So Job chapter 33 and verses 19 through 28. The book of Job is a tale of deep suffering and pain. And much of the book of Job is asking the question, what is the purpose? What is the role of suffering? and pain. Job suffers greatly, and he has three friends who offer their suggestions as to why he is suffering so greatly. And it's not so much that their doctrine is off, it's just that it is horribly misapplied. And so Job's three friends have now spoken. And after his three older friends have spoken, now this younger man named Elihu begins to speak. And Elihu has said, I was allowing men who were older than me to speak first. Days should speak, he says. But he calls them out that they were absolutely wrong in their assessment of Job's suffering. So here in verses 19-28, this young man Elihu gives a very moving description of the sufferings of God's people and what those sufferings point us to. He says in verse 19, man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones so that his life loathes bread and his appetite the choicest food. His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death. If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand to declare to man what is right for him And he is merciful to him and says, deliver him from going down into the pit. I have found a ransom. Let his flesh become fresh with youth. Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor. Then man prays to God and he accepts him. He sees his face with a shout of joy. and He restores to man his righteousness. He sings before men and says, I sinned and perverted what was right and it was not repaid to me. He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit and my life shall look upon the light. Well, Elihu is a younger man, but he speaks a far better message than Job's three older friends. You're reminded of the Apostle Paul's word to Timothy. And young people, I want you to hear this as well. Paul's word to Timothy, let no one despise you for your youth. but be an example to the believers in word, conversation, spirit, faith, purity." Well, Elihu stands forth as an example to Job's three older friends. And he speaks a far better message. It's one that's far more accurate. Elihu speaks of not only a sovereign, but a gracious God. That suffering occurs under the hand of a merciful Father. That there is something sanctifying about suffering. You know, it's what the Apostle Paul says. Endure hardness, he says to Timothy. Endure hardship. It's what he says to the Roman church, that we rejoice in tribulations, for tribulations produce experience, and experience produces character. character produces hope, hope that does not put to shame. For the love of God is shed abroad, it is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Suffering can be sanctifying. The 20th century writer C.S. Lewis put it this way, God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. Well, Elihu asserts here a strong message of grace, that God is shouting. through Job's pain. He points Job in verse 23 to a messenger. He points him to a mediator in verse 23. If there be for him an angel, a mediator, well, an angel would be a messenger. And you have these hints and shadows in the book of Job that point you to a fuller, embodied revelation of God, that there is a coming Redeemer. And Job asserts this faith in a coming Redeemer. He asserts it through his tears. I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the latter day He shall stand upon the earth, and that even though worms destroy this flesh, my own eyes will see Him. and not another. Job asserts a belief in a coming Redeemer. He asserts a belief in a coming resurrection where Job's own perfected, glorified body, body and soul, he will see his Redeemer. He's looking ahead to that day. And you have these little sips, these little shadows, these little hints of the coming Christ. And it is the same here in this passage that we just read. You have a little foretaste of the coming Messiah and what the Messiah will do. What will the Messiah do for suffering saints? And what does their suffering point them to? You and your pains as you and I go through the gauntlet. What do you learn under the rod? You learn the hand of an interpreter. You see this in verse 23, "...if there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man." Or you could also translate it, to interpret. God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants His footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm. We also sing in that same hymn, blind unbelief is sure to err and scan His work in vain. God is His own interpreter and He will make it plain. Well, Job is speaking of that interpreter who makes plain the purpose of suffering. What do you learn under the rod? What do you learn as you make your way through the crucible? Well, you learn that there is an interpreter. You also learn in verse 24 of the grace and the mercy of this sovereign God. Look at verse 24. In this strong assertion of grace, he says, he is merciful to him. And says, deliver him. Deliver him from what? Deliver him from the pit. Job is in the midst of physical and spiritual pain and suffering. That spiritual and physical pain and suffering is to point Job. It's to point him to the coming mediator. It's to point him to the Redeemer who will stand upon the earth. It is pointing. It is God shouting through his pains of this coming deliverance from not only physical pain, but spiritual tyranny. Deliver him, he says, from going down to the pit. Not only the pit of physical pain, but the pit of hell, the pit of eternal separation from God, the pit of punishment from the presence of the Lord. He delivers him. And why does he deliver? Why does this gracious, merciful God declare that Job and believers like him will be delivered? Why would God deliver souls from the pit? Look at verse 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit? Why? Why would you be delivered from going down to the pit? Why would Isaiah be stirred to pray? in Isaiah 38, you have cast all my sins behind your back and you've delivered me from the pit. Why would the psalmist be able to pray and sing in Psalm 40? You have lifted me out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. Why would God deliver you from the pit of destruction? Why? There's no more important question for you to consider. This is a question you must deal with. Because each of us deserve nothing but the pit. We don't deserve mercy. We deserve the pit. Now, why would God deliver you? from the pit. Look at verse 24. Deliver him from going down into the pit. I have found a ransom. I have found a full, sufficient payment. I have found the purest of gold. to redeem. What had Job declared? What was Job's belief? I know that my Redeemer, my Ransomer lives. And that at the latter day He shall stand upon the earth. Why would God deliver Job and you from the pit? It was because He's found a ransom. for the precious blood of Christ, which is of more value than silver or gold. It is of the most pure, the most precious, the most infinite value. That is why you would be delivered from the pit. You are delivered by the ransom. And just for a few minutes, I want you to think with me about that ransom. This is a ransom that is paid by the blood of Christ. It's a ransom, and what is the price? What is the offering? What is provided in the stead, in the place of souls going down into hellish destruction? What is the price? Well, it's nothing less, it's nothing short of the precious blood of Christ. Here's what this 17th century man, long time ago, here's what this man says about this gospel. Listen to this. Here lies the knot and the center of gospel forgiveness. Okay, what is the center of gospel forgiveness? What does he say? Here is the center of gospel forgiveness. It flows from the cross, and it springs out of the grave. Oh y'all, why do we love Jesus so? Why are we so fixated on the preaching of Christ and Him crucified? Why do we insist on the declaration of the cross of Calvary? Why do we never get tired of hearing of the cross? The old, old story of Jesus and His love. Why do we never tire, never fatigue of hearing of Calvary's hill? Well, because it's there. that the ransom was paid. You're delivered by a ransom that is paid by the blood of Christ. Christ is our ransom. And He knew it. And He declared it. Matthew 20, He said, the Son of Man didn't come to be ministered unto. He didn't come to be served, but to serve. and to give His life as a ransom for many. That's why Jesus came. When we observe the Lord's Supper here in just a minute, that's what we are remembering, that is what we are observing and celebrating, that Christ has shed His blood as a ransom. This is His blood of the new covenant that is poured out for many. Why? Why was His blood shed? For the forgiveness of sin. Where does your forgiveness lie? Where can you be healed in your soul from the self-destructive, self-inflicted wounds Where can your soul be restored? Is it not there at the cross? Is it not there at Calvary where you became dead to sin? Is it not there where you were crucified with Christ? That your guilt was nailed to the cross. And now, because your guilt is nailed to the cross, because you are freely forgiven, because you are perfectly justified, you now rise to walk in newness of life. You live unto righteousness, because you've been ransomed. Redeeming love, we sing. Redeeming love has been my theme and shall be till I die. is redeeming love. That's your psalm. Do you rest in the blood in this one offering? Christ has offered Himself once. Do you rest in His one single sacrifice where He offered His body for sin? Do you rest in the blood? Or are you resting in your own works? Are you resting in your own strength, your own resources, your own abilities? Where do you rest? Where is your forgiveness found? You ought to flee to Christ. You ought to run to the Lord Jesus. Rest in the Redeemer, the Ransomer, whose blood is most precious. Well, this is a ransom that's paid by the blood of Christ. And then secondly, I want you to hear that this ransom is accepted by a gracious Father. So this ransom has been paid by the shed blood of the Messiah. And then it is now accepted. It is accepted by A gracious Father. You look at verse 24. He says, He is merciful to him. Now who is He merciful to? He is merciful to the sufferer. He is merciful to him. Let me ask you, what is the source? What is the spring? What is the well of forgiveness? Where does it come from? Why would God deliver you from the pit through the blood of Christ? Why? Why would He assert that you would receive mercy? Heavenly mercy. Isn't that our song this morning? That we sing of this heavenly mercy. What is the source? Is it not that He delights in mercy? Why would He show you mercy? Just because He wants to. Why would He send forth Jesus to be the ransom? Is it not out of the sheer, unmerited, unmixed, sovereign grace of a merciful Father? Oh dear, brothers and sisters, throw yourself once again Throw yourself once more on the arms of a merciful Father. He is ready and willing to receive. And why is He ready and willing to receive? Because you are found not guilty in His sight. And why are you found not guilty? Why would He receive you as a child? Why would He embrace you as His own? Is it not because of the ransom? Is it not because of the Redeemer? This blood, this ransom is graciously accepted. So now, instead of descending to the pit, you are raised. Instead of enduring the brunt of all-consuming wrath for an eternity, you are raised. And you have the favor of your Father. shining upon you. Y'all, this is the heart of God. This is what Job's three friends missed. They understood, and you can learn much from Job's three friends and their declarations about the majesty, the holiness, the justice, the purity of God. Read the book of Job and read their declarations of the majestic attributes of God. But what Elihu brings to the discussion is that He is also a God who waits to be gracious, in the words of the prophet Isaiah. In the words of the prophet Micah, that He delights in mercy. Do you delight to think and to meditate on the mercy of God? When you think of God, what attributes come to mind? What do you enjoy thinking about God? Do you have a relationship with God? And if so, what does it look like? What do you love about Him? Do you delight in His mercy? That's what we remember at the Lord's Supper. We are remembering and we are treasuring the mercy of God in Christ. that you are delivered from going down to the pit because He has found a ransom. So would you hear these calls? Would you hear this call of incarnate love? Jesus is God incarnate. He is God manifest in the flesh. Would you hear those calls? Would you respond to that invitation of heavenly mercy? And would that be your portion? Would that be your food as you take these elements and as you commune with a crucified, risen, and ascended Redeemer? Would you pray with me? Oh Lord, how we rejoice that truly our Redeemer lives. and that at the latter day He shall stand upon the earth and that our own eyes will see His face. Lord, how we long for that day. Lord, how we ache for the presence of our risen and glorified Christ standing here on this good earth. Lord, we long for that. And so, Lord, now as we draw near to Your table, we remember that This is simply a foretaste of the feast which we will enjoy together at the marriage supper of the Lamb. O Lord, give us today to rest in the blood of Christ and to be deeply moved in our souls by this gracious Father. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.