When one considers the man Job, one is immediately impressed with the severity of loss in his life. Job was an upright man who feared God (Job 1:1), but he suffered some of the worst tragedies ever recorded. Job lost his livestock (Job 1:13-17), his children (Job 1:18-19), and his health (Job 2:7-8). Because we have the book of Job recorded for us, we understand that it was not God Who caused Job’s suffering (cf. James 1:13-17) but rather they were due to the wickedness of Satan (Job 1:12; 2:6-7a). Job, however, had no knowledge of what took place in the heavenly realm between God and Satan as he suffered, so he, like any of us, questioned why he should suffer so much though he had been righteous (Job 7:11-21). In the depths of his despair, Job proclaimed, “For he [God, J.M.] is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:32-33). As Job considered his situation, he came to the conclusion that there was nothing he could do as God was God and not a man whereas Job was a man made from the dust of the earth (cf. Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:47). Job also noted that there was no “daysman” or mediator between himself and God. There was no one who could lay his hand on Job’s shoulder and the shoulder of God to make amends between the two. How sad and hopeless the situation of Job seemed in that he could not stand before God!
As one continues through the book of Job, however, and comes to the passage in Job 19:25, hope is found in a prophetic utterance given by Job when he exclaims, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” Though Job currently had no one to act as a mediator between himself and God to go directly to God on his behalf, he looked through the eye of prophecy and saw that one day, a Redeemer would come and He would stand physically upon the earth. Though Job never saw this great day with his own physical eyes, we know that he was given prophetic vision by God to the day when Jesus Christ would walk the earth and take the role of our Daysman (i.e., Mediator [1 Timothy 2:5]) Who would redeem or buy back mankind (Titus 2:13-14). Job would eventually be rewarded for his faithfulness (Job 42:12-17), and if he was the one who wrote the book of Job, learned the true cause of his sufferings.
What does all of this have to do with us and the question of “How can I stand before God?” Job described himself as one who could not stand before God to plead his case as there was no one to stand between himself and God to plead his case to God for him. Today, Christians have a great blessing mentioned by the writer of Hebrews when he wrote, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16). Unlike Job, who was unable to plead his case before God due to the lack of a mediator, we are told that we can go boldly (not with arrogance but with confidence) before the very throne of God because we have our Mediator, Jesus Christ. How can we then stand before God today? The only way is through His Son, Jesus. When we obey the gospel plan of salvation given in the Bible in believing Who Jesus is (Hebrews 11:6), repenting of our sins (Acts 17:30; cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10), confessing Jesus as the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10) and being baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38), we are granted access to the very throne of God whenever we desire. The blood of Christ washes man from his sins (Revelation 1:5), and Jesus becomes his Mediator or Daysman Who can lay His hand on the shoulder of man and the shoulder of God to plead our case before God. What a blessing it is to live in the time of Job’s prophetic vision of a Redeemer Who allows us to stand before God!
Ask Myself:
Why did Job feel like he could not stand before God?
Who made it possible for us to stand before God, and how can we access this great blessing?
A key point from this study is the great blessing we have to be able to bring our prayers before the very throne of God. How often am I using this great blessing, and how am I using it to further my Christian walk?
Suggested Answers:
Job knew that he was simply a man made from the dust of the earth and that he had no mediator between himself and God, Who was far greater than he was, who could plead his case before God on his behalf.
Jesus Christ made this possible, and we have access to this blessing when we obey the gospel plan of salvation and are washed in His blood through baptism.
You may discuss this with the writer or any of the Bible class teachers.