Few things in life sting more than the betrayal of a friend. When someone you have depended on for companionship, comfort, and understanding turns away from you, you can easily find yourself in a pit of despair. If that happens when your life is in crisis, the burning of their condemnation can scorch your very soul. Has this ever happened to you? It has happened to me.

It happened to Job, too. You remember Job. He found himself to be the unwitting pawn in a chess match between God and Satan. God praised Job’s blameless and upright manner, to which Satan replied that Job is only righteous because God had blessed him so favorably. The double-dog dare followed: Satan dared God to allow Job to suffer great losses, contending that Job will change and curse God. God had faith in Job and allowed the suffering to begin.

Along the way, after losing his sheep, servants, ten children, and then suffering with a terrible skin disease, Job sought the consolation of his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. These fair weather friends quickly condemned Job and argued that he must have done something evil to provoke God’s actions. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Can you relate?

After one particularly mean attack by Bildad, Job had a bit of an epiphany. This new revelation turned things around for him through the rest of his suffering until God returned to restore all that Job had lost.

Job 19 (New International Version)

“Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll, ²⁴ that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!

In his misery, Job had no idea that indeed, his words would be written down and studied even to this very day! This is a great reminder of the promise of Romans 8:28, where we are assured that God can use ALL things for our good. Even our misery.

²⁵ I know that my redeemer lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
²⁶ And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet in my flesh I will see God;
²⁷ I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me!

“I know that my redeemer lives.” There is so much power in these words! The Hebrew word for redeemer used in this passage is goel. A goel is someone who stood for another to defend his case, avenge the harm done to him, and acquit him of any charges laid against him. This kind of redeemer brought vindication for all unjust wrongs. This pure statement of faith gave Job enough strength to withstand his friends’ lack of compassion for his plight and emboldened him to proclaim that he will indeed see his redeemer with his own eyes. And so he did.

If you’re in a situation today that is causing you great pain, take heart. If your “friends” have abandoned you, find better ones. May we stand with Job and join our hearts in yearning for that day when we see our redeemer Jesus with our own eyes.

Take that, Satan!

He Will Stand on the Earth by Kathy Schumacher