Job 19:25 (ESV) — For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

The return of Jesus usually has people arguing about prophecies, nations at war, and maps of Israel. There are prominent TV preachers who have made a living on simply preaching and writing books about predicting signs of the times. Most of it is nonsense and unbiblical fodder. When people think about the return of Jesus, they usually think about books of prophecy or of Revelation. Job is usually not on the list. But it should be.  

Our passage today finds the words of Job pointing us to the Lord’s resurrection. He says, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” Job states that he knows his Redeemer lives. He is speaking about the Lord. He doesn’t know Jesus, nor has Christ come to earth at this point, but Job knows the One that ransoms and saves his soul lives. Our God is the Living God. Job then says that his Redeemer will stand upon the earth at the last. “At the last” refers to the last Day. At the end of time, Job’s Redeemer will stand upon the earth. Jesus is the name of Job’s Redeemer. He died, rose again, and ascended to Heaven. His promise is to come again. Jesus will one day stand upon the earth. When? At the last. 

When Christ returns, the dead will be raised from the grave and we will enter into an eternity with our Redeemer on the earth. All things will be made new. The return of Christ will usher in a new age. God’s reign on the earth will be with His people. What is fascinating to me is that Job’s statement is spoken out of the depths of his loss and pain. From his anguish, he preaches these truths to his own heart.

An important lesson for us in this is that the return of Jesus is not just a future-oriented reality, it is a present-day hope that fuels our ability to live and endure through life’s pains and suffering. Remind yourself today your Redeemer lives. He will stand upon the earth at the last.

Reflection & Journal:
- What do we learn about Job’s view of God through this passage today?
- How does this truth help Job in his sufferings and sorrows? How does it help us? 
- What are some ways we can keep the return of Jesus in our thoughts and minds?

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