ICS Daily Devotions
What a Difference Christ Makes
Job 9:32-35 NKJV “For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both. Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me. Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.”
We know the story of Job from the Old Testament and how he lost all his wealth, family and was afflicted with boils when God allowed Satan to bring suffering upon him to test his faith. He went through a period of a roller coaster ride of emotions as he was subjected to trial after trial. Many like to compare themselves with Job when they face trials and hardships. However, we have to realise that we live in a different dispensation and have the benefit of learning through both the Old and New Testaments. Looking at the Old Testament accounts through Christ’s work on the Cross will reveal a big difference to the application of Old Testament lessons to our lives. This is where we see that we do not sit in hopelessness in the midst of suffering like Job did, and we can persevere through uncertainties and chaos while being filled with faith, love, joy and peace. Why is this?
Job was lamenting that he could not reason with God like he could with a man, nobody could mediate his case as God was in heaven while he was on earth. He needed someone to stand before God to be his advocate to mitigate the situation of judgement and punishment he felt he was being sentenced to because of sin, but not understand what sin it was that could have caused such misery. However, there was no such person who could mediate or be his advocate in heaven.
We on the other hand, can praise the Lord that Jesus Christ is our mediator in heaven after His resurrection.
1 Timothy 2:5 NKJV For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
Hebrews 9:11-12 NKJV But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
God being holy and perfect, cannot tolerate sin. His wrath against sin calls for a sinless and blameless sacrifice to be made where the blood is poured out in atonement for the sins. In the Old Testament, God’s people had to sacrifice animals in the temples yearly as payment for their sins. This served as a reminder that these sacrifices were still not enough and could never take away their sins or satisfy God’s wrath completely. But because He so loved the world, He prepared His only Son with an earthly body as the perfect lamb of God. He was blameless, unblemished and spotless as the ultimate sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath. Jesus became sin for us on the cross, was judged, cursed and condemned. Jesus, our High Priest was the atonement for our sin and redeemed us with His blood. There is no more punishment but instead we now have peace with God the Father. How wonderful that Jesus is our mediator in heaven!
Sermon Series: Resurrection Sunday – Job & I
