Job and Resurrection

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth. After my awaking, he will raise me up;and in my body I shall see God. I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him who is my friend and not a stranger. The Burial of the Dead Rite Two, Book of Common Prayer.

In the Job reading appointed for today, we hear the words that have become the opening reading seen above for the Burial service in the Book of Common Prayer.

Job 19. 25 - 27

For I know that my Redeemer* lives,

 and that at the last he* will stand upon the earth;*

and after my skin has been thus destroyed,

 then in* my flesh I shall see God,*

whom I shall see on my side,*

and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Though the doctrine of resurrection does not appear until later in Hebrew thought, clearly the author of Job is considering the possibility of vindication after death and seeing God. I love this, as I love the book of Job. There is such truth in this book... from the well meaning friends to Job's reaction to them, to his understanding of "seeing God" and then to the voice of God at the end when God says, "Where were you when I created the earth???" (We will get to that soon.)

I love the Bible, not because every word is "the true and inerrant word of God," but because there is such capital T truth in it. It is a living document inspired by God to tell the story of God's people and relevant to the fullness of time in which Jesus said we would understand.

When we begin a burial service and hear those words from Job, I am reminded of how deep the Source of our faith goes, deep deep into the center of Creation, like the standing stone on Inis Mor placed there by pagans who sensed the Divine at that very spot. God is and has been and will be in the midst of us, and God will not be moved.