Job 16 – In My Place – My Substitute!

Most believers will be aware that there are texts in the Old Testament that speak figuratively or prophetically about the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Usually they will cite Psalm 22 or Isaiah 53 as the most obvious. Which they are! But I wonder how many would turn to Job 16? Yes, Job suffered terribly. But how can the reader miss the quite obvious fact that ‘a greater than Job’ is also being referred to! As you listen to the descriptions Job gives, particularly in vv.9-14, and vv.15-17, I think you might recognise things spoken there that don’t seem to line up or match the experience of Job, but would be more fitting to the person of Jesus Christ.

On the cross Jesus bore the fullness of the fury of God’s wrath, and Job describes his experience as, ‘He breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior’. We could put this down to Job’s ignorance of what was actually happening, and that it wasn’t God at all that was attacking him but rather [the] Satan (Job 1-2). But there is also the possibility that he is describing someone else who would face the fullness of God’s wrath, and like Job, this person was innocent. I think this refers to none other than Jesus who suffered, like we see in Ps.22 and Isa.53, just as it was prophesied about Him (See Ps.2:1-2; Acts 2:22-24; 4:23-28; Lk. 24:25-27; Heb.2:10).

All this to make the Way to the Father open to His people who trust in Him and Him alone (See Jn.14:6).

You can also watch the video of this Sermon on Youtube by following this link: youtu.be/LFmQNkFcYN0

Michael Robson