By the time we see Job in chapter 19, he has “hit bottom.” We see his deep pain, his discouragement at his circumstances, and of course his question, “Why?” He would see other dark days before the Lord would appear to him in chapter 38. He would continue his debate with his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, until the intervention of God. But on this day, with a heart-wrenching crescendo, Job pleads with his friends: “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me!” (19:21–22). But they ignored his plea and continued with their platitudes.

It is at this point that Job unaccountably says, “I know that my Redeemer lives.” And not only so, but that very Redeemer “shall stand at last on the earth.” Job does not stop there, however, but says, “and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.” The meaning of this is as simple as it is marvelous: he is confessing that he will experience a bodily resurrection! He would see God in his flesh after he had experienced death!

We can only conclude that on his darkest day, while in his deepest distress, Job had an epiphany, a moment of divine inspiration, and spoke these wonderfully prophetic words. God would restore him and bless him at the end of his trials—a good day indeed. But his prophecy predicts his best day which is yet to come, when he would see his Redeemer in a resurrected glorified body. That will be our best day too. Remember, when we are in trial, like Job, God can still speak to us.