YES, MY REDEEMER LIVES!

We live in a time of great trials on earth, and in our lives individually.  There are failing health problems among elderly family members, and we can hardly fathom what life would be without them.  But life will go on and God, Almighty God, will give us strength for every trial.  And we can know that our Redeemer does indeed live, seated at the right hand of His Father, interceding for His people.

And can we as mere humans fathom the depths of our Great God, the Creator of the universe?  The One who formed the clouds up there in the sky?

“And will God indeed dwell on the earth?  Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You.  How much less this temple which I have built!  1 Kings 8:27.  King Solomon had just dedicated the Temple and God’s presence so filled the house of the Lord that the priests could not continue ministering.  And this was his prayer of dedication of the Temple.  And he was awed by God’s presence and wondered how this Great God, who the heavens cannot contain, could ever dwell on earth.  

“He removes the mountains, and they do not know when He overturns them in His anger; He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars; He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea; He made The Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number”  Job 9:5-10.  This is the God who’s ways are past finding out.  He spreads out the stars in the sky and creates this beautiful world around us.  And “treads on the waves of the sea.”

Are you going through a great trial in your family right now, great storms are blowing in your life?  Yes, your Redeemer lives and He treads on the waves of the sea.  And when He speaks, the waves become calm and He speaks, “Peace Be Still.”  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, Be Still.”

This same God, who Solomon said that the heaven of heavens could not contain Him, was asleep on a pillow in the stern of a sinking ship, while His disciples were fearful of drowning.  This same God created the wind and the waves, and the very sea that they were on, and He had perfect peace and totally in control of the elements that He created.  And all He had to do was speak the Word and it was done.  That is our Almighty God, in the person of Jesus Christ.  Yes, your Redeemer lives!  He lives in the midst of the storms of your life, bringing you peace and calmness in the midst of all your circumstances.

“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat!  I would present my case before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments.  I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me.  Would He contend with me in His great power?  No!  But He would take note of me.  There the upright could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge” Job 23:6-7.  Job, in the midst of his great suffering in body and in his grief wondered where he could go to find this Great God and present His case before Him.  He lived in the ancient days, in the times of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  And yet, he had great questions, and his questions foretold of our coming Redeemer.

And we, as believers are so blessed because in the midst of our questions and struggles can indeed come right into His very presence because of the sacrifice on Calvary and our Lord’s death and resurrection.  I believe that Job somehow foresaw a day when it would be possible to come right into the throne room of Almighty God.  “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:16.

In the days before Christ came, only the Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year and not without blood to enter God’s Presence and the Ark of the Covenant.  And there was a veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and the Temple.  When Jesus died on the cross, that veil was rent in two from top to bottom, signifying that the way was now open to come right into God’s Presence with all our problems, and He hears and understands.

“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 eyes shall behold, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!”  Job 19:25-27

Job, in the midst of great suffering, knew that His Redeemer did indeed live and someday He would stand upon the earth.  And Jesus did come and did stand upon this earth, to bear the sins of mankind on that cruel cross, but then be resurrected and ascend back to His Father, to accomplish God’s eternal plan from the beginning of time.

And He foresaw the day of His own resurrection from the grave, and He would see His God face to face!  Oh, what a foretelling of that great day coming, when we too, will behold our God face to face.  And, like Job, we long for that great day to come, and look for His Great Appearing, and what a day that will be!  I can hardly wait, how about you?

Are you ready for that day?  As we look around us, it could be even at the doors right now.  Jesus could come and you would be left out.  Make sure your sins are washed away by the blood of the Lamb, and that you have made peace with your God.  And you too can say, “I know that my Redeemer Lives!!  Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon