“Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high.”

Many of you will know about Job as an example of human suffering. In Dutch, my mother tongue, his name has become proverbial: the phrase jobstijding means “bad tidings.” Many people also know the beautiful final chapters of the book, where God begins speaking to Job, who acknowledges the Lord’s power, repents, and sees his wealth restored, even doubled.

I may be wrong, but it seems to me that few people have familiarized themselves with the lengthy middle section, in which Job and his friends discuss the nature of sin, guilt, and God’s role in all this. These chapters fully deserve our attention, if only for their sheer poetic beauty!

In addition to their high literary quality, Job’s discussions with his friends cover all aspects of human life and offer deep psychological insights. Above all, there are striking instances where we see the redemptive work of Jesus Christ foreshadowed. Probably the best known is in Job 19:25, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.”

Today’s verse is another example. In the ESV, the chapter’s title says, “Job Replies: Miserable Comforters Are You.” It’s a long lament, in which Job even suggests that God has given him up to the ungodly. In the midst of all that sorrow, a ray of light seems to shine in the darkness of Job’s thoughts. “Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high.”

Job uses legal terminology: “witness,” “testify.” Many phrases in the Book of Job imply a court case between him and God. Zooming out, we find that this judicial aspect appears throughout the entire Bible. God calls all humankind, including you and me, to court. We have broken all His pure and holy laws. We must plead guilty.

But thank God, we have, like Job, a witness in heaven who testifies for us. As 1 John 2:1 says, “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” In Christ, we are counted righteous before God. Through His redeeming work for us, God’s throne of judgment has become a throne of grace.

Have you embraced Jesus already as your Savior, your Witness in heaven? If not, go to Him today, repent, and surrender your life to Him. One day, Jesus will return to judge all people, including you and me. Therefore, with the Apostle Paul, I “implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God!”

Rejoice in Jesus, because He is your Redeemer. Hallelujah!

Anton de Vreugd, Bible League International staff, the Netherlands