casey horner 39 4uklsvnw unsplash

I Shall See God

Job 19:26-27 (ESV) — And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

The book of Job is considered by most scholars to be the oldest book of the Bible. It provides so many insightful truths about God, mankind, and the ways of God. Most people think of the book of Job as a book about suffering. It certainly includes that. But our passage today is going to show how the oldest book of the Bible carries within it an expectation of resurrection from the dead. 

The passage we’re looking at today is from Job 19:26-27, “And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!” The person speaking is Job. He references his skin being destroyed. This is about death. He is describing a belief that after he dies, yet in his flesh he shall see God. 

Let’s think about this statement. When we die, our bodies no longer live. Our souls live, but our bodies cease to function. Yet Job says when he dies, his flesh shall see God. He says he will see God for himself, with his eyes he’ll behold Him. This demonstrates that Job’s expectation is that even though he will die physically, he will one day behold God in his flesh. This isn’t a reference to experiencing God after death in his soul (though that is certainly something we will do). This expectation from Job is he will see God even after death. 

The expectation in the first book of the Bible is that man will one day see God, in our flesh, even after we die. The only explanation that can account for such an experience is that our dead bodies will one day be raised from the dead. Do we have reason to believe this is accurate? How will people who have died see God in their flesh again? The answer is found in Jesus. Jesus is the firstfruits of the dead. His resurrection from the dead foreshadows our own. When he returns, the dead will be raised. We shall see God.


Reflection & Journal:
- Where do you think Job developed this idea of seeing God even after his death?
- Why is the resurrection from the dead such an important doctrine for Christians?
- What kind of hope does the future resurrection of the saints breed in our lives today?


Sign up to receive our daily devotions in your inbox here!