Taking One's Case to Arbitration

Scripture:
Even now my witness is in heaven,
and my advocate is in the heights!
My friends scoff at me
as I weep before God.
I wish that someone might arbitrate
between a man and God
just as a man pleads for his friend.
Job 16:19-21

Observation: Job, in his first response to the second round of judgment from his friends, repeatedly points out how terrible the friends are at comforting him. Job is under attack from God himself, and the 'friends' repeatedly talk about how bad Job is to complain. By now, Job has decided that - even though he wishes he would just die and escape God's wrath, who has aligned all kinds of curses and scorn against him - he cannot turn away from God.

Instead, Job now wishes for a witness in heaven, someone who may advocate for him and arbitrate between himself and God. When it comes to resolving this issue that has created this great chasm between himself of God, resulting in pain and scorn and loss, he does not want the comfort of friends (who don't comfort but accuse). Instead, he wants ... a heavenly arbitrator, who will plead his case just like a friend would. In other words, Job wants Jesus.

Application: This is the second time I have seen Jesus appear in the book of Job. I do love seeing Jesus in the Old Testament, as it more clearly shows the true prophetic testimony of the Messiah. As a story that addresses the conundrum of human existence - how do believers reconcile the concept of a loving God vs. earthly pain - the fact that the heart of Job's true need is for the Messiah to stand in the gap between himself and God as one who erases whatever sin he has ... this provides great hope. The hope is because I now know Jesus as that arbitrator in heaven, and as the friend who comforts.

It is this hope I hold to every day, and will remember during pain and stress and frustration and anger.

Prayer: Lord, what a friend I have in Jesus. Your ways are so above mine that you understood your own nature to create this amazing relationship between yourself and me, a terrible sinner who could never be worthy to stand in your presence. Thank you for your love and mercy. I will trust in that love, and hope in Jesus, all the days of my life. Amen.