Hold Fast

INTRO

Job was able to endure all his suffering because he looked forward to his living Redeemer (Job 19:25–26). Ultimately, this Redeemer was Jesus who took on our sin and our suffering and gave us hope to endure. Job’s three friends repeatedly told him he was wicked. Job had to hold on to the Promised Redeemer. Today’s chapter is a continuation of Job’s response to Bildad’s final speech in which Job moved to more generally defending his righteousness.

TEACHING

Job 27:1–6: Wiersbe observes Job taking an oath when he began this speech with the phrase, “as God lives.” To this point, God had not answered Job even though Job asked God to declare him righteous.¹ In spite of the quietness of God, Job was resolute that his “lips will not speak unjustly,” and he would not lie (v. 4). Job was serious about his oath. Wiersbe pointed out, “Among Eastern people in that day, taking an oath was a serious matter. It was like inviting God to kill you if what you said was not true.”²

MacArthur noted, “God did not speak to declare Job innocent,” similarly to how Isaiah described Christ’s treatment: “He was taken away because of oppression and judgment; and who considered His fate? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was struck because of my people’s rebellion” (Isaiah 53:8).³

While under his oath, Job vowed he would never affirm his friends’ viewpoint. Job knew he had nothing to be afraid of because he had done nothing wrong. Job determined to “cling to my righteousness” (v. 6). The New American Standard Bible translates “cling to” as “hold fast.” Michael Bradley lists four points on holding fast:⁴

1. Hold fast to the Lord. Without an initial confession of faith in the Lord, we will have nothing to hold on to. The author of Hebrews admonished: “Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful”(Hebrews 10:23). God’s faithfulness to us should motivate us to hold fast to who He is.

“But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household. And we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope” (Hebrews 3:6). Our confidence comes from Jesus’ status as the One over our household.

“Watch out, brothers, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. For we have become companions of the Messiah if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start” (Hebrews 3:12–14). Job knew he was clinging to God’s righteousness, and he would not let anyone keep him from that.

“So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised” (Hebrews 10:35–36).

Be faithful until death. Once we are confident of our foundation in Christ, we have the ability to remain faithful throughout our lives.

“Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will have affliction for 10 days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

Paul admonished the Corinthian church to “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

“If indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it” (Colossians 1:23).

Be an overcomer in the Lord. Job knew in whom his faith was placed, and he resolved to be faithful to the Lord no matter what happened. He understood that the rewards were both in this life and still to come eternally.

“The one who is victorious and who keeps My works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:26).

“The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21).

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

“For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints—and you continue to serve them. Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance” (Hebrews 6:10–12).

Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

“I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). What Christ has started in you, He will finish. We must hold on.

CLOSING

God has not promised that our road will be easy. We must cling to His righteousness, His promises, and the eternal knowledge that He will not let us go.