25I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27I myself will see him, with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my hearts yearns within me.
Everyone has turned against Job. His wife, brothers, little boys (from whom he should get respect), and is intimate friends (vv17-19). And right in the middle of his despair are these words of hope. Job has hope, not ‘pie in the sky by and by’ hope, but a hope that is more solid than creation itself. Hope for the Jesus-follower is anchored in reality; it lines up with what is real and matches the facts. The facts for Job carry him through this darkest of valleys. He KNOWS that the LORD will take him through, that after he dies, he will be in God’s presence in bodily form. Even though his body is wasting away right now, someday in eternity his body will be restored and he will physically see God. For Job, hope is the future solid ground into which he secures his anchor that holds him steady in his current turbulent times. Without hope Job would be tossed aside by his friends and set adrift in despair and hopelessness. But instead, Job does not waver from his trust. He is not swayed from his relationship with the Lord. He doesn’t understand why he is experiencing these difficulties, but he none the less, trusts in God. This can be very difficult when those around us are falling away, or even worse, are ridiculing your faith. It can be easy to let go in those times and drift with the crowd. At least you are not alone. It takes faith to hold on when you feel underwater. But hold on.
The Arnold Journey 