Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. In all that we do, in all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. I'm Darrell Bailey service for Christ for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord in ourselves your servants for Jesus sake Thank you for tuning us in here Sunday night as We look over into the book of Job tonight Job chapter 19 Job chapter 19 verses 25 through 27 Job chapter 19. I want to talk to you for a little while about divine sovereignty unveiled. You know, as we get into Job chapter 19, Job expresses his unwavering faith in God's sovereignty, even in the midst of tremendous suffering. John Killinger recounts a tale And of course, John Killinger, he's an author, theologian, and minister known for his writings on theology, pastoral counseling, and he's authored numerous books exploring the themes of faith, personal growth, and religious thought. But Killinger's works often, they blend storytelling with theological insights that offer some great perspective on issues within Christianity and spirituality. And his writing style is noted for its accessibility and ability to connect spiritual concepts with everyday life experiences. And he wrote about, John Kellinger wrote about a powerful man, a chairman of a shipping company, who finds himself alone in a Canadian hotel room overwhelmed by depression. he's so despondent to even venture downstairs to eat and throughout his life he's been consumed by anxiety which paralyzes him to the point of emotional despair and he cries out that life seems meaningless and wonders about God's view on his suffering and so this scene mirrors Job's seen in the Bible where despite his wealth and status he's now broken financially, emotionally, and physically and Job ultimately finds solace in the realization that his Redeemer lives and affirming that God is in control. Let's look at the Word of God as God orchestrates all things according to His divine plan. in verse 25 of Job chapter 19, For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself. And mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me he said even though my courage failed me he says i'm glad that i'll see him with my own eyes and he will not be a stranger let's pray heavenly father here tonight we thank you for the privilege of your word open our hearts and minds to understand your sovereign plan for our lives and may your spirit guide us into deeper truths may your holy spirit speak to our hearts tonight And Lord, even when our hearts are heavy and despaired and overwhelmed as Job is, I'm glad that, Father, that you have a plan, a divine plan, a sovereign plan that you will unveil for all of our lives. In Jesus' marvelous mighty name, amen. Now, when we read verse 25, here we see that Job's points us to the God that orchestrates all things according to His divine plan. inverse twenty five he says i know that my redeemer limit that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth you know what i know that there is someone in heaven who will uh... come to my defense is what job is saying and he speaks of god as the term redeemer he says well i know my redeemer lives you know of all the other names of god that he could have chosen to use joe pacifically used the name to describe the God of a priceless redemption. I'm glad the Hebrew word for redeemer is Goel. And in Numbers chapter 35 verse 12, the word Geol is translated avenger. And the primary role of the Geol or the redeemer was to buy back and to purchase the relatives who had become the slaves. The Geol and the redeemer was also the one that bought back land which was to be kept in the family. And when we look at this description of God of priceless redemption, we see him described as the one who is near. I'm glad he says, for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. Amen. He's the last one to our defense. And I'm glad the Redeemer is the one that's the near kinsman. Amen. The next of kin. though it's rendered kinsman in the English. But before one could be a goel or redeemer, they must be close to the next of kin. And I'm glad that there's no greater than the book of Ruth. Boaz was the near kinsman of the deceased, Elimelech. And he buys back a parcel of land for Naomi. And yet how could Job call God our near kinsman? How could Job refer to God as our redeemer? How could Job see God as our goal? And without question, from his ash heap in the patriarch era of Job, look into Bethlehem where God was made flesh and dwelt among us. That is, when and where and how God became our next of kin. But in the first person of his son, Jesus Christ, God became close to us. Hallelujah. And so I'm glad that this Redeemer is not only one who is close, but also Job refers to God as his Redeemer, indicating a close kinsman who can redeem him. I'm glad the story of redemption in the Chronicles of Narnia, where Asselin sacrifices himself for Edmund, and God draws near to us as our Redeemer. But I'm glad that this redeemer is not only one that's close, but also one that is near, but one who is compassionate, praise God. I'm glad in the days of the texts of the redeemer, not only had to be the next of kin, but they had to be willing to pay the redemptive price. And again, the story of Ruth. the near kinsman from Boaz, the near kinsman that was willing to pay the price and be the Redeemer, take off his shoe and throw it at him and hit him and said, I'm the Redeemer, I'm gonna pay the price, hallelujah. And that was when Boaz, the mighty man of wealth, stepped in and redeemed the land. Thank God Job not only looks to Bethlehem, but also to Calvary, and he sees the old rugged cross where Jesus, our near kinsman, paid the expected price for our redemption. He not only had it all, but he was willing to give it all and pay the ultimate price. Boy, I'm glad Peter said that Christ did not redeem us with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot. And I'm reminded of the story about the little boy who had carved a sailboat out of a single block of wood. He'd spent a great deal of time and effort creating his masterpiece. And it was a wonderful piece of work. But after he had finished, he decided to take it down to the stream and to see if it would sail, and it did. However, that strong current caught that little old sailboat, carried it downstream, and the boy, he couldn't keep up. He was running along the bank of the stream, and soon, that little boat was out of sight, and that little boy searched until dark, but in vain. and he never found his little sailboat but one afternoon as he was walking downtown he saw the boat in a window of a pawn shop and undoubtedly someone had found his little sailboat and he sold it to the pawnbroker he went inside and he told that pawnbroker that he had made that boat and that he was its creator and the pawnbroker told that little boy that he would have to buy the boat if he wanted it and so the little boy pulled out of his pocket several crumpled up dollar bills and he purchased the boat that he had built with his own little bitty hands and as he walked away from the store he looked to his boat and he said you are twice mine i made you and i bought you Well, at the cross, the Lord Jesus became our ultimate kinsman, redeemer. Hallelujah. He was ready. He was willing. And He was able to pay the ultimate price for our redemption. He bought our past. He bought our present. And He bought, thank God, our future. He's the God of the priceless redemption. Amen. This redeemer not only draws near, but demonstrates compassion by paying the ultimate price. for our redemption. Boy, I'm glad that we reflect on the sacrificial love and the passion of Christ that Jesus exemplified God's compassion in redeeming all of us. And so, God, we see. that Job's declaration points us to the God who orchestrates all things according to his divine plan. Amen. I'm glad that it's the God of a priceless redemption. But secondly, it's the God of a priceless resurrection. Amen. Because as Job looks at the reality of death He's refreshed with a glorious doctrine of the resurrection and keep in mind that chronologically the book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible. Amazingly that the ancient patriarch was able to look not only to Bethlehem and Calvary, but also to the empty tomb, praise God. Because the doctrine of a matchless resurrection is set forth in the words, he said, for I know my Redeemer liveth. I know my Redeemer liveth. And with those immortal words, Job sets forth the doctrine of the resurrection, hallelujah. He speaks of the prophetic revelation of God's Son, amen. And that he shall stand at the latter day, hallelujah. Having looked at Bethlehem, having looked at Calvary, Job views the empty tomb with a full assurance of faith. He says, for I know that my Redeemer liveth. Job was prophesying of the glorious resurrection of God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's telling us of the one that was our near kinsman, our Redeemer, our risen and resurrected Savior and Lord, hallelujah. He said the word, hallelujah. He said, listen. He said, I know that my Redeemer liveth. He said, liveth, praise God, and it depicts the risen Christ as a flower. As we look and realize that back in Genesis chapter 2, verse 9, that the word liveth is a vegetation term used to speak how God made all the trees in the garden to grow. And it says that Christ lives as a flower and although he wilted, although he died, he's the Easter lily that bloomed again, praise his mighty name. And so the risen Christ is our fountain. He liveth and is described as water that had not become tasteless, amen. Christ not only lives as a flower, but as a fountain. He's not only alive, but He gives life. And like a fountain of sparkling, sprinkling water, He gives living water to flow from our inner man. And Job denotes, he says, not only praise God, that we look and realize that the resurrection of the Redeemer and the affirming faith of God's promise of eternal life Praise God, I'm glad when you looked at the portrayed movie of Ben-Hur, where redemption and new life were found through the encounter in Christ, Job looks forward to the resurrection. And so it was what? It was a prophetic revelation of God's Son, but secondly, a personal revelation of God's servant. Because I'm glad in verses 26 and verse 27 that Job begins to catch a glimpse of the resurrection of Jesus, and I'm glad that he begins to tell us in verses 26 and verse 27, praise God, that he says, and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. He said, even after my skin is eaten by disease, while still this body I'm gonna see God he says in verse 27 he said whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me I'm glad he said I'll see him with my own eyes and he will not be a stranger because my courage failed because you said you know what I'm glad that when we look and realize that what he's talking about here the personal and revelation of God's servant, amen. He catches a glimpse of that resurrection of Jesus Christ, amen. And he's not only speaking of the prophetic revelation of God's son, but of the personal resurrection of God's servant. In other words, he says to his own resurrection, Job lays hold of a blessed truth that because Jesus lives, he will live also. Think about that businessman that stopped on a rough country road and he asked this little old boy who was shooting marbles by the roadside, hey son, is this the road that goes into town? And without looking up or stopping his marble game, that little boy said, yep. And the man said, is it bumpy all the way into town? And that little boy said, nope. And finally that little boy looked up and he said, mister, it's this bumpy till you get to the graveyard. And after that, the road is paved all the way into town, praise God. Listen, thanks be to God, the road of life is bumpy all the way to the graveyard. But after that, listen to me, it's paved all the way into the city of God. Why? Because Jesus lives and we live. And the great preacher, B.B. Warfield, explained it well. He said, the heavy, ponderous stone that sealed Jesus in the confines of that rock-walled tomb was but a pebble compared to the rock of ages inside. Unquote. Oh because he lives we live and we'll live forever and some glad morning There's going to be a rumbling of the gravestones and every child of God that died in corruption Will be raised in incorruption and that which was laid to rest in mortality will be put on in Immortality because he lives I can face tomorrow because he lives I all fear is gone and because I know he holds the future and life is worth the living because he lives. I'm glad the hope for tomorrow because the God who has everything under control is the God of priceless redemption, the God of matchless resurrection and finally Job looks forward to his own and he declares the confidence in seeing God face to face, amen. I'm glad every one of us as we look at Job's declaration that it points us to the God that orchestrates all things according to His divine plan. And that divine plan, the God of a priceless redemption, the God of a matchless resurrection, but lastly and closing, the God of a timeless revelation. Praise His name. He said here that the Bible speaks of Christ's one and first advent. But in His first advent, He came in humility, but in His second advent, He came in glory. He came in the first time as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. He'll come the second time as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, praise God. I'm glad He said, even after my skin is eaten by the seas, while still in this body, I will see God. And I'm glad that He says, you know what? He says, I'm gonna see Him with my own eyes, and He will not be a stranger, praise God. I'm glad Job speaks of that second coming of Jesus Christ and by many as the hour of Christ is revelation. Job refers to two things in this little mini prophecy of this event and he speaks first that his glorious return of Christ. Job prophesizes about his return to earth and his belief in the second coming, praise God. He said again, what did he say? He says, for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day Upon the earth a man Joe prophesies that the same Christ who rose again will one day return He gives no other details except to say that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and in order for him to stand at the latter day upon the earth he must return to the earth in other words Job is speaking of the event that saturates the and invigorates the pages of God's Living Word. And from the prophecy of Enoch to the prophecy of Malachi to the prophecy of John the Revelator to the second coming of Christ that's prophesied, prophesied and proclaimed. It has been said of the 929 chapters in the Old Testament, there's 1,845 references to the second coming of Christ. Of the 260 chapters of the New Testament, there are 318 references or one out of every 30 verses. And for every prophecy concerning His first advent, there are eight concerning His second advent. And it reminds us of that clock in Strasbourg, Germany. Around the dial of the clock are the engraved words, one of these hours, our Lord is coming. One of these hours, our Lord is coming. One of these hours, our Lord is coming. Let everybody refute it. Let every skeptic say whatever they want. Let every sinner reject it. But I tell you, mark it down. At one of these hours, our Lord is coming, and Jesus said in John 14, 3, if I go to prepare a place for you, He said what? He said, I will come again, and He will return in power and great glory. Finally, Job not only prophetically speaks of that glorious return, but I'm glad that he speaks of his glorious reign because of Christ's future reign he will establish his kingdom on earth amen and I'm glad that when we look and realize that Job as he says in verse 25 he says for I know that my Redeemer liveth and listen and he shall stand He says, He shall stand, amen. That is a word that is fixed and set. And in other words, Job is looking to the day when Jesus will stand His holy feet on the Mount of Olives, described as Zechariah 14, 4. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west. And there shall be a very great valley, and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And I'm going to tell you one day the risen Lord, the resurrected Lord, and the returning Lord will be that reigning Lord. And one day Jesus will be the King of the hill. And the first time he was despised and rejected by all. The next time every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess. That jesus christ is the lord to the glory of god the father the first time he was laid on a roman tree the second time He sat on a heavenly throne the first time to be cru he came to be crucified But then that next time he'll come to be crowned one day every king every queen every dictator every prime minister Every czar every president every uh, uh one that's out there Uh that's on the throne will take off their crowns and fall on their faces before king jesus because he The risen Lord he's the returning Lord. He's the reigning Lord I'm glad that I'm glad that all of us born again are on his side. I'm glad that he's on my side I'm glad that he has everything under control and I'm glad that each and every one of us is i remember the uh... the story of the novel treasure island by robert lewis stevenson and his father was a chief engineer in establishing all the lighthouses up and down the coast of scotland and when he was just a boy his father took him on an ocean voyage inspecting all of the lighthouses and the towers along the coast of england and they were not out for a very long but when suddenly a tremendous storm came upon them for over twenty four hours they literally fought for their lives and during the course of the storm Robert Louis Stevenson's father made his way up on deck instructing his son to stay below. There was only one man up there, the captain of the ship, but the waves were boisterous, the winds were loud, the rain was hard, the storm was strong that he had taken a rope and literally strapped himself to the mast of the ship so that he did not be swept into the ocean. But when Robert Louis Stevenson's father finally made it to the deck He took one look at the face of the captain, and without saying a word, he went back downstairs into his cabin. And with this little boy waiting at the door, he heard him ask, Daddy, are we going to drown? Is the ship going down? Are we going to die? And his father picked him up. held him to his chest and said, no, son, we're going to make it through the storm. Young Robert said, well, daddy, how can you be so sure? And his daddy said, son, I just looked into the captain's face and everything is going to be all right. I tell you, I'm glad the truth of the matter is that this world is going to get worse long before it gets better. Now, the stock market may crash. The price of oil will triple and double. Gasoline will be worse than you've ever saw. Unemployment will be greater percentage than you've ever seen. The war on terror may never be won. And the threat of nuclear war and all of terrorists is a daily fear. But listen, Ladies and gentlemen of Calvary, I've looked into the face of Captain Jesus and everything is going to be all right. Why? Because he's the God of a priceless redemption and he's the God of a matchless resurrection and he's the God of a timeless revelation. And I submit unto you that he's God enough to take care of all of those things that the future has. He's certainly God enough to take care of us And under His name, the God I know is the God who has everything, everything, because He has a divine sovereignty plan to unveil to every one of us, praise God. And so, Job's unwavering faith God's sovereignty over his life and the future inspires us tonight. Just as Job trusted in the God of priceless redemption, matchless resurrection, timeless revelation, may we anchor our lives in the assurance that God has all things under his divine sovereignty of his plan. And so how does God, I mean, how does Job's declaration demonstrate his faith in God's sovereignty? Well, Job's words affirmed the belief in the redemptive plan. the resurrection promise, and the future reign, showcasing his unwavering trust in God's control over all things. What can we learn from Job's perspective on redemption and resurrection? Job teaches me that God's nearness and compassion are foundational to our redemption, and his promise of resurrection, it gives hope beyond earthly trials. And how does Job's prophecy about Christ's return encourage every one of us tonight? Well, I look at his prophecy and it assures me of Christ's triumphant return and His future reign and inspires me to live with hope an expectation of his eternal kingdom and his rapture that will soon be coming. Let's close out on our divine sovereignty that Job has unveiled to us tonight. Lord, we thank you for revealing your sovereignty through your word. Strengthen our faith to trust in your plan knowing that you hold our lives in your hands. In the midst of our trials and uncertainties, we are humbled by the truth proclaimed through Job's words. I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand at last on the earth. Lord, we acknowledge your sovereignty over all things, including our lives and our eternal destinies. And for those among us who feel lost and burdened by sin, I pray that their spirit Lord, I pray that your spirit would stir hearts tonight. May they hear your invitation to come to you, the one that holds tomorrow in your hands. That you're the God who redeems, the God who restores, and the God who has a perfect plan for each of us. Lift up those who are searching for meaning and purpose, and may they find refuge in your grace and forgiveness. Help them to see that through Jesus Christ, there's hope and there's eternal life. And Lord, as we depart from this time of reflection, may your words resonate within us, that after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God. Strengthen our faith, Lord. Deepen our trust in your promise. And may your peace and assurance fill our hearts as we go forth in your name, in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. you