The Gospel of the Resurrection - Free Reformed Churches of ...



THE GOSPEL OF THE RESURRECTION

Job 19: 25 - 27

Sermon by:

Rev. A. Baars

Published by the

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

OF THE

FREE REFORMED CHURCHES OF NORTH AMERICA.

(September 1999)

Liturgy:

Psalter 104: 4, 5, 6, 10

Law of God

Psalter 428: 1, 2, 3

Scripture Reading 1 Corinthians 15: 35 – 58

Prayer

Psalter 29: 1 - 3

Text Job 19: 25 – 27

Sermon

Psalter 31: 3, 4, 6, 7

Prayer

Psalter 422: 1, 6

Doxology Psalter 315

Benediction

The Gospel of the Resurrection

The gospel of the resurrection is very old. Christ risen and a risen Christ is the great content of the gospel of the resurrection, but that gospel is much older than Christ’s resurrection. We already find it in the Old Testament, in the Psalms of David. David sings prophetically of the resurrection of his own hope, that he will be raised from the dead. And Abraham, we read in the story of Abraham, that he was longing to see “a day”. We also read it in the words of Job. True, the gospel of the resurrection is much more veiled in the Old Testament, we do not hear expressly about the resurrection of Christ or of believers. And yet, it is there.

Augustine has said “that which is patent or revealed in the New Testament, is latent, or some what hidden in the Old Testament” or to use one of his famous examples, what is present in the New Testament as an open flourishing flower, is in the Old Testament in the bud. And just as a blossoming flower and the bud, they essentially have the same elements. The only difference is that the bud has not yet revealed the beauty, which it contains. So it is with the Old Testament gospel of the resurrection. All the essential elements are there but it is still budding, not in full bloom.

So let us turn to one of the Old Testament texts, one of the great words about the resurrection in Old Testament times, the words of Job, when in the midst of his great struggles, he speaks of a living redeemer.

The theme of the sermon is: The Gospel of the Resurrection

It is first of all an object of faith, for we read in the beginning of the text, “I know that my redeemer liveth”

Secondly, it is an object of hope, for we read in the second half of the verse, that, “he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth”

Thirdly, it is an object of love, for in the last words of the text it says, “that my reins shall be consumed”, that is, consumed with longing and love, within me.

In these words, Job speaks a prophecy. It is a prophecy that surpasses many others in the Old Testament. Certainly every prophesy has great value and is Divine but some prophesies, due to their depth and scope, surpass others. This prophecy of Job’s, while he was struggling in pain and grief, is one of those. When writing about this passage, Augustine calls Job “the most excellent of the prophets”. Job, himself, also feels that he is about to speak some very special and profound words, for he says in the previous verses, “Oh that my words were now written, oh that they were printed in a book. That they were graven with a pen of iron and lead, in the rock forever. Job desires that these words may be permanently written upon a piece of paper, or even better, that they might be engraved upon a rock or molten with lead into a stone that they might never be forgotten.

But why are these words which Job is going to speak, so important? In order to understand the real importance of these words, we should reflect for a moment on the man Job and his present circumstances.

We know that Job was a God fearing man, actually he is pictured in scripture as an example of Godliness. But we read of a certain day when Satan accused Job, before God, as only acting in accordance with God’s precepts because of all the benefits, which have been bestowed on him. God then allows Satan to attack Job for a time. Under the destructive power of Satan, Job becomes greatly troubled. He looses all of his children and animals in one day, his wife turns against him, his body is plagued with a terrible decease and worst of all, the heavens seem to be closed. Great spiritual struggles are spoken of on the pages of the book of Job. At this time Job’s alleged friends also come to try to help him in his distress. Job you must be mistaken about your spiritual condition, is their comment, for if you are right with God you can not be in such a condition, there must be a great sin in your life. Job is harshly attacked by these supposed friends. In his great spiritual struggle and physical pain, we read that Job increasingly begins to think that the hour of his death is coming. In the chapter of our text, it appears that his troubles are reaching a climax, he fears death is coming as indicated by the words, “He that is God, tries me on every side and I am gone”, which means I am dying. But while he is feeling that his strength is going away, when everything looks dark, Job is enabled, through faith, to look higher than his sufferings, higher than the accusations of his friends, higher than death. He is enabled to say, although my friends are accusing me, although everything seems to be turned against me, although death seems to draw nigh, I know that my redeemer liveth. It is as if through the clouds of suffering and pain, Jobs sees the sun shining, the Sun of Righteousness, a living redeemer. He is privileged to look, for a moment, through all the darkness into the light and testify, I know that my redeemer liveth.

What does Job mean when he speaks the words, “my redeemer”. He uses a word which was especially important in Old Testament days. Redeemer was a very well known word, not only because of the expectation of Christ, but also because the law of God spoke about a redeemer, the kinsman redeemer. What was the function of the kinsman, redeemer in the Old Testament law? Perhaps the following illustration will help to clarify for us. Suppose an Israelite lost money and became so poor that he even had to sell the land and possessions that he had inherited from his forefathers. In such a case someone from the larger family circle was appointed to be the kinsman, redeemer and he was charged with the duty to buy the land back and restore it to the original owner. An actual example of this and how it worked can be found in the book of Ruth. Noami, Ruth’s mother-in-law, was an Israelite who had left Israel for Moab, with her husband and sons. In the land of Moab, Naomi lost everything, including husband and sons. In her poverty she decided to return to Bethlehem. As a poor widow, she returns with Ruth her daughter-in-law. We then become acquainted with Boas who is identified as the kinsman redeemer. Naomi indicates to Ruth that Boas can redeem them and restore the possessions of the family to them. The kinsman redeemer was also to marry the widow of an Israelite, who died without having children, so that she might have children as heirs for the husband who died. Again, in the book of Ruth there is a beautiful illustration of this when Boas marries Ruth and their first born son is considered an heir of the family of Naomi’s husband.

When Job uses the word redeemer he is of course not thinking of an earthly kinsman, redeemer, he is not speaking about the legal institution of the Old Testament Law. True, Job did lose his possessions and children, but he is not waiting upon an earthly kinsman, redeemer to restore possessions and children, he is waiting upon the Lord and he speaks of the Lord as his kinsman, redeemer. The Lord is his redeemer and He will restore, He will bless, while Job has nothing but pain, sorrow, grief, darkness and sin. He will restore all that has been lost. He is the Kinsman, redeemer, I know that my redeemer liveth.

And that, beloved congregation, has great implications today as we are listening to this portion of God’s Word. Job has lost much, yes, everything, but we should realize that because of sin we have lost everything as well. We might have many earthly goods, having been blessed by the Lord in many ways, but spiritually we have lost everything. Spiritually we are, as the apostle Paul writes, lost and sold under sin. We have lost our inheritance; we have lost everything in the fall of Adam. We have destroyed everything because of sin. The picture the Bible paints of your and my life is a dark one. “They have all gone out of the way, there is none that seeketh after God, no not one. Do we see this? Do we realize the sad condition of our own hearts by nature? Do we see that we are lost in the deep spiritual sense of the word? Lost! As in ready to perish, deserving to die. If we see this in the light of God’s Holy Word, if we have seen it for the first time, or if we see it, being a child of God, by renewal, how our hearts will be stirred up when we read the words of Job. Job says there is a redeemer, even though I have lost everything, I know that my redeemer liveth. He is a living Redeemer!! The text implies that he will indeed look down upon me and in all my needs and grief’s, in the greatest need of my heart, that of my own sin and corruption, he will provide. Oh my dear friend, is that your hope as well? Listen, when we are reminded of our own sinfulness, of the fact that we have lost everything by nature, there is only one hope, flee to this redeemer of whom Job speaks, with all your concerns and questions. This redeemer has proven to be a living redeemer, he has conquered sin, death and the grave. But you say, my greatest problem, my great concern is that although I feel I know something of my great need and my heart does indeed long for Him, I can not seem to see Him, everything is so dark. Job was in great trouble, I know, but he at least could see some light through the dark clouds. But I do not see any light. Oh my dear friend, listen to me, when Job said “I know that my redeemer liveth” he did not find any worthiness in himself either. When you read through the previous chapters you will read that Job considers himself to be nothing and he realized that there was no human help for him at all. But in his darkness, his eyes, his heart, were directed to a living Redeemer. This living Redeemer has the power to break all the bondage; He had the power to break away the clouds of darkness in Job’s life. He also has the power to break away the clouds of darkness in your life. He is willing, most willing to be a Redeemer of lost and undone sinners as you and I are, for he is the Risen Lord. Just think of Thomas, that depressed, struggling disciple on the day of Easter so many centuries ago. Thomas was in great darkness, he could not believe. And even worse, he says, “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side”, this being a seeming impossibility, I will not believe. So Thomas in his great doubt questions everything and makes the darkness even deeper for himself. And now see the Lord Jesus coming in great compassion, in spite of Thomas’ conditions, in spite of his stubborn unbelief. The Lord Jesus says, “Thomas, put thy hand in My side and see the signs in my hands”. But as soon as the Lord opens His mouth, Thomas is humbled and in humility of heart he says, “my Lord and my God”.

Don’t you see that in spite of darkness and in spite of unbelief and in spite of doubt, the Lord is a Redeemer who comes through clouds and darknesses because He has conquered the darkest cloud, death itself. And that only so that sinners eyes may see and sinners lips may say, “my Lord and my God”.

Is it not also often true of you, dear child of God, that the more you are stripped of self, like Job was, like Thomas was, that faith is more exercised and that you say, “I know”, in spite of all, “I know that my Redeemer liveth! My Lord and my God”. Listen carefully and you will hear in the little word, my, an expression of the greatest admiration and wonder, for such a sinner as I, my Redeemer, my Lord and my God.

Indeed, Job does not only use these words to express his only trust and his only rest in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Redeemer, but he also speaks of his hope. Our text continues, “He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another”. These last words in the original, could also be translated “and not a stranger”. Thus, “My eyes shall see Him and He shall not be a stranger to me”.

What then is the implication of these words? In these words Job expresses the feeling that he is going to die. As already indicated, Job fears that the time of his death is coming near. His pain is unbearable, his soul is heavy and he feels his strength is fading. He feels he is going to die. This body, he says, will see corruption and further, when my body is buried, the earthworms will destroy it. The name of Job will disappear and all traces of my existence will disappear. And yet, although I will see corruption, my death will not be the final end, for in the latter day, I will see my Redeemer, I will meet Him, my eyes shall see Him and not a stranger.

What are the practical implications of this for us today?

In the first place, Job underscores what we find so often in Scripture and what we hear everyday, you and I must die, for it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment.” This applies to - young men and old men, young women and old women, for each one, it is appointed once to die. It is appointed that you and I must die. The question comes to each of us, are we prepared to meet our Maker. Are we prepared to die? Consider this seriously and prayerfully. You may have been in church for a long time and heard about death and about the necessity of seeking the Lord. The question is not how much have you heard about death or how many sermons have you heard, but are you prepared to die? Don’t forget the vivid language with which Job illustrates that it is appointed to you once to die and that your body will see corruption. Just look at your hands and reflect that one day those hands will see corruption. Look at your face in the mirror, one day that face, those eyes staring back at you, will see corruption. One day you will die! Are you ready to meet your maker?

You are only ready when you can say with Job, I hope to see Him and not a Stranger. For we shall all see Him. But some will see a stranger. One whom they have not known. And I fear that there may be some in our midst, who have heard about the Redeemer, who have heard about the only Name given under heaven whereby we must be saved and yet they do not know Him. My young friend, sitting in your pew, may be impressed a little, may be not at all, and you who are careless, waiting for the Amen of the sermon, listen, you have to die and then you will have to meet your Maker! And the worst thing is that the Lord Jesus Christ is still a stranger to you. Realize that as long as He is a Stranger to you and you a stranger to Him, you are not ready to die, you will perish. You will not only see corruption, but you will also perish eternally. And that is why I plead with you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Redeemer, “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near”. Call upon Him while He reveals Himself in His Word - warning, inviting, drawing, presenting Himself as the Living Redeemer in order that we would bow before Him and flee unto Him and be able to say with Job, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”

Oh wonder of wonders that Job could say this while looking at his hands with all those sores, at his feet which could no longer bear his weight, at his clothes which were but rags on his body. As he saw his body itself decaying while he was yet alive, he could say even though this whole body will see corruption, that is not the end of it, for I will see Him in this my flesh. These, my eyes, shall see Him and I shall not see a Stranger. O dear child of God, that is indeed your only hope. May be you have become very old already and are often thinking about when the last day of your life will be, may be you are not all that old but you are sometimes shown the weakness of your mind and flesh reminding you that your body will see destruction. Then remember that you will see Him and no stranger. For you have already met him.

Where did you meet Him? Where did Job meet Him? We do not know the exact story of Job’s conversion but we do know that he has met the Lord, for scripture clearly indicates that Job met with the Lord on bended knee. Job is pictured as a man of prayer, as a man who pleaded with the Lord. May be you have met the Lord, while the Word was preached. May be in this sanctuary when the Word was powerfully applied to your heart, convincing you of your sin. When the gospel was applied to your soul and you saw the light of His mercy and the beauty of His Person. In the Word you met with the Lord, He is no stranger to you. You can speak of meetings with Him, possibly even on bended knee when you poured out your soul's distress to Him. And did the Lord than not answer your prayer and did you not experience His blessed sustaining power and the light of His favour? Have there also been times with some of you when you attended the Lord’s table with the broken bread and poured out wine, and while you were eating and drinking your soul was touched and lifted up and you met with Him of Whom these tokens speak? Oh my dear friend, then your experience must also be in line with Job’s. And can you not then say with Job, “I know that if everything is taken away, He will stand in the latter day upon the earth and these my eyes will see Him and not a stranger. What a blessed word. It means that all the great separations which so often exist between God’s dear people and their Lord, in this life, will once be taken away. They, as sheep, may go astray and then darkness will cover their souls. This is the hiding of God’s face, of which the Canons of Dordt speak as being more bitter than death. God’s children may be estranged from the Lord, but the Lord will never leave them.

Maybe you have been backsliding, maybe you have been walking in darkness for sometime and have felt that your heart was so far away from Him. You could not deny Him and yet you did not feel His nearness and you know that the reason lies with you. O my dear friend, your backsliding is not right and your sin of going astray from the path of God cannot be condoned and yet, in the Word of God, and also in the administration of the Lord’s Supper, which He has instituted, the Lord Himself says that you are not a stranger to Him. You are not a stranger to Him because He is your Redeemer and for that reason, sins of backsliding, sins against His love and His grace, are so grievous and painful. Yet, although these sins exist in a believer’s life, Job’s words are also true, one day you will see Him and He will not be a stranger. Looking upon self you will often think, Lord on that day I deserve that Thou wouldest say unto me, depart from me, for I know you not, but by grace, free grace alone, I may know that my Redeemer liveth and I will see Him and not a stranger.

This brings us to the last words of the text, “though my reins be consumed within me”. This language indicates that Job’s heart was not only hoping, nor only believing, but also his reins were longing. Reins, is an old English word for kidneys and according to popular belief in those days, the kidneys were the source of the emotions. Thus when the Bible speaks about the reins, it often means the emotions or the longings. Certainly here in our text, Job speaks of his whole heart, all his emotions being consumed with longing. Of longing to see Him, of longing not to see Him through the veils and shadows of his earthly existence, but to see Him face to face in the last day. And is it not true, dear child of God, that although you are still in this life, there are times when your heart is drawn to the Lord with longing to see Him without sin, longing to serve Him with pure heart, longing to glorify Him without the imperfection and corruption’s of the flesh. Maybe especially when the Lord’s Supper is celebrated, there may be this longing, for the Lord said, when He instituted the Holy Supper, do this until I come. And that is why our forefathers have always stressed the Lord’s Supper, not only as a meal of communion but also as a meal foreshadowing the great marriage supper of the Lamb.

I know several people of God, who at the time of the celebration of the Lord’s Supper are consumed by a great longing, to serve Him, to know Him and to see Him as He is. Job also knew this longing. Then there is no cloud of my own sins between Him and me. No separation due to my backslidings. Then I see His face and there is no frown upon it, for His face shows only love. Then my soul is humbled, swallowed up in His love, swallowed up in adoration and holy wonder. That is the longing of Job, that is the perspective of the church of Christ here on earth.

Is there also that longing and looking and hoping and loving in your heart? It may be through shadows or darknesses, but my dear friend if you know something of it then also for you the day is drawing near that you will see Him, that you will meet with Him and that you will cast all your crowns at His feet along with all His people and you will sing with them the song of the Lamb, “Thou art worthy, O Lamb of God, to receive all the glory and all the honour. Then tender longings will be fulfilled and souls will be more satisfied than they have ever been during the days of this earthly pilgrimage. Then it will be the marriage supper of the Lamb and He, in His blood, in His righteousness, in His glory, in His almighty power, will be all in all. That is what Job was longing for and that is what all God’s people long for.

Then we will understand the words written by Robert Murray McCheyne in one of his well-known poems:

When I stand before the throne,

Dressed in beauty not my own,

When I see Thee as Thou art,

Love Thee with unsinning heart,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know,

Not till then – how much I owe.

Amen.

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