11th November 2025

11th November 2025


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Job 19)


Message (Scott Woodburn) 


I think Job was one of the most extraordinary people to ever live. The weight of tragedy that fell upon him was so huge that it would crush the vast majority of humanity. Indeed, Job was crushed to a great extent and yet he was not undone or destroyed. His friends were no help causing Job to ask "How long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words?" (v2). They had consistently beaten Job down with their words and had become like estranged brothers (v13). Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar had turned against Job (v19), relatives failed him (v14), his guests treated him as a stranger (v15), his servants refused to listen to him (v16) and as we know Mrs Job wanted nothing to do with him (v17). 


Much more serious was the fact that Job believed the Lord's anger burned against him (v11) pushing Job to believe he was counted as God's enemy (v11b). If Job was a city then the Lord's armies were camped outside his gate about to siege him down (v12). No wonder then did he call to his friends for mercy (v21). Job felt the weight of God's hand upon him (v21) and that was enough to crush any man. Why then did his friends hunt Job down? Were they not satisfied that he was wasting away before their eyes (v22)?


In the midst of anguish came another moment of miraculous supernatural faith. Job may have believed that his life was wasting away but he still longed for God. Job wished that his words would be written down in a book and more than that, he hoped they would be inscribed upon a rock. It's awesome to see Job's prayer answered in the Book of Job. His life and words were indeed written down. God the Holy Spirit brought them to remembrance and they were placed in a book which to this day bears the name of Job (2 Peter 1v21). 


But many books have been written and reading them is a weariness to the flesh (Ecclesiastes 12v12). What would Job's words say about him? That he was broken but not destroyed and resolutely hoping in Christ. Job knew that his Redeemer was alive and would one day stand upon the earth (v25). Job's flesh would be destroyed but nevertheless he was convinced that he would see God with his own eyes (v26-27). Indeed Job believed he would see God as one of the redeemed and not as "another" (v27b). His hope was so great that his heart was faint within him.


Job did not see as we now see. His place in the history of the Gospel was early indeed but he joins us in our resurrection hope. What is the resurrection? Just as Jesus died and rose again as the "first fruits" of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15v20), the Christian faith teaches that at Christ's return everyone who has ever lived will be raised from the dead. Some will be raised to judgement and shame while those who have trusted Christ will be given new bodies which will never again know pain or death. Job knew Christ at a distance but his words displayed the righteousness of his heart. He was a saved man who longed for the resurrection to come.


I thank God for Job's extraordinary faith. What a day the resurrection will be for those who rest in Christ. Come Lord Jesus!


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q16 Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression? The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression.
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