Lord’s Day, Vol. 2 No. 31
(1) I Know That My Redeemer Lives – Job’s Song in the Night
Job suffered the severest calamities of anyone in the Bible. His whole world came tumbling down as he lost his possessions, his family, his health, and the respect of his peers.
From the pages that record the sufferings of Job, emerged one of the most precious promises of the Bible: “God…giveth songs in the night” (35:10). Job knew well this beautiful providence of God. When the curtain of catastrophe fell over his soul, a shaft of brilliant sunlight broke through the dark clouds. God gave him the sublime song, “I know that my Redeemer liveth!”
Job’s song in the night is the most radiant text on immortality in the Old Testament. From his pit of futility, Job rose to his pinnacle of faith, as described in the most memorable passage of this noble book. He exclaimed:
Job 19:25-27 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Handel caught the immortal cadences and set it to the stirring soprano strains on his composition, “Messiah”.
From the Old Testament book of deepest darkness, comes the song of grandest triumph! God turns sorrows into symphonies!
“I know” is the affirmation of Job. He did not say, “I hope” or “I think.” He declared, “I know.” There is no equivocation on this central issue of our lives. We too can know that Christ lives and, as Job, can know Him as “my” Redeemer (Job 19:25).
With inspired foresight Job anticipated centuries before our Lord’s coming to earth, the supreme event of history. Job exclaimed of his desire to behold the Lord, how his heart yearned within him (Job 19:26-27). If Job, in the misty dawn of history, could express this yearning, how much more should we – who have known Christ’s mighty life, His infinite sacrifice, His unfailing love and grace. May we have a deep yearning for that day when our eyes shall behold our Saviour and the Lord of glory. Job was but the forerunner of the great company to whom God would give songs in the night.
Are you going through a night season? Have dark shadows fallen on your pathway? Listen, God has a song in the night for you. The transforming truth of Job’s song, that can be your song, will make all the difference for time and eternity. [Extracted and edited from Songs in the Night by Henry Gariepy]
(2) Blessed Hope Devotions
Thank God that JC Ryle’s Expository Thoughts of the Gospel of Mark is available on our website under the sub-section “DEVOTIONS”, effective from 1 August 2014. You are encouraged to log on to www.blessedhope.sg for your spiritual nourishment.
The following is an extract of the 3 August 2014 reading, taken from Mark 1:21-34.
“These verses begin the long list of miracles which Mark’s Gospel contains. They tell us how our Lord cast out devils in Capernaum, and healed Peter’s wife’s mother of a fever.
We learn, in the first place, from these verses, the uselessness of a mere intellectual knowledge of religion. Twice we are specially told that the unclean spirits knew our Lord. In one place it says, “they knew Him.” In another, the devil cries out, “I know Thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” They knew Christ, when Scribes were ignorant of Him, and Pharisees would not acknowledge Him. And yet their knowledge was not unto salvation.
The mere belief of the facts and doctrines of Christianity will never save our souls. Such belief is no better than the belief of devils. They all believe and know that Jesus is the Christ. They believe that He will one day judge the world, and cast them down to endless torment in hell. It is a solemn and sorrowful thought, that on these points some professing Christians have even less faith than the devil. There are some who doubt the reality of hell and the eternity of punishment. Such doubts as these find no place except in the hearts of self-willed men and women. There is no infidelity among devils. “They believe and tremble.” (James 2:19)
Let us take heed that our faith be a faith of the heart as well as of the head. Let us see that our knowledge has a sanctifying influence on our affections and our lives.
Let us not only know Christ but love Him, from a sense of actual benefit received from Him. Let us not only believe that He is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, but rejoice in Him, and cleave to Him with purpose of heart…”
Yours lovingly in Christ,
Pr. Lek Aik Wee