Many people, sadly, cannot say more than 'I hope I have a hope'. Job said, 'l know'. What did he know? Even though he lived many centuries before Christ, he knew that the Lord was the Redeemer -- the One appointed by God to obtain, by purchase, the lost souls of all his people. And shall we, who live after Christ's advent and have such a faithful record of His life in the four Gospels, not believe its Job did:'
Job calls him my Redeemer. Those words imply that Job saw himself as a sinner who needed, upon repentance, to be bought back from the power of sin and set free. Additionally, they imply that he had repented, and had been delivered and pardoned. The Bible sanctions and encourages us to exercise such faith as can speak personally of my Redeemer. Can you say so? Job proceeded to affirm that the Lord Jesus will return. He spoke of a final day for the earth when the Saviour shall be seen to be dominant, and will reverse every injustice and unmask every wickedness of all time.
Job made another affirmation which is part of the package of faith. He knew that he would enjoy resurrection to see God, and that it will be a full, bodily resurrection. What can be so scathing of the mortality of the natural body than to refer to it as mere skin! To reduce it to its dust and mention the final indignity of its being devoured by the worms! Yet -- though such indignity is undeniably true even when their total destruction is admitted, our bodies shall be raised and restored, and our perfected (though distinctive) personalities shall shine forth.
... in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold and not another (Job 19.26,27).
There was nothing vague about Job's understanding of resurrection and there should be nothing vague about ours either. If the best we can manage is to say, 'Some people say that there is a future existence,' what help will that be to us:' Some shadowy future does not encourage us to leave this earth for a better. 'I hope I have a hope' nowhere approaches the certainty which the Bible encourages in the words: I know.
The Psalmist speaks of those whose 'inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names'. He also says, 'This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings' What use is it to us if our grandchildren see the road which civic dignitaries named after us'! It does not give us life!
There was nothing vague about Job's beliefs. 'l shall see God for myself,' he said; 'I will be there!'
Every believer will be there. Not by proxy with someone standing in for us, but a personal attendance to behold the glory of our Saviour, when all our sin has been wiped away, is what we are surely longing for. How wonderful to be there when the kingdoms are taken from wicked nations and given to our Saviour!