Sometimes the most exciting part of a trip is the travel itself. What we see as we travel, what we expect to do when we get “there.” For both of these righteous men the “trip” would not be called exciting, rather arduous and demanding for sacrifice of what makes sense to everyone else. Job “travels” in a vast desert of sorrow and human conundrums, the unnavigable maze of human suffering. Paul travels a physical road to a great spiritual destination, and everyone keeps telling him to get off at the next intersection.
“I got away by the skin of my teeth!” we hear at times to talk about close escapes and near tragedy. Job claims that is all he has left after everything was taken away, thin gums on old teeth. Job holds that he is righteous and one day a redeemer, my GOEL LIVES (גֹּ֣אֲלִי חָ֑י) — the one who will make it right — will take care of it all, that “mighty one/God” — ELOAH (אֱלֹֽוהַּ) — not the frequent Hebrew term for “God” in the OT, a more ancient and poetic term. You other humans, not bigger, not smarter, and most certainly not holier than I cannot tell me who I really am and who my God really is. That GOEL will come to this dusty earth, I know it, I will not let go of it, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Now, whether Job makes a statement about resurrection or not — well, that is not quite so clear. In retrospect we may want to read that into his statement. It seems more that he says, “If need be, and I think it will be needed, even if I am dead, my GOEL, the ELOAH for my life and reputation, will raise me from the dead and vindicate me, just to show everybody I WAS RIGHT AND THEY WERE WRONG! He’s pretty mad about it all and will continue to be until about chapter 38 when a greater God than he imagines will give Job perspective for the real road ahead.
Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, Paul has some hard rebuffs about the road he takes. Those whom he loves and respects all tell him that Rome is not a good place to be for him. Paul knows that what they say is true. But Paul knows that his destiny is to take the road, and his destiny lies with the One who loved and gave Himself for Paul, Gal. 2:20. He cannot, must not give that up. Although undesirable and even horrible, bonds and death are only brief stops on the path he must take to serve the Eternal One and win the real prize, Phil. 3:12-16.
I think we can walk away from this one, theologically, agreeing that, indeed, our Redeemer, the Christ, lives and will raise us up at the last day to vindicate, not ourselves, but the God of Heaven and Earth Who is Himself Just and Holy, and the justifier of all who come to Him, Rom. 3:21-26…and that all is not as we see it to be or expect from our limited perspective, rather the ultimate reality lies with God in His plans.
Prayer: Holy, Righteous Father: I trust You and Your Spirit and the One Who gave Himself for me. That is all I know, and Jesus is the Way I must travel today. Thank You in Jesus name.