Christ alone heard for sinners (Job 9:16)

“If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice” (Job 9:16).

Job confessed what God taught him by his afflictions. We also confess what God teaches us by ours. In himself, Job had no plea before God. He could not plead himself, and he could not plead in his own behalf. God only hears the righteous. But among men, there are none righteous in themselves (Rom. 3:10). But God hears His appointed, righteous Mediator, who is the one God-man. God only accepts the perfect righteousness of His Surety. He accepts only the propitiatory sacrifice Christ made by Himself (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17). Blessed be God, our Mediator and Surety has made propitiation and is our Advocate to God for us. He is “Jesus Christ the Righteous” (1 John 2:1-2; Rom. 3:24-26)! He therefore pleads Himself for His loved ones given Him by the Father. He pleads His own blood and righteousness. Were I to believe God heard me for my own pleading, I would deny the Gospel. Yet, with full assurance of faith I know God hears my Advocate for sinners (Heb. 10:5-23; 1 John 2:1-2)!

God taught Job. Job was not deceived. If anyone told Job God heard him because of something he did, because of something he said, because of his works, or because he “responded” to God, he would have strenuously denied that as false. His conscience would not believe it. He was persuaded that God will not hear sinners. But he was also persuaded that God appointed a Mediator, a Righteous Advocate, One whom He most assuredly hears always (John 11:42). Job refused to believe God would hear or receive anything that could be called his. Yet he believed God did hear Christ (Job 33:22-23; Acts 4:10-12; 1 Tim. 2:5). He did believe God received Christ for His people (1 Cor. 15:22; Rom. 5:6-19; Eph. 4:32). Job believed God would deliver all for whom Christ pleaded. Christ pleads God’s everlasting love, His own purpose of grace and He pleads His own blood and righteousness (Job 16:21; 33:14-23; Gen. 44:18-34; Micah 7:7-9; Judges 6:31). When any sinner comes to see this, “his flesh shall be fresher than a child’s” (Job 33:24). The uncleanness of his leprosy and the stroke of God is removed from the conscience of a sinner when God gives that sinner to look to Christ and find in Christ all God requires from him (Matt. 8:2; John 3:14-15). Job believed God heard and accepted Christ and all who are in Him (Eph. 1:4-7). Job believed Christ crucified was the One God saw and heard (Ex. 12:13; Heb. 12:24). And Job trusted Christ to plead his cause, though he himself was a sinner (Micah 7:7-9). Oh, blessed grace! Oh Beloved Son and Surety to the Father! Oh, blessed Advocate (Eph. 1:6-7; Heb. 7:22)! Thou alone are both my Answer and my Advocate who answers God’s justice for me (Judges 6:31; Prov. 22:22-23; 23:10-11)!

Rick Warta