Context No. 3849 of 4322 · Job

Job 16:17-22: in context

17although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. 18“Earth, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest. 19Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high. 20My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God, 21that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor! 22For when a few years have come, I will go the way of no return.

In the midst of his suffering, misunderstood and mocked by the very friends who should have comforted him, Job reaches for a profound hope: even now, behold, my witness is in heaven; he who vouches for me is on high. Though no one on earth will take his side, Job trusts that there is One in heaven who knows the truth about him and will testify for him.

My friends scoff at me, he says, but my eyes pour out tears to God. When human friends fail and even accuse, Job appeals over their heads to God himself as his witness. There is a longing here that the gospel answers. Job wished for someone who would maintain his cause before God, an advocate, a witness on high who would testify to the truth. And that is precisely what believers have in Christ, our advocate with the Father, who stands in heaven to plead for us. When we are misjudged and accused, whether by others or by our own hearts, we have a witness in heaven who knows us truly and takes our side.

When I am misjudged and accused, even by my own heart, do I look to the witness in heaven, my advocate who knows the truth about me and pleads my cause before God?

Sources

Job 16:19: "Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high."
Job 16:20-21: "My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God, that he would maintain the right of a man with God."
1 John 2:1: "If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous."