“LOOK TO GOD FOR WISDOM.” JOB 22: 1-28:28.
JOB 28: 12-14, 15-19, 23-28.
PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO JOB 28.
We left Job last Sunday appealing to God to listen to him and respond. Job believed that God had become an enemy to him, and thus all he could do was hide. He wanted God to call a truce, as it were, and allow Job to come out and talk to him.
In Job
In Ch.
15-27, two other cycles of speeches continued the dialogue between
Job and his three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. When we come
to Ch. 28 the new form indicates that the disputation or dialogue is
over. Job now reflects on the lack of wisdom displayed so far in the
dialogue.
Two other cycles of speeches continued the dialogue between Job and his three friends in Job Ch. 15-27. They spoke in the same order as in the first cycle in Ch. 4-14. The friends continued to hammer away at their one point---since they believed that all suffering was judgment on sin, Job must have sinned. As the debate continued, the friends became more angry and frustrated with Job; but Job grew stronger and his friends grew weaker. Their speeches became shorter, and Zophar did not even make a speech in the third cycle.
Job is a poetic tribute to wisdom. The theme is “Where can wisdom be found?” Human beings cannot find true wisdom on their own: Yet people search for it because of its great value. Only God sees wisdom, and all true wisdom comes from God. The best that people can do is to trust that the all-wise God will guide those who fear Him and turn away from evil.
PLEASE READ JOB 28: 12-14.
Though Job had agreed in Job 27: 13-23 that the wicked suffer, that explained nothing in his case since he was righteous. So Job called on his friends to consider that maybe God’s wisdom was beyond their comprehension. That is the theme of this Ch. 28. It is devoted to wisdom and where to find it. The wisdom of God is not gained by natural or theoretical knowledge. What God does not reveal, we cannot know.
References in Job 28: 1-11 to mining silver, gold, iron, and sapphires, as well as smelting copper points out the tremendous effort by men who seek these precious things. Yet, wisdom, the kind of knowledge that helps us cope with life is even more difficult to find.
Wisdom is a key word in Job 28----and throughout the rest of the Bible, especially in the “wisdom writings.” The Hebrew words for wisdom occur numerous times in the O.T., especially in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The Greek word for Wisdom (Sophia) is found in the N.T., especially in 1 Cor., Col., and James.
Vs. 12 asks, “But where can wisdom be found, and where is understanding located.” Our text tells us first of all that it cannot be found in the land of the living. This appears to say that no one is wise. Actually, in the context of the passage it means that the source of wisdom is not among humans. A man may be wise, but even that wise man is not the source of wisdom.
Even so, men risked life and limb and worked their bodies to the limit for the sake of minerals that would make them rich.
The lengths people are willing to go in order to obtain riches contrasts with the little effort most are willing to expend to obtain wisdom. Nevertheless, even if they were to scour the earth for wisdom in the same way that they scour the earth for wealth, they would not find it. Wisdom cannot be found in the land of the living.
In addition to the fact that wisdom is not on or under the earth, it is not under the sea: The ocean depths say, “It’s not in me,” while the sea declares “I don’t have it.” The undersea world was a place of dread and the unknown to the ancients (and especially to the Israelites, who were not seafarers.)
They had no submersibles, and other than the fish they brought to the surface, they had no idea what was down there. It was a place of dread, death, and the unknown. Even this place, however, had no secret trove of wisdom. The main point is that no matter how much exertion they put forth to go into the most hostile environments, they would not find wisdom there.
Perhaps we should consider what are some of the actual sources that people commonly turn to for wisdom.
Experience. This is widely regarded as the primary source of wisdom, and there is much to be said for such an opinion. There is no substitute for having actually lived through trials and difficult times, and those who have experienced much and reflected on those experiences have much insight.
No matter how talented or intelligent a person is, that person will make mistakes in youth that a more experienced person would not make. On the other hand, experience is a very harsh teacher. Many people are wiser for having experienced the school of hard knocks, but only after the mistakes of youth have all but ruined their lives. It would be good to find a wisdom that helps one to avoid self-destructive mistakes beforehand.
O.T. wisdom was based on experience and insight. When Solomon asked for wisdom, he wanted the gift of discernment to make right decisions. “Wisdom writings” in the Bible fall into two categories. One kind of wisdom was practical direction for everyday living. This kind is found in the Book of Proverbs. It is usually advice given in short, pithy sayings on a variety of subjects: such as work, money, marriage, parenthood, sexual purity and faithfulness, alcohol, and so forth.
Another category of wisdom wrestled with the deep questions of human life. Ecclesiastes deals with questions about the meaning of life. Job focused on the meaning of human suffering and the nature of true religion.
Folk tradition. Many people regard folk tradition as a great fount of wisdom. Sayings such as “A penny saved is a penny earned:” and “The early bird catches the worm” convey truths about life that are well worth taking to heart. But it is doubtful that these sayings are sufficient to guide a person’s life.
As we will see in more detail in the next section, human beings do not know the price or value of wisdom. Wisdom is not found in the land of the living. No one is able to find it on his or her own. In other words, wisdom is not something that comes from academic education or any other means of seeking wisdom.
Later in this chapter Job told us that only God knows where wisdom is. It is not found in the lowest part of the sea where the entrance to the chambers of the dead was thought to be. In other words, neither the living nor the dead know where to find wisdom.
There are, no doubt, many other sources of wisdom we could mention. It’s important to realize that none of these is essentially bad; some, in fact, are very good. Also, we ought not to look down upon these sources of wisdom. At the same time, none of them gives a true starting point or first principle of wisdom. None can be foundational in the sense of giving us a unified outlook that holds all the aspects of wisdom together. Without such a foundational first principle, we are apt to skew ideas of wisdom and choose some truths over others.
PLEASE READ JOB 28: 15-19.
In vs. 1-11 Job listed valuable items that were mined and refined in ancient society. Many of these valuables are mentioned again in vs. 15-19, but Job insisted that wisdom is worth more than any of these. Gold and silver are the first in a catalog of precious stones and metals that are unacceptable as tender for wisdom.
The gold of Ophir must have been especially valuable as Job listed this along with the precious onyx and the sapphire. The precise location of Ophir (OH-fur) is unknown, but it was probably in the regions of southern Arabia. Crystal refers to glass vessels, which were highly valued in the ancient world.
Then Job added, no mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above pearls. Topaz of Ethiopia and pure gold rounded out his list. Wisdom cannot be bought.
Job’s point is clear: Wisdom is more valuable than all earthly things that are treasured. All of these things could be exchanged in the marketplaces of life for money. And ancient people, less than people today, believed that enough money could purchase the good life of everything worth having. These goods could purchase power, prestige, and pleasure. Of course, they could purchase the best education money could guy. Thus average people fantasize about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and thus these earthly treasures are sought with far more diligence than the wisdom that comes from God.
When Solomon became king, the Lord asked him what he wanted. Solomon said in 1 Kings 3: 7 “I am a but a little child: I know not how to go out and come in.” After describing his many subjects, the young king said, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad.”
God was so pleased with Solomon’s request that He promised hi fame and wealth as well as “a wise and an understanding heart.”
Solomon had both great wisdom and great wealth. Many people have wealth without wisdom: others have little wealth but great wisdom. Our culture definitely favors wealth over wisdom. Some people are sensible enough to recognize their need for wisdom. This leads some to employ wise advisors and some to seek the wisdom that only God can give.
Wisdom is something God gives not something humans attain. If you look up the words wisdom and wise in a Bible concordance, you will find examples of God giving wisdom, filling someone with wisdom, and putting wisdom into someone’s life.
The wise men of the Bible received their wisdom from God, and they used their wisdom for God. Those with true wisdom are contrasted with those whose wisdom was from human sources.
Most rulers had several wise men to serve as advisors. These worldly wise men often failed to meet the ruler’s expectations and a person with God’s gift of wisdom was called in. When Pharaoh’s advisors could not interpret his strange dreams, Joseph was summoned and not only interpreted the dreams gut also advised Pharaoh what to do.
Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph’s wisdom that he appointed Joseph administrator of the plan to preserve the people of Egypt.
Nebuchadnezzar called on Daniel to interpret his dream. Daniel had the wisdom to do what the king’s wise men couldn’t do. Daniel prayed before interpreting the dream, saying, “I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and has made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou has now made known unto us the king’s matter.”
What are the actual benefits of wisdom? Wisdom helps us develop patience and good character. This is what many people think of when they hear the word wise. That is, wisdom is not so much a matter of intellectual knowledge as it is good character and the ability to be patient and prudent in the midst of difficult times. Surely wisdom ought to show itself in the qualities of a person’s life.
At the same time, we need to face up to the fact that there are things that wisdom cannot do for us.
Wisdom does not give joy. Wisdom often comes at the price of pain, and the pain of acquiring that wisdom sometimes lingers for a long time. The wise see the folly of others and cannot put a stop to it. Many truths found by wisdom are hard and painful. Of itself, wisdom does not give peace. To bear the burden of wisdom, one must also receive grace.
Wisdom cannot save us from death. We read in Eccl. 2: 16, “For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man, since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise man dies just like the fool?” Thus wisdom cannot overcome the greatest single problem we face—our own death.
.Wisdom is of great value. But it is not the ultimate good. Nevertheless wisdom is of tremendous importance in knowing how to deal with the problems of daily life.
PLEASE READ JOB 28: 23-28.
Job 28:20 repeats the question of vs. 12, “Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding? This source of wisdom, according to vs. 21, which is know to God, is unknown to people and other living creatures. Destruction and death claim to have heard news about the source of wisdom, “But God understands the way to wisdom and He knows its location.” “For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees every thing under the heavens.” God is omniscient and all –seeing. There is nothing He does not observe or understand. While this is profound and lofty, we can say on a more practical level that God has observed every kind of human folly and has seen the outcome. He is qualified to tell us what we should or should not do.
In addition, God has established the first principle of wisdom. The text compares this to God’s ordaining of physical laws in V s. 25-26. And what is the first principle of wisdom that God ordained? “Look! The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to turn from evil is understanding.”
Twice the writer asked where wisdom could be found. He emphasized that no living thing, including people, knew the answer. Only God knows the place to find wisdom. Wisdom cannot be discovered or purchased by humans; it can only be revealed by God and given by God. This is because God Himself is the source of wisdom. Paul ended Romans with the words, “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever.” God used wisdom when He created all things.
In Prov. 8: 27-31 Solomon personified wisdom. One activity of wisdom was to be used by God in the creation. Prov. 8: 27 says, “I was there when He established the heavens, when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean.”
What re the true sources of wisdom? In our list of places people turn to for wisdom, there were two we left out.
The Bible. This is of course a great source of wisdom. Apart from the fact that it is great literature, it contains the moral teachings that guide our understanding of right and wrong, the explanation of where we and where evil came from, and, most importantly, it tells us how to know God. But it is striking that the text does not say, “Reading the Scriptures is the beginning of wisdom.” Some people have read the Bible diligently and have gone on to create cult religions. Even reading the Bible is not enough if we do not have the right starting point, which is the fear of the Lord.
Vs. 28 is the key verse in this lesson. If its exhortation concerning the fear of the Lord and wisdom sound familiar, this is because similar sayings occur several times in the O.T.
The author’s search for meaning led him to this conclusion. In Job the words came after three cycles of speeches. Both Job and his three friends claimed to represent true wisdom. During their debate about the cause of Job’s sufferings, he responded to his friends’ smugness by saying in Job 12:2, “No doubt but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.”
The three friends would agree with Job 28:28, but they would say that Job had not feared God and had fallen into sin. Otherwise they could not explain his suffering in any other way. But Job had been the kind of person described in vs. 28, and he claimed that he still was.
Another source of wisdom is God. Since God is the source of all wisdom, one could in a sense rightly say that “God is the beginning of wisdom.” But again, that is not what the text says. Perhaps it is too abstract for us to handle if we try to say simply, “God is the beginning of wisdom.” We need something practical that can orient us properly on the path to wisdom. That something is the fear of the Lord and to turn from evil.
The true Israelites never lost their sense of awe and reverence when coming to God or walking with Him. This relation included faith, hope, and love, which grew out of the fear of the Lord. And the Israelites---so different from pagan views---believed that the fear of the Lord was expressed by departing from evil. The person who fears God realizes that is wisdom. By living a godly life they found understanding.
Why does the text specifically say, The fear of the Lord---that is wisdom? The fear of the Lord means that our hearts are properly oriented to receive wisdom. To fear God is to subordinate everything to His truth and His ways. It means that we know God and are unwilling to go in any direction that takes us away from Him. More than unwilling, we actively fear falling away from Him. This is the attitude of one who has had his heart warmed by the truth of God and knows God. It reverentially seeks guidance form Him but shudders in fear of apostasy and disobedience.
The text does not say that if you are a Christian then you are automatically wise. A Christian who becomes careless about God and about sin is certainly not wise. But someone who fears the Lord has embraced the first principle that will enable him or her to respect authority of all kinds, to seek to be at peace with all people, to live a diligent and noble life, and to acquire understanding.
Perhaps, however, there is another source of wisdom we should mention, although this source is already implied in the Scriptures and in God: Jesus Christ, in whom “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden” (Col. 2:3).
In Christ, we have the perfect example of wise behavior. He earned the respect of all around Him, and yet He placed obedience to the Father above any concern for His reputation with other people. He loved life and loved people, and yet He did not shrink from facing death in obedience to God.
He taught the truth faithfully and in its purest form, and He was Himself the incarnation of not only God but also of God’s truth, which includes all wisdom. To know Christ is to embrace the fear of God and have eternal life and forgiveness and also to be on the path to wisdom.
Finally, then, where is the consolation of wisdom? What comfort does wisdom give in times of suffering and conflict? On a very practical level, fearing God and learning from Him enables us to deal with difficult situations and setbacks of all kinds.
For example, in a conflict situation, we can understand that “A gentle Answer turns away anger” and that both good times and troubles happen to everyone. On a more profound level, the wisdom from God is far beyond any wisdom of human teachers. What human would have thought that God would save sinners through dying on a cross? In the same way, we understand that our suffering may be part of God’s redemptive plan to do good both for us and for others. The ultimate expression of the fear of the Lord is to bear the cross.
Behold, the fear of the Lord is wisdom. Job had made the connection that the others had not. While the specific features of God’s wisdom may not be revealed to us, the Alpha and Omega of wisdom is to revere God and avoid sin. All we can do is “trust and obey.”
Job did not change his mind about his sin, but continued to deny that he had earned this pain with his iniquity. After the three friends have exhausted their arguments a new interlocutor appears, Elihu, a young man, self-confident and enthusiastic. But he has little that is new to offer. Then the Lord speaks out of the whirlwind, reproving the three friends, on the whole defending Job, though chiding his impatience and reminding him that he is not to demand a full explanation of the Divine Administration. He is to rest quietly in the Supreme Wisdom and Might and to go on his way in a humble reverent and trustful spirit.
Then the Lord restores Job. In. Job 42 we find the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He also had seven sons and three daughters and after this Job lived 140 years and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.
NEXT SUNDAY WE HAVE OUR FINAL LESSON IN JOB 42 AS JOB APOLOGIZES TO GOD AND PRAYS FOR HIS FRIENDS. A.V. DAUGHERTY <altav@swbell.net>