One of the great themes of the book of Job is Job’s longing for someone to defend him before God. Outwardly Job was a righteous man, and he couldn’t understand why God had visited suffering on him (Job 1:1-7). He found no one on earth who would defend him and thought he would find an advocate only in heaven (Job 16:19-21). He lamented, “If only there were someone to arbitrate between [God and me], to lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33, NIV1984).

Job wasn’t wishing prophetically about the Christ who was to come because he didn’t think he needed forgiveness. He only thought he needed an advocate, a mediator, an intercessor—someone to plead his case for him. But as it turned out, Christ became all that Job, and every sinner since, needed. First, by His death and resurrection, Christ paid for sins. Then, He ascended back to the Father where He occupies the role of Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), Advocate (1 John 2:1), and Intercessor (Romans 8:34).

Give God thanks today that Christ defends you against any condemnation—based on His righteousness, not yours.

The saved are singled out, not by their own merits, but by the grace of the Mediator.
Martin Luther