I want to just take as a text the verses, the well-known verses from that 19th chapter of Job that we read earlier. Job 19 and 25 to 27, where Job exclaims, for I know that my Redeemer lives and He shall stand at last on the earth. And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eye shall behold, and not another, how my heart yearns within me." Reading from the New King James Version. This is a remarkable confession, this confession of Job that we find here, at this particular point in Job's experience, and that for a number of reasons. Firstly, because of the time when this book apparently was written, it's reckoned to be perhaps the oldest book in the Scriptures, certainly one of the earliest books of the Bible, written possibly at the time of the patriarchs. So some 2,000 years perhaps then before Christ. Remarkable to find such a confession that we find in those verses that we've taken as a text for that matter. It's remarkable also because of course as I'm sure you know Job found himself caught up in terrible hardships and sufferings That was his experience and if we read again chapters 1 and 2 in the book, we can see the kind of calamities that came upon Job. His property, his very significant property, his livestock and so on were taken away. All his 10 children were destroyed in a natural disaster and his wife even turns against him. tells him to curse God. And he recounts something of that in this chapter here, chapter 19, doesn't he? Looking at verse 14, he says, my relatives have failed, my close friends have forgotten. He says even his servants count him a stranger. My breath is offensive to my wife, he says. And as for his so-called friends, the three friends who come and supposed to be helpers, Job's comment at the end of the day is, what miserable comforters you are, what miserable comforters you are. He says there, 16 verse 2, I've heard many such things, miserable comforters are you all, shall words of wind have no end. How graphically he puts it, words of wind. Sadly, that's how he found the advice of his friends and he repeats that. He asks for their pity again here in chapter 19 verses 21 and 22. He says, in effect, won't you let me alone? Isn't it enough that God is doing this to me? His health completely broken down, he's covered in boils. He might literally be a walking skeleton That's how it's portrayed in verse 20 here, isn't it? My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh. I've escaped by the skin of my teeth. He's on the very edge of death, he says. And I've escaped by the skin of my teeth. We know that expression, don't we? When it is a very narrow escape, we still use it. So and so escaped by the skin of their teeth. And that originates here with Job's outpouring. So it's remarkable to find the confession that comes later in the chapter in view of where Joe was in his circumstances and in his life. I suppose added to that, and he must have felt this so very keenly, was the fact that he felt that God seemed to be his enemy. He says as much, doesn't he, in verse 11. He says, he counts me. as one of his enemies. He says it's almost, verse 12, as if his troops are pursuing me. They're building their siege against me. What a situation for this man to feel. God himself closing the net on Job. That was how he saw it at this time. Felt that God was against him. God had wronged him. And he's in fear of what God will do next. and yet he won't follow his wife's despair and curse God. How remarkable then when we think of how old the book is, Job's situation with the loss of all that he suffered, his health and everything else, felt that God was against him. How remarkable to find then, he says in verse 23, these words that I'm going to say, oh that they were written that they were written in a book, that they were inscribed on the rock. I know that my Redeemer lives and He shall stand at last on the earth. Just to look at this confession then, verses 25 to 27 in more detail. Remarkable, isn't it, that Job knew that he needed a Redeemer, first of all. That Job knew that he needed a Redeemer. Not that Job thought he was perfect. He couldn't understand why he was suffering in the way that he did. He didn't believe his sufferings were the result of his sin. But neither did Job believe that he was perfect. He says at the beginning of chapter 9, How can a man be righteous before God? He asks that question. He knows that he is not righteous. And in that same chapter, chapter 9, he knows that he needs a go-between. He knows that he needs a mediator. He says of God, For God is not a man as I am that I may answer him and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us who may lay his hand on us both. Job knows he needs someone to mediate between him and God. To speak to God. Someone who is great enough to speak to God and yet at the same time is human enough to represent Job. Job needs a mediator. Remarkable, isn't it, that he saw that, knew his need of that. Long, long before Paul said to Timothy, there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Job knew that he needed a Redeemer. And further than that, Job knew that there was a Redeemer. Though he did not know apparently who the Redeemer was, he knew that there was a Redeemer. This word Redeemer and the term redemption is one of the most important in the whole of Scripture. It refers to the setting free, the release of someone or something on the payment of a price. A ransom was paid and it may be a property was a mortgage property was brought back, was redeemed. It may be that an animal was condemned to slaughter and a ransom was paid and the animal was redeemed. It may be that the honour and the property of a dead person was redeemed by a near relative. Of course, the story of Ruth is all about that, isn't it? The story of Boaz, the near kinsman, the kinsman redeemer, redeeming Naomi's property that belonged to her dead husband, Elimelech, and with it, of course, redeeming Ruth and all the things that flowed from that. This idea of redemption and a redeemer is one that's that's central to Scripture. And Job knows that he needs a Redeemer. He knows that there is a Redeemer. How could he possibly know that there was a Redeemer? Well, I think we have a promise, don't we? And again, I'm sure you've been pointed to this before at the very beginning of Scripture. You remember God, after the fall of Adam and Eve, is talking to the serpent, the one He's talking to Satan, the one who caused Eve to be deceived. And he says to the serpent, I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. That's been interpreted quite rightly as looking forward to the coming of the seed of the woman, the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And that promise, going way back to Genesis, would have been passed down through the generations. And it's quite likely, very likely, that Job, as a godly man, would have known of that promise of the seed of the woman who was to come. I was reading, just an aside read, I was reading the Evangelical Times, I noticed you mentioned that, the Evangelical Times Christmas edition, and it's mentioned there, someone is saying, when was the first mention about Christmas, well of course the word Christmas doesn't appear in the Bible, but the thrust of that was here it is in Genesis 3.15, the promise of the Saviour. That's the mention indirectly of Christmas, so that's the mention of the coming of the Son of God to this world. Job would have known something of this promised seed. Job, like other Old Testament believers, would be justified by faith in that seed who was to come. Not a different way of justification for those in the Old Testament. Paul makes that clear in Romans 4. He says, Abraham, David, justified by faith. That's always been the way. Always. Justified by faith in God's promise alone. Trusting in the Redeemer to come. Of course, again, the New Testament opens this out in great splendour after Christ has come, doesn't it? It opens it out. Paul opens it out in Ephesians and Colossians and he says to the believers, in Christ we have redemption. Through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. And those Jewish believers who were always going through such difficulties, problems with the faith that they'd come out of, struggling, battling against their own their own doubts and fears against the opposition of their Jewish fellow countrymen. Peter reminds them, he says, look, you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold, things that pass away, but with the precious blood of Christ. That's what you were redeemed with, he says. That precious blood alone could pay the debt of sin. Job knew there was a Redeemer. He knew that there was a Redeemer promised. He knew he needed that Redeemer. And Philip Bliss could sing, couldn't he? Sing, oh sing of my Redeemer. With his blood he purchased me. On the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debt and set me free. That's it, the debt, the ransom, his payment to set free. Philip Bliss knew the wonder of that in his own experience. knew that there was a Redeemer. There's only one thing more important than knowing that there is a Redeemer and that is knowing that that Redeemer is yours. Knowing that He is yours. I know that my Redeemer lives, he says. This is personal, isn't it? What a wonderful statement there in verse 25 of Job 19. I know that my Redeemer lives. One thing to know about the Christian Gospel, one thing to hear it and those things are good. good and we're privileged, but it's another to believe, to trust in that Redeemer and what He has done. I know that my Redeemer lives. I know, says Job, what assurance he has in the midst of the situation that he's in. I know that my Redeemer lives. Here's the anchor of the soul for the Christian in the midst of trials and difficulties. Horatio Gates Spafford. Horatio Gates Spafford. He was apparently a successful lawyer and businessman who lived in Chicago in the 19th century and he suffered a series of hammer blows in his own life. He lost a son. I think it was his only son. in a great fire in the city of Chicago in 1871. And soon afterwards he lost much of his wealth in a bank crash. But worst of all, he sent away his wife and four daughters across on a boat to Europe. He was going to join them later. In fact, I think he was going to join in with Moody and Sankey. He was obviously a friend and a supporter of theirs. But that boat carrying his wife and four daughters in mid-Atlantic was in collision with an English iron ship and the boat that they were travelling on sank. And only his wife survived. And she cabled back the words, two words to her husband who was still in America. Saved alone. Saved alone. These were Job-like experiences for Horatio Spafford. What was his response? Well, his response apparently was to book a passage to Europe to be with his sorrowing wife. And as he sailed near to the spot where he knew the ship had gone down, the words of that hymn came to him, when peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say it is well. It is well with my soul. No Satan should buffet. He knew it, didn't he? No trial should come. Let this blessed assurance control that Christ has regarded my helpless estate and has shed his own blood for my soul. He knew what it was to be redeemed. He knew the price that had been paid. Horatio Spafford had a Redeemer and that faith and that Redeemer strengthened him in what must have been a time of many many tears. I have a good friend, his daughter some years ago was involved in an accident on a Christian camp and it caused bleeding at the back of the brain and I remember being with him at the hospital and he and his wife were so understandably so concerned. I walked with him outside and the tears rolling down his face. And he looked at me and he said, he knows what he's doing. He knows what he's doing. You know that's the answer of faith, isn't it? That's the answer of someone who has a Redeemer. Someone who has my Redeemer. My dear friend knows that Redeemer for himself. And so when the storms of life were there, and I know some of you have endured storms like that and worse, What strengthens us? What upholds us? It's the fact that we have a Redeemer, isn't it? And Job knew that. Remarkably, he knew. However dimly, he was looking forward dimly to that time when Christ appeared. That makes it more remarkable, doesn't it? We look back on Christ the Redeemer and what He's done. Job knew that he had a Redeemer. But he says further, doesn't he, I know that my Redeemer lives and He shall stand at last on the earth. He knows that his Redeemer will be on the earth. And of course that's true, isn't it, because God became man, didn't he, in the coming of Jesus Christ. We're remembering that at this time of the year, of course, at Christmas. Our carols tell us, they talk about the infant Redeemer being laid. They talk about the dawn of redeeming grace, don't they? Job knew that that Redeemer who he looked forward to would stand on the earth and of course he did. Wonderfully and remarkably in the love of God that Redeemer stood on the earth, was born a helpless babe, grew up and lived a spotless life, laid down that life and rose victorious and is coming again a second coming in glory. He knew that his Redeemer would stand on the earth. That's what Job knew. Someone said it's more important that God walked on the earth than that man walked on the moon. And so it is. So much more important. Someone who was human enough to represent Job and you and me, but great enough to represent us before God. God himself in the person of his son, the Redeemer. And he's coming again, isn't he? So the word of God tells us he's coming to stand on the earth a second time, but not in his humiliation, in his glory, to destroy death and sin, to reign over all and to judge the world Underline it to judge the world in righteousness. Underline that in righteousness. Always. Never a mistake. Never anything unjust. He's coming to do all of that. And in the light of this expectation that his Redeemer would stand at last on the earth, Job says, And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another." Job looks forward, doesn't he? Remarkably to the resurrection of the body and to the vision of God. The authorised version that we read talks very graphically about the worms, doesn't it? Destroying the body. Well, yes, there it is. Can't get away from it. though after my skin worms destroy this body, he says, yet in my flesh I shall see God. Job realised again, however dimly, he realised that that body that was subject to decay was going to be replaced by another body. Of course again the New Testament and Paul opens this out in a wonderful way. He says the body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption, It's sown in dishonour. It's raised in glory. It's sown in weakness, in death. But it's raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. Paul says, yes, though I don't see it fully even now, he says that all the effects of sin, all the effects of death and corruption are going to be done away with in that new body that believers will have. He says to the Philippians, God will transform our lowly body that it might be conformed to Christ's glorious body. That's the prospect for the believer in Christ. And Job realised something of that. Something of that. A resurrection body. Death is not the end for anyone, but for the believer there is this wonderful prospect. of a resurrection body made like our Saviours. But even more wonderful for Job is the prospect of seeing this Redeemer, isn't it? He says, I shall see God for myself. My eye shall behold and not another. The Redeemer who is God. Isn't that there in the verse here? Starts off talking about the Redeemer Seeing the Redeemer, seeing God. This Redeemer, Jesus Christ, is God. Scriptures are full of it. Oh yes, we can't have the text that we can underline to prove it to those who doubt, but the Scriptures are there. It's got to be there. We have no other Redeemer good enough except one who is both man and God. And seeing this Redeemer, this Redeemer who loves us, is the ultimate prospect of every child of God. John says to the Christians, beloved, now we are the children of God, but it's not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. We shall see Him as He is. John holds that before the believers. Paul says, now we see in a mirror, didn't we? but then face to face seeing the Redeemer. Werner Wright was a professor of rheumatology at Leeds University from 1970 to 1994. He's really the man who was responsible for developing that aspect of research into rheumatism at Leeds and the whole research school at Leeds, which is now a very big research school, grew almost entirely out of that man's vision and his work. Brilliant man in his field, Werner Wright. Werner Wright also was a committed Christian, co-founder of United Beach Missions, I think he was a founder also of Young Life, Vice President of what was the Lord's Day Observance Society. It said that he always had time for his research people. They could come into his office any time up to five o'clock. When he got to five o'clock the door shut and he was away. And on Tuesdays at lunch times he would go down into Leeds City Square and he would preach in the open air. Retired in 1994, Less than a year after that, he was diagnosed with cancer and died within two, two and a half years. And at the Thanksgiving service, at which there were 1,300 people, they had to open Leedstown Hall, sufficient to get the people in, the 1,300 people. One of the hymns there expressed this ultimate hope of God's people. One of the hymns that Werner had chosen, and the hymn is this, and you may know it, face to face with Christ my Saviour. Face to face, what will it be? When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me. Face to face, O blissful moment, face to face to see and know, face to face with my Redeemer, Jesus Christ who loves me so. That was the testimony of that man. But isn't this testimony yet more remarkable as we look at Job's testimony in the situation in which it was, the time in which he was written, faith shining through, faith in that Redeemer who was to come and calming his troubles and his doubts. Job, if you know the book well, had some way to go before he arrived at any settled peace in his life. But at the end of the book, the end of the record, we see Job's sufferings are past and much of his former blessings, his wealth and family and his health are restored to him. But, says someone, he still has no answer to this question. Why has God allowed it? Why has God allowed this? He still knows nothing of the events in heaven recorded in the first two chapters. that dialogue between the Lord and Satan. Job knows nothing of that in the background. He still does not know that God has staked His own reputation on Job's integrity. But God has been vindicated and that is important. The unbeliever will never accept God's failure to answer Job's questions, or ours, or our failure to answer their questions. But that is because, and this is a tremendously penetrating statement, that is because the unbeliever will never be content not to be God. The unbeliever will never be content not to be God. We know it, don't we? Perhaps we know it in our own hearts, what we did do before we were converted. Unless I know all the answers, this is not going to be good enough for me. That's what the unbeliever says. You've got to answer this. Why? Why suffering? Job had no answer to that. But those who do know God, the writer goes on to say, will learn from Job to look beyond this life, not for answers, which may not come even in heaven, he says, but for the Redeemer. Look for the Redeemer who has conquered death for us and will raise us to be with Him. Those who do know God will learn from Job to look beyond this life, not for answers, but for the Redeemer who has conquered death for us and will raise us to be with Him. That's what Werner looked for face-to-face. He looked for that, for the Redeemer. And that to him was the summit of his life and of his eternity, to be face-to-face with his Redeemer. Job looked for that. I wonder about you and I. In the midst of our difficulties and our trials and our perplexities, God may not yet give us the answers to these things. But can we say with Him, I know, I know that my Redeemer lives. Nothing is more important than that we should know that. Know that we need a Redeemer. There may be someone out here tonight who knows something of the Gospel, doesn't yet know him as my Redeemer, know this Jesus Christ how vital that is to be able to say I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand at last on the earth and after my skin is destroyed this I know that in my flesh I shall see God how my heart yearns within me says Job at that prospect, what a wonderful prospect for the people of God. I pray that it will encourage me and it will encourage you as we reflect on this man's situation and this faith in the Redeemer who was yet to come for him but who we celebrate this Christmas, the one who has come and brought that wonderful redeeming grace in Christ Jesus.