He meets and satisfies our deepest spiritual hunger.  He can do this because He is the Bread of Life.

Be Pure in Heart

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.-Psalm 24:3-4 (ESV). “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” –Matthew 5:8 (KJV). “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” –Luke 6:45. (ESV) “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” –Philippians 4:8 (KJV).

Today we are lambasted on every hand by that which defiles. We have to struggle to be pure in heart, to refrain from thoughts and actions that are unholy. The Psalmist asked a pointed question: Who can go up to the hill of the Lord and stand in His holy place? Jerusalem was on a hill and to go to the temple was an upward climb. Oftentimes, the worshipers would ascend the hill together, praising God as they climbed. But the heart had to be purified first. The Jews often went through ceremonial cleansing with water or bearing a sacrifice of cleansing, or an animal for blood sacrifice to cleanse from sins. The Psalmist urged heart-cleansing for purity—not following false teachings or idols, not swearing. The New Testament teaches purity of heart and emphasizes wholeness of thoughts and desires. Rev. J. R. Dummelow in his commentary on purity of heart states: “A thing is pure when it contains no admixture of other substances.” Benevolence is pure if it is done without self-seeking or calling attention to the giver. Justice is pure when it is impartial. The pure in heart will be rewarded by seeing God (Mt. 5:8).

Paul, whose writings are filled with solid advice to Christians on how to live a life pleasing to God, gave us good teaching for becoming pure in heart. He said: “Think on these things.” And included in that list of what to think on: what is true, what is honest, what is just, what is pure, what is lovely, what is of good report. His list of good things to think on is inclusive—but hard to do. A wise teacher once told me that when an impure or evil thought enters your mind, quickly rid your mind of that thought and replace it by a good thought. I’ve heard this, told somewhat as a joke but containing sound advice: “When the devil knocks on my door, I ask Jesus to answer it.” The ancient Jews believed in blood sacrifice for sin and to cleanse the worshiper of impurities in his life. This is referred to in Hebrews 9:22: “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remissionof sin.”(KJV). The believing heart is made pure through Jesus’ blood. His blood sacrifice does not have to be repeated; “once for all, O sinner believe it” as the old hymn states. But even with our new nature, we have to work on conforming ourselves into God’s pattern. “Think on these things” as Paul said, which lead to purity of heart. Fannie Estelle Davison wrote a beautiful poetic prayer which became the hymn, “Purer in Heart.” May her words be our prayer today: “Purer in heart, O God, Help me to be; Until Thy holy face, One day I see; Keep me from secret sin, Reign Thou my soul within; Purer in heart, Help me to be.” Amen.