Some folks like to bring up Job in theological arguments and some folks tip-toe around his story since nobody wants to be in his position.
Sometimes we forget that Job was a real person going through a horrific time He didn't have it all figured out. Though he was confused about what was going on in his life, along with all the voices screaming their advice in his ear, he maintains his innocence. He realized he couldn't and shouldn't argue with God.
This verse, this cry of Job's, arrested my attention and resonated in my spirit.
"If only there was a mediator between us,
someone who could bring us together."
Job 9:33, NLT
It's a recurring cry of the Old Testament, a collection of books that often highlights the need and the cry for the Messiah - the One who would be our perfect Mediator.
Again he calls out,
"I need someone to mediate between God and me..." Job 16:20
It seems to me that Job is aware that something is up, that he's innocent and that this digression of his whole life is undeserved. He wanted to plead his case before God, leading him to cry out for a mediator. I believe this verse is pointing forward to Jesus and His role in the believer's life, leading me to believe that Job's situation is not as over-reaching as many think.
Satan had accused Job and God allowed him to be thoroughly tested. Even if God wanted to test us so thoroughly in this way, Job is teaching us that we now have a Mediator, making the situation a bit different than his. We have a go-between.
People are sometimes afraid to believe God is really good, thinking they might be put in Job's situation at some point in their lives.
God IS righteous and just; there is no question of that for me. And surely there are trials in believers' lives.
These verses helped me see Job's situation in a different light. With a Mediator in the mix, we have Christ's blood and righteousness covering us. Christ, our Mediator, is standing between the accuser and Father God; He is even standing in our stead.
Here's a thought from the Matthew Henry Commentary:
We truly can't plead for ourselves, but we must put all of our hopes on having a Mediator and being accepted with God.
Seeing Job's heart-felt, heart-wrenching cry for a mediator made me wonder if I value my Mediator as Job would.
The fresh gratitude for what Jesus has done for me is not something I anticipated finding in the book of Job and yet, there it is.
Friend, if there's a book of the Bible that scares or intimidates you, I'd like to encourage you to give it another shot. Pray, try a different, more modern translation, dig deeper and see what God opens up to you.
Dominique
Pics are from the ever-changing kaleidoscope at the Arboretum.
