"Lay down a pledge for me with you; who is there who will put up security for me? Job 17:3 ESV ¶Job searches for some way to prove his innocence, some person or thing on which he could vow an oath to it. But he could only look to the Judge Himself to provide his surety, the very One he feels has so vehemently pursued his soul into his current sorry state. It just reminds me of these lyrics by Charles Wesley: Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears; The bleeding Sacrifice in my behalf appears: Before the throne my surety stands, My name is written on His hands. Job searched for a way to justify himself. What he longed for then, we now receive by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us. Him we will know fully, even as we have already been fully known.

And you have shriveled me up, It has become a witness; And my infirmity rises up against me, It testifies to my face. Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And my advocate is on high. Job 16:8‭, ‬19 ¶A world that believes "you only get what you pay for" believes Job must have gotten what he deserved. Job finds himself indicted, not because of his wickedness, but because of his weakness. He's stuck. His dilemma is that he is unable to identify the wrongdoing that put him in this situation, but he is also unable to prove he's free from all guilt. All he can do is call upon heaven as his witness. In appealing to God, he will be surprised to find solid ground: God does not deal with us as we deserve. (Psalm 103: 10) Job is gradually becoming aware of a third option, rooted in the deep purposes of God: "God has saved us, ... not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy ...

Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar. Your heart will muse on the terror: "Where is he who counted, where is he who weighed the tribute? Where is he who counted the towers?" You will see no more the insolent people, the people of an obscure speech that you cannot comprehend, stammering in a tongue that you cannot understand. Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken. But there the Lord in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass. For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us. Isaiah 33:17‭-‬22 ESV ¶Where do I first turn to see the beauty of this prophecy reflected?   In the words of Samuel Rutherford (1660-1661)? The King there in His beauty...