Job 19:25 Commentary and Bible Study

In using the word ‘redeemer’, Job shows his understanding that he must be redeemed, bought back, not however from earthly slavery or any earthly state, but from death itself. He must be redeemed, body and soul, from the grave. The idea that Job has in mind a mere human redeemer, a kinsman redeemer, who would redeem his property on earth, is ludicrous, for that would never answer to the overwhelming darkness that has gripped his soul. What comfort would it be for him to know that a relative, a kinsman redeemer, would redeem what he had left behind in this world, when what troubled him was the experience of death which seemed so near? How would that dispel his fears and put within him the intense joy that he expresses? He is looking far into the future, for he speaks of the latter day, to a time long after he has passed from this earthly life.This redeemer is standing on the earth. He has human nature like Job, for the dwelling place of God is in heaven and not on the earth. He lives even now – the verb is not future – but in the future, he will stand on the earth. Clearly, Job speaks of one who not only can redeem his servant, Job, from the grave, but who has conquered death himself. This alone qualifies him to be Job’s redeemer. This is not to suggest that he understood Calvary, but he knew there would be a Saviour who would bring about his redemption. The Redeemer would be in flesh and stand on a glorified earth.The degree of certainty which Job has about this leaves no room for doubt. He has received a view of Christ by the Spirit of God. Job will be raised out of the grave so that he sees and rejoices in this Redeemer in a transformed version of the same body in which he now spoke. No temporary relief from death would give the sense of relief that he speaks of. Job looks forward to the time when his Redeemer has given him complete and eternal victory over death. This prophetic insight is full of New Testament light. It is as if Job was suddenly accelerated through to New Testament times and saw the final building blocks of redemption put in place without having had time to consider all that must lead up to it. Without knowing the details of all that would lead up to it he saw the result of the Word being made flesh and coming to dwell among us; he saw his Redeemer alive because he had been put to death on the cross and then raised to life for our justification by the power of God never to die again; he saw the second coming of Christ and the Redeemer standing on the earth at the end of the world giving the final victory of God’s people; he knew the significance of a living Redeemer standing on earth because the Spirit showed him that all that he needed was embodied in this living Saviour, and he knew that this Redeemer had taken responsibility for his body and soul.