See Job, that faithful servant of the living God, how his faith was sorely tried by all manner of afflictions. His flocks and herds destroyed; his wealth dissipated; while disease, painful and loathsome, preyed upon him. His sufferings and agonies were so intense that all his friends believed him cursed of God, and forsook him; and even his wife—who had enjoyed the fruits of his efforts in life, reviled his integrity of faith, and scornfully told him to "curse God and die."
But let us hear this patient, suffering child of God:
"True, my flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken and become loathsome, and I feel as though I would not live alway. Yet all the days of my appointed time will I wait, until my change comes, and even though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him. I know that I shall be justified. For He shall be my salvation. If a man die he shall live again. And now, behold my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold."
Where! oh, where, hath such faith been shown! And his faith being sorely tried and found true and unwavering, his God came to his relief, restored him to health, and blessed him—even more abundantly than before; after which he lived an hundred and forty years and died in peace.
Here we see, that, long anterior to the coming of Christ, Job declared that he knew his Redeemer was then living, and that in the "latter days" he should "stand on the earth." See this truthful evidence of the Son of God coming down from heaven to ransom and redeem fallen man!
The prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah, who should "ransom his people from the power of the grave," and "redeem them from the second death."
The sweet singer of Israel, looking forward to coming ages, through the vista of revelations, breaks forth in rapturous confidence—
"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. Though my heart and my flesh fail me, yet Thou art the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
The prophet Isaiah declares,
"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise."