Job 28 WHERE IS WISDOM? What does a person do, and where can he go when after hours, days, weeks and months of suffering and desperate search, and asking questions of others, he can find no answer to his dilemma? His friends can't help him and he can find no answer in himself as to why such a great disaster happened to him. Enemies, fires and hurricane have taken away all his possessions and his family for whom he cared deeply. His health was gone, his wife didn't understand him or his situation, and his friends accused him of being a wicked sinner, a hypocrite and a liar. Where is relief to be found?
This chapter seems to indicate Job finally stopped his desperate flying about in his desire to find out why he was suffering so. He seems to have calmed down in his spirit and focuses on one question, "Where can I find wisdom?" Usually most of the answer to our problems lie in being able to concisely state the problem in one or two sentences. When something is defined concisely, a lot of peripheral words and matters that have no close bearing on the subject disappear. Job's problems could be summed up basically by. "All I have lost and what I am going through cannot be explained in human terms and experience."
As a result of quieting down and calmly starting to evaluate his situation, he begins to think "outside the box." Instead of being irritable, he becomes pensive. Instead of trying to categorize his situation, he accepted the fact that what was happening to him is beyond normal human experience. This out-of-the-ordinary problem is more than can be explained. Instead of seeking for answers, he seeks for wisdom. All of the opinions of him and his friends regarding retribution, do not fit his case. So finally, he abandons the frustrating search for an explanation of the unexplainable. In a completely different way of thinking, Job begins to consider all that he knows is hidden and how hidden things can be found. Once it is found it can be brought into the light and ultimately be for the benefit of mankind.
Ancient people likely saw a glimmer of shining rock and when reached for, found there was a vein of silver. Then they found one of gold, and then one of copper - and all of them led into the ground. By following the veins, they had to dig into the ground and found precious stones and other important metals that had been hid from human eyes. Mining was the only way they could keep getting those metals and so a whole industry was born. Then the impurities in the metals were found to be able to be eliminated by refining with heat and the value was greatly increased, so another industry was born.
Ultimately the uses of metals as exchange or for their physical beauty made mining a means to get rich. Job's description of mining and refining must have begun to resonate in his mind as to how hidden things can be brought to light and understanding. In searching for what man considers hidden treasure, even mountains will be dug into and hindrances removed and overcome. A thoughtful person can reason by the "what ifs" we face, and "so thens" become an answer.
Job thought about the superiority of man over animals that just walk over the land, while people begin a search for what is hidden. He thought about the distinction of humanity from the animal kingdom as he puts into poetic words his search for wisdom. People can reason and come to conclusions that lead to specific actions. Animals can be trained to do many things by humans, but they are not able to reason things out from a problem to a solution. They do not reason as to what is right or wrong, but react instinctively to pain, hunger and the need of survival God put in them when they were created. They react to physical stimuli as a survival technique.
Job also observed that "bread" comes out of the earth where it had been hidden from sight. With heat, water and light comes life from the dirt that sustains our lives. Millions of tons of food lie beneath our feet, hidden from our eyes, waiting only for the life-force God gives it to spring forth for our benefit. Job considered this and likely thought, "How did this happen?" In this context, Job asks the fundamental question of the whole book of Job, "Where shall wisdom be found?" Instead of frantically looking all over and asking opinions, he takes time, in spite of his pain and suffering to consider carefully what he really needs.
He had described people looking for hidden things by taking action, but it didn't fit his present need. Then answering his own questions, he begins with where wisdom cannot be found. He also draws on the results of the search fro precious metals and stones, and admits that material things cannot produce wisdom or bring it to us.
This same fruitless search takes over the minds of philosophers and leaders of governments and religions. Unfortunately, most people look to them for the answers so they do not have to think for themselves. It is a well-known fact that wisdom is not in the laws, practices and opinions of people that change. Such things are changing faster than ever before as people realize they lack the wisdom to govern families, churches and nations. The changes that have no basis except for human opinion is epidemic among us. Not all the leaders and philosophers put together can give the answers to the human need of wisdom. We have to rise above the boundaries of human limitations to find the wisdom we need to live with insight, grace and happiness.
Human experience can give us some of the wisdom for survival in everyday living. To go beyond such mere fundamentals, we need to go higher. We need to know the Lord and have learned to trust Him and His supreme wisdom.
In his new thoughtful state of mind, Job had gone over where wisdom is not found, even when he compared it with the most precious stones like rubies. He recognized the value and essence of wisdom is way beyond that of tangible things. Finally, after all of his expressions of frustration, and to a point, disappointment in God because he had received no answer to his problem, he asks himself the two questions again. His own answer is that wisdom originates, and is in its fullness, in God alone. Obedience to God and practicing the principles of living God gives, is where wisdom and understanding can be found.
The Source of wisdom is God, and yet He gives human intelligence to people, and also gives the understanding and knowledge of how to use it in practical ways. He knows what is needed, and as the Master of wisdom, how it is to be applied. Divine wisdom in His creation has placed precious metals and stones where they can be found by human endeavor when they use God-given wisdom. He arranged for millions of tons of water to fall from the sky as rain to gently water the ground in the best way to produce fruit for the need of all living creatures. Occasionally He overrides the normal practice of rain and allows huge downfalls and floods to remind sinful people that God is still in control of the elements. Millions of thunderbolts come to the earth from the sky every day constantly bringing the needed nutrients to produce the food we need. The on-going order of creation is constant so that we can count on "seedtime and harvest, summer and winter" which are needed for human survival.
Work and various ways human ingenuity can be used, are ways we exercise the wisdom God gives. We cannot explain all that happens in human lives, but we can gladly submit to our Lord from whom comes all the wisdom we need and "every good and perfect gift." Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who are willing to read the Bible and practice what they learn from it, can be satisfied with their lives and live meaningful and useful lives to the glory of God.
Job finally got it, and hopefully I have too. "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." Job had feared the Lord and eschewed evil as is stated at the beginning of the book. The character of Job did not preserve him from disaster and loss that are part of the experience of fallen humanity. Nor did it provide him with the answers to all of his questions, but he was reminded that the answers to all of them is in God alone. We have to leave it there until God chooses to make known to us what He thinks we should hear and know. The starting point of wisdom is in God Himself, who we serve with reverence, respect and godly fear.
Job 28:22, 28. “Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?... And unto man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’”
WHERE IS WISDOM? They search for, and sometimes find, veins coursing through earth’s body The elusive hope that gold and silver are supposed to bring – And then the hope fade into disappointment as reality sets in: Neither gold or silver, iron or brass – the things of earth; can ever make the heart sing.
Eyes search for, and feet walk into dangerous places – hunting: Trying to get there before another, more timid, makes his way To banks of shifted earth looking for something rare to claim for self – The occasional find making one more dissatisfied – so the search goes on to another day.
A road less traveled, even as the wild beasts tread softly over familiar ground – Is the path which no eagle’s eye or hunting vulture can ever find. It cannot be found, or earned, or dug from the deep or measured by foot or pound. Nowhere in mans’ frantic search can wisdom be found to ease the troubled mind.
Yet near at hand, right there beside the pure in heart, God waits, To show, to freely give what one seeks, but for some reason, wants to earn. It waits to bless when the humbled heart at long last responds to grace; And finds the Source of wisdom as close as each breath, and simply learned.
The head and heart both bow in simultaneous acquiescence To the One who knows the way to wisdom is not found in futile search But in reverential respect, and with the awe composed by the divine presence There is to be found in the full-blown action of faith; wisdom, closer than the arm’s full reach.
The One who knows every path on earth that leads to hidden treasure, Is there waiting, the needed wisdom He has in grace to impart. He who knows each golden and silver vein and oceans’ deep can measure – Makes plain that wisdom waits at the door for evil to depart.
The God of mercy withholds the forces that my life would seek to take. He is there to bless with the wisdom that hidden doors did hide. In great unanswered acts of grace and love long unrequited – Now moves to give the fruit of wisdom to those who in Him do abide.
The heart is warm, the mind at ease, the fevered search is over - The reverential fear has opened wide the gate behind which wisdom hid. And a sweet communion breaks forth with blessings that shower Unveiling greater joy and satisfaction then abundance of gold and silver ever did.
“The joy of knowing Thee, Father, and the fellowship with Thee in all walks of life has brought me great satisfaction. I humbly praise Thee for imparted wisdom Thou dost give to help me fulfill Thy will each day. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”