Consolation
About five days ago I have finished reading the book of Job. The text on chapter 19: 25-27 is one of the most famous passages of the book. And rightly so, since it has a powerful poetic impact, and a suggestive reference to the last days of this world (although that issue is very controversial, since the original passage proved to be of very difficult interpretation). Whether it was intended or not, the passage makes us think of our end in this world, and about our present life in it.
“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God, whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another.”
The character’s story is well known to the educated public (maybe not, but I still live – in my mind – on a time in which educated people should at least have some knowledge of the Bible) and Job’s sufferings are indeed many. Out of his despair he says that amazing passage, full of a hopeless hope, trust beyond desperation.
It is clear to me that the present times are times of despair. The western world has long left the principles that made it great. It is now drenched in godlessness. More surprising, the godless people find that insulting the belief and the believers of the one true God is a fairly amusing pastime. Others make their entire careers based on the propagation of the non belief, which is a belief itself, but pregnant of folly, because it is a belief in nothing. Indeed the materialists, the fundamentalist atheists, the hedonists that see nothing beyond themselves are all of them mad, but claim to speak in the name of reason. Odd, but not surprising. This is a time of crisis, after all.
When faced with this situation, one can do like the person in the Psalm 11:3 and ask: “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the godly accomplish?” We lack foundation, as a civilization, yes, that’s evident, but only because we refuse to see it. In such times it is absolutely important that we put our faith in God, and say that even dead, even destroyed; we will see God stand upon the Earth to judge. We will see His glory nonetheless.
However, that is a constant yet distant hope. We must live and die for it, but sometimes we cannot be like Job and take comfort in it. Our suffering is indeed great if we truly care about those who are yet left to be saved; those who would see us vanished only because we tell them they’re sinners, just like us. They have even tried to destroy sin in order to sin without guilt.
They haven’t succeeded. We bear witness to their deeds as we know others will bear to ours. We hold on to the truth and stand by it, in spite of the rejection we feel, the sense we no longer belong in this world. All of this is a great cause for anguish. Once again one is led to the word of God, for Christ says: “In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage – I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)
Therefore we must walk humble, ashamed of our sin and our condition (not better than anyone else’s), and proud of our savior, the one who conquered the world, who defeated death, who lives in glory and is coming for us. If we cannot believe that much, we are no Christians.
“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God, whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another.”
The character’s story is well known to the educated public (maybe not, but I still live – in my mind – on a time in which educated people should at least have some knowledge of the Bible) and Job’s sufferings are indeed many. Out of his despair he says that amazing passage, full of a hopeless hope, trust beyond desperation.
It is clear to me that the present times are times of despair. The western world has long left the principles that made it great. It is now drenched in godlessness. More surprising, the godless people find that insulting the belief and the believers of the one true God is a fairly amusing pastime. Others make their entire careers based on the propagation of the non belief, which is a belief itself, but pregnant of folly, because it is a belief in nothing. Indeed the materialists, the fundamentalist atheists, the hedonists that see nothing beyond themselves are all of them mad, but claim to speak in the name of reason. Odd, but not surprising. This is a time of crisis, after all.
When faced with this situation, one can do like the person in the Psalm 11:3 and ask: “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the godly accomplish?” We lack foundation, as a civilization, yes, that’s evident, but only because we refuse to see it. In such times it is absolutely important that we put our faith in God, and say that even dead, even destroyed; we will see God stand upon the Earth to judge. We will see His glory nonetheless.
However, that is a constant yet distant hope. We must live and die for it, but sometimes we cannot be like Job and take comfort in it. Our suffering is indeed great if we truly care about those who are yet left to be saved; those who would see us vanished only because we tell them they’re sinners, just like us. They have even tried to destroy sin in order to sin without guilt.
They haven’t succeeded. We bear witness to their deeds as we know others will bear to ours. We hold on to the truth and stand by it, in spite of the rejection we feel, the sense we no longer belong in this world. All of this is a great cause for anguish. Once again one is led to the word of God, for Christ says: “In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage – I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)
Therefore we must walk humble, ashamed of our sin and our condition (not better than anyone else’s), and proud of our savior, the one who conquered the world, who defeated death, who lives in glory and is coming for us. If we cannot believe that much, we are no Christians.
posted by Tiago Ramos at 8:25 AM
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