He Lost Everything… Yet

Job 19:23-27, Revelation 1:17-18, Mark 10:27

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

One of my favorite sections in the entire Bible is found in the Book of Job. Job was an individual who has lost everything. He’s lost his source of income. He’s lost his wealth. He’s lost his house. He’s lost his kids. He’s lost his wife. He’s even lost his own health too. And throughout the book of Job he’s dealing with this big question of why do bad things happen? Why do bad things happen to good people? Or especially to Christians, believers in God?

In the middle of the book we see Job give an incredible statement of faith. Job Chapter 19 he says this.

Oh how I wish that my words were written down.
Oh how I wish that they were inscribed in bronze,
that they would be engraved in rock forever
with an iron tool and letters filled with lead.
As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that at the end of time he will stand over the dust.
Then, even after my skin has been destroyed,
nevertheless, in my own flesh I will see God.
I myself will see him.
My own eyes will see him, and not as a stranger.
My emotions are in turmoil within me. (Job 19:23-27)

Despite all of those terrible things going on in Job’s life, he knows this: his Redeemer Lives. And he is confident that even though he dies, even though his body is placed in the grave, even though his flesh is destroyed there, yet he is going to see God. He’s going to see his Redeemer on the final day. And he places his confidence in a redeemer who lives. One who himself has died and yet has come back to life.

The description of Jesus is given in Revelations chapter 1 where he says this

I am the First and the Last—the Living One. I was dead and, see, I am alive forever and ever! I also hold the keys of death and hell. (Revelation 1:17-18)

Job placed his faith in a redeemer. One that had bought back his life from the grave and from the judgment of hell the things that his sins deserved. One that had paid for his sin but especially one who himself is very much so alive. And able to bring life to all people.

How is it that God can actually raise the dead? He can actually raise a dead body back to life from the grave even one that’s been in the grave for hundreds of years. Well the story is told of the famous scientist Michael Faraday back in the 19th century. That supposedly there was a worker in his laboratory one day who accidentally bumped a silver goblet into a vat of acid. He watched in horror as that goblet dissolved into the acid and disappeared. And he wondered what would happen especially concerning his job. But that famous scientist Michael Faraday wasn’t so worried and concerned. He added a few more chemicals and soon that Silver was brought to the top and they were able to recover it all. He sent the silver to a silversmith with the exact specifications for the goblet and before too long the goblet was back in its place in the laboratory. If a famous scientists can do something like that can restore a silver goblet that was destroyed entirely in acid, how much so our all powerful God the one who created us and all things created heaven and earth the one who Jesus says in Mark chapter 10

“All things are possible for God.” (Mark 10:27)

Certainly he is powerful to even raise dead bodies to put back together molecules and atoms all in order. And he has promised this for us and he invites us especially at Easter time to look to the one who was dead but now is alive. One that has shown that he has power over death and the grave. One that gives us confidence and hope that even though one day we die, even though our bodies will be placed in the ground, yet our redeemer lives. And he is going to raise up these bodies back from death and then all those who trust in Jesus Christ will have eternal life forever and ever in him. Amen.