JOB 28:12-28 - EXEGETICAL NOTES & COMMENTARIES
Extra Notes:
OVERVIEW: "Where is wisdom found?" is Job's key question (vv. 12, 20). To answer his own question he states that it can not be found among the living (vv. 13-14). Job asked this question because he was weary of the cliches and platitudes that his three friends were giving to him in the name of "wisdom." His friends were sure that their words were like precious metals and jewels, but they were worthless (vv. 15-19). Job mentions gold five times, silver once, and names seven different precious stones; yet none of these treasures individually, nor all of them collectively, can purchase the wisdom of God. These three men had knowledge, but they lacked wisdom.
It is natural for people who do not understand the importance of God's Word to seek wisdom here on earth. They look to philosophers and other leaders to give them direction for living . Yet Job said wisdom is not found there. No leader or group of leaders can produce enough knowledge or insight to explain the totality of human experience. The ultimate interpretation of who we are and where we are going must come from the Lord (vv. 20-24). How amazing that the writer of the book of Job knew that it was the "lightening of the thunder." The sound waves do not travel as fast as light waves. We are to dig into the Word of God if we are to have the wisdom of God (Prov. 8:10-11). The fear of the Lord is a key theme in the wisdom literature of the Bible (Job through Song of Solomon). True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (v. 28); (Prov. 1:7, 9,10). It means to have respect and reverence for God, and to be in awe of His majesty and power. When we reverence Him and seek to please Him, He teaches us His wisdom (James 1:5).
APPLICATION: Job's problem was that he was wrapped up in himself. When you're wrapped up in yourself, it makes a small package. In order to have true wisdom I must reverence the Lord and seek to please Him.
Wisdom Revealed (Job 28)
Job chooses to remain faithful to God. He understands that God's wisdom is beyond his understanding. Job 28 employs mining as an analogy for searching for wisdom. It reveals that wisdom "is not found in the land of the living" (Job 28:13), but in the mind of God. "God understands the way to it and he knows its place" (Job 28:23). This is a reminder that technical knowledge and practical skill are not enough for truly meaningful work. We also need God's spirit as we go about our tasks. We need God's guidance far beyond the realm of things we commonly think of as "spiritual." When a teacher tries to discern how a student learns, when a leader tries to communicate clearly, when a jury tries to determine a defendant's intent, when an analyst tries to assess a project's risks, all need God's wisdom. Whatever the goal of our work is, "God understands the way to it, and he knows its place" (Job 28:23).
Yet we cannot always get in touch with God's wisdom. "It is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air" (Job 28:21). Despite our best attempts - or sometimes because of our lackluster efforts - we may not find God's guidance for every action and decision. If so, it is better to recognize our ignorance than to put our stock in speculation or false wisdom. Sometimes humility is the best way to honor God. "Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (Job 28:28).
Job 28:12-28 Commentary
Verses 12 and 20: These verses sum up the message of the chapter with the point that no amount of effort, even as vigorous and demanding as mining, will yield God's wisdom. It can't be valued or found in the world (verses 13-14). It can't be bought for any price (verses 15-19). The living can't find it (verse 21), and neither can the dead (verse 22; compare 26:6).
Job 28:12 "But where shall wisdom be found? and where [is] the place of understanding?"
With magnificent effect comes in this question, after the gigantic achievements of man just recounted. Notwithstanding his industry, science, and skill, he is altogether ignorant of true wisdom. Neither his knowledge nor his wealth can make him master of that; nor can he find it where he discovers so many other secret and precious things.
"Where is the place of understanding?" There is no vein for that upon the earth, as there is for gold or silver.
Wisdom is a gift from God, and understanding has to be given by the Holy Spirit of God. Solomon made the statement that wisdom was better than gold. It is the best thing a man can possess. When God granted Solomon one wish, Solomon's wish was for wisdom to lead his people. The Holy Spirit of God is our Teacher and our Guide. He opens our understanding to the things of God.
Job 28:13 "Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living."
Its immense, its unspeakable value: nor can it be purchased with all that he hath to give for it. Neither is it found in the land of the living. It is not a thing that any part of this world affords.
"Neither is it found in the land of the living": That is, it is not found among human beings. We must look to a higher source than man for true wisdom (compare Isa. 38:11; 53:8).
Wisdom and understanding are not purchased. They are not something that a person can seek and find, as he does gold and silver. Wisdom and understanding are not physical things that can be found in the land of the living (earth). These are spiritual things that come from God.
Job 28:14 "The depth saith, It [is] not in me: and the sea saith, [It is] not with me."
The deep abysses of the ocean declare that it is not with them; and the wide reaches of the far-extending sea proclaim that it is not with them either.
You could travel the world over and go to the deepest part of the sea, and never find wisdom and understanding.
Job 28:15 "It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed [for] the price thereof."
Having in general said that there is nothing in the whole compass of the terraqueous globe, nothing that is upon the surface of the earth, or in the bowels of it, or in the vast ocean, that is an equivalent price for wisdom. Job descends to particulars, and instances first in gold, that being the most valuable of metals. The word here used for it signifies "shut up", because it is first shut up in the earth, out of which it is dug. And when taken from thence, and refined, and made into coins or vessels, it is shut up among the treasures of men. The words may be more literally rendered, "gold shall not be given instead of it"; as a sufficient price, or valuable consideration for it.
"Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof": In former times this metal used to be delivered, in buying and selling, not by the number and value of pieces, but by weight. In rude masses and lumps, and even when coined into shekels (see Gen. 23:16).
Job 28:16 "It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire."
"Ophir" (see note on 22:24).
Job 28:17 "The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it [shall not be for] jewels of fine gold."
Rather, gold and crystal. This second mention of gold (see verse 5), seems superfluous, but perhaps the patriarch is thinking of some goblet or ornament in which crystal and gold were combined together. Ornaments of this kind have been found in Phoenicia.
"And the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold": Set in fine gold; or "vessels" of it, more valuable than gold itself, being made of gold, purified, refined, and wrought by art into curious forms. And yet wisdom is so valuable as not to be exchanged for these. Mr. Broughton takes this fine gold, or gold of Phaz, to be the same with Fess in Barbary, which had its name from a heap of gold there found when its foundation was laid.
We find that not all of the money accumulated in the world, not all of the silver and gold, not even all of the precious stones of the earth can purchase wisdom and understanding. There is nothing in this life that can compare with these two precious things. God alone can give you the gift of wisdom, and only the Holy Spirit of God can quicken your understanding of spiritual things. A person who possessed these things would be rich indeed. These are not things that the world can take away. They are of God.
Job 28:18 "No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom [is] above rubies."
They are of no value, if compared with wisdom, nor fit to be mentioned as a price wherewith to purchase it.
"For the price of wisdom is above rubies": Or, the possession of wisdom is above (or, more than) pearls, i.e. pearls cannot acquire it or give possession of it. The meaning is scarcely that Wisdom is a more precious thing to possess than pearls.
Job 28:19 "The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold."
Not Ethiopia Abyssinia, or that which lies beyond Egypt in Africa; but Cush, as the word is, or Arabia Chusaea, the same with the country of Midian, and the parts adjacent.
"Neither shall it be valued with pure gold": That is most refined and freed from dross; they are not to be laid together as of equal value (see Job 28:16), where the same word is used.
Job continued to mention things that on this earth are valued very highly. None of this compares to the value of wisdom and understanding.
Verses 20-24: God knows the "way" to "wisdom"; to seek wisdom apart from Him is futile.
Job 28:20 "Whence then cometh wisdom? and where [is] the place of understanding?"
This is a repetition (of verse 12), with a mere variant of the verb in the first line. Job's elaborate inquiry of (verses 14-19), having given no light on the subject, the original question recurs". Where does wisdom come from?
Job had convinced them with his words that wisdom and understanding were the most valuable things they could have. Now he posed the question, where do you get wisdom and understanding? I will repeat that wisdom is a gift from God, and understanding is by the Holy Spirit of God.
Job 28:21 "Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air."
Man cannot see it, because it is immaterial, but he cannot even conceive of it, because its nature transcends him.
"And kept close from the fowls of the air": (compare verse 7). The sight of birds is far keener than that of man; but even birds cannot detect where wisdom is.
Physical eyes cannot see the things of God. The things of the Spirit are not discerned in the physical.
Job 28:22 "Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears."
Hebrew: Abaddon and Death. Abaddon is Sheol, the realm of the dead, here personified, as also is Death (compare Rev. 1:18; 9:11, Job 26:6).
"We have heard the fame thereof": We know it only by slight and uncertain rumors. But though they cannot give an account of it themselves, yet there is a world, on which these dark regions border, where we shall see it clearly. Have patience, says death, I will fetch thee shortly to a place where even this wisdom shall be found. When the veil of flesh is rent, and the interposing clouds are scattered, we shall know what God doth, though we know not now.
This was speaking of death of those who were never saved. They heard a glimmer of it, but it was too late.
Job 28:23 "God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof."
"God understandeth the way ... knoweth the place": These are perhaps the most important thoughts in the chapter for the debates. Job and his friends have probed God's wisdom for 3 court rounds and basically have arrived nowhere near the truth. Finally, Job made the point clearly that the divine wisdom necessary to explain his suffering was inaccessible to man. Only God knew all about it because He knows everything (verse 24). True wisdom belongs to the One who is the Almighty Creator (verses 25-26). One can only know it if He declares it to him (compare Deut. 29:29).
It is not for physical man to know the wisdom of God. Only God knows perfect wisdom. He is Wisdom to the utmost. Only God can give a portion of wisdom to man.
Job 28:24 "For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [and] seeth under the whole heaven;"
His glance as creator and ruler of all extends over all, to the ends of the earth and to all that lies under the whole heavens.
"And seeth under the whole heaven": As his knowledge of earthly things is unlimited, so is his knowledge of heavenly things also. And not only of heavenly things in a material sense, as of sun, moon, stars, comets, planets, nebulae, etc., but also of causes, principles, ends, laws, and the like. Whereby both material and immaterial things are governed, ordered, and maintained in being. Of matters of this kind and character man can only say, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; I cannot attain unto it" (Psalm 139:6).
Verses 25-28: Creation itself is evidence of the vastness of God's wisdom (Psalm 104; Prov. 8:22-31).
Job 28:25 "To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure."
His wisdom it is which sets things in such exact order, and gives them such just measures, that the wind cannot blow but in those proportions which he hath prescribed. He appoints to every wind that blows its season, its degree, its bounds, when and where, how much and how long, each shall blow. He only knows why he doth these things. He gives examples in some few of God's works, and those which seem to be most trivial and uncertain. That thereby he might more strongly imply that God doth the same in other things which are more considerable, and that he doth all things in the most exact order, weight, and measure.
"And he weigheth the waters": Namely, the rain waters, which God lays up in his storehouses, the clouds, and thence draws them forth, and sends them down upon the earth, in such times and proportions as he thinks fit.
"By measure": For liquid things are examined by measure, as other things are by weight: and here are both weight and measure, to signify with what perfect wisdom God governs the world.
Now we are aware of some of the manifestations of the wisdom of God.
Proverbs 3:19 "The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens."
Job 28:26 "When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:"
This "decree" comprises all the laws that regulate the rain, appointing its measure and its seasons as early and latter rain.
"And a way for the lightning of the thunder": God gave laws to the electric current, and prescribed the "way" that it should take in its passage from heaven to earth, or from cloud to cloud, or from earth to heaven. Everything was ruled beforehand by Infinite Wisdom.
This was speaking of the laws of nature that God established. He set limits on everything in and on the earth. The lightning, thunder, and the rain are all activated by the command of God.
Job 28:27 "Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out."
His own wisdom, when he made and executed his decrees concerning rain, lightning, and thunder. He saw it in himself, and as it appeared in the works of his hands, which he looked on and approved of, and saw that all was very good. And he declared it to others, by his works of nature and providence. For they declare the glory of God, and particularly the glory of his wisdom.
"He prepared it, yea, and searched it out": This is an inversion of what seems to us the natural order, whereof there are many examples. God must first have investigated and searched out, in his own secret counsels, the entire scheme of creation. And afterwards have proceeded to the "preparation" or "establishment" of it.
God foreknew all things, even before the foundation of the world. God is all knowledge. He did not need another to advise Him. He spoke and all became. The universe is God's creation. He has the right to search it, because it belongs to Him and we belong to Him. He has the right to search us out as well.
Job 28:28 "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom; and to depart from evil [is] understanding."
"Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom": Job had made the connection that the others would 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 (compare Psalm 111:10; Prov. 1:7; 9:10; Eccl. 12:13-14), leaving the unanswered questions to Him in trusting submission. All we can do is trust and obey (compare Eccl. 12:13), and that is enough wisdom (this is the wisdom of Prov. 1:7 - 2:9). One may never know the reasons for life's sufferings.
This is the beautiful answer to the question that Job had asked. Fear in this sense, has to do with reverence. The wisest thing any of us can do is fear God. We have understanding, when we follow in the footsteps of Jesus and turn away from all evil. Even this understanding comes by the Holy Spirit wooing us to God.
JOB 28:12-29 - "Where Can Wisdom Be Found?"
Job 28
Theme: True wisdom and understanding is found in fearing God and turning from evil.
This morning, I ask you to turn with me to a passage of Scripture that asks-and answers-one of the most important questions of life. This particular passage asks this question twice; and its manner of answering it makes it one of the most fascinating passages in the Old Testament.
The important question that is asked is, "Where can wisdom be found?" And the passage that asks it is the twenty-eighth chapter of the book of Job.
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I wish that we had time this morning to go into depth concerning the book of Job itself. It is truly a remarkable portion of Holy Scripture. It is, as scholars tell us, one of the oldest books of the Bible. It is a highly poetic book; but it deals with the story of a man that the Bible treats elsewhere as historical (Ezekiel 14:14, 20; James 5:11). And it deals very honestly with some of the most profound and painful questions of human existence.
Job-the main character of this book-was himself a remarkable man. The book opens by telling us that he was "blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1). And that was not just the testimony of the author. God Himself is twice recorded as having testified the very same thing about Job-that he was "a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil" (1:8; 2:3). Twice in this book, it's recorded that in the midst of some of his most unspeakable times of suffering, Job did not sin in his words toward God (1:22; 2:10).
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I believe that handling the Book of Job is a little like handling hazardous material. You have to be very cautious, and think carefully about what you're doing with it. It is God's Spirit-inspired word to us; but in it, the Holy Spirit has accurately recorded for us some wrongful things that its principle characters have said and thought. Sometimes, there are half-truths expressed in the book of Job. In some spots, Satan's lies recorded for us in it. Some things are said in it that are the expressions of someone in the midst of the deepest suffering and anguish imaginable; and who, in the midst of all the suffering, sometimes loses his perspective. It would be easy to take things out of context in the book of Job; and only by carefully reading it in the light of the fuller revelation of Scripture can we rightly draw what we need to draw from it.
But this morning, I ask that we look at a chapter that falls in the midst of this grim book of suffering-a chapter that, in my opinion, is one of the high-points of revealed truth in it. It asks where it is, in the midst of the dark and difficult realities of this fallen world, that men and women can find true wisdom. It's in the midst of deepest suffering that we would be most prone to ask that question ourselves. Where can I get answers? Where can I go to make sense of it all? What anchor can I hang on to in the midst of the storms of life?
This chapter walks us through to the answer to that question. It makes us feel the need for the answer. It makes us hungry for it. And then-at the very end-it gives the answer to us. It shows us that wisdom for life in a suffering world is not found in the place that people would ordinarily think to look-or that even, in their pride, they would want to seek it. But it does promise us that it is available to us . . . if we will follow the true course toward apprehending it.
Hear what this obscure chapter in this strange book of the Bible has to tell you; and you will save yourself a life of pointless searching for answers!
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This chapter takes us along four steps in the reaching of its important conclusion. The first step that we see is a principle that has been testified throughout human history . . .
2. BUT THAT WHICH IS OF THE GREATEST VALUE-WISDOM-CANNOT BE FOUND BY HUMAN EFFORT (vv. 12-22).
The man who obtains the greatest portion of these earthly things may be the richest materially. But he is not necessarily the wisest; because he must one day leave all these things behind. A man who has used all his energies and ingenuities only to obtain great material wealth-wealth that he must one day most surely lose-has not used the best means, in the best way, to obtain the best result.
True wisdom is not shown in obtaining that which we are absolutely guaranteed to leave behind when our bodies die. Rather, true wisdom is shown in obtaining what is of value after our bodies die-that is, eternal life! "For what profit is it to a man", Jesus asks, "if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 26:26). Our Lord warned that, one day, each one of us will find ours souls to be required of us by God, and that we must then leave all material riches behind; and so, He said that a man is a fool "who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:21).
Think about Job. He himself was among the richest of men. We're told in the Bible that he was "the greatest of all the people of the East" (Job 1:3). But the devil was permitted to test him, and he lost all his earthly wealth. Even his body was dangling over the edge of death. There was nothing left to him before God but the care of his own soul.
And so, he asks that great question, "Where can wisdom be found?" For Job, it wasn't some mere philosophical game. All else had been stripped away from him. He himself had been, as it were, "mined" and "smelted" and "refined". Nothing else mattered but the obtaining of true wisdom.
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And so, look carefully at what he says. First, he shows where wisdom-this most precious of treasures-could not be found . . .
"But where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Man does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
The deep says, 'It is not in me';
And the sea says, 'It is not with me'" (Job 28:12-14).
How valuable this information-the place where wisdom is not to be found-should be to us! How many fruitless searches it would save us from embarking on! Here, we see that it's not even found in the only place in which we, by our own power, could look-that is, in the land of the living. It's not drawn up from out of the depths of the earth, or the vastness of the sea. Man himself-even the greatest of human philosophers- cannot even estimate it or assess it.
And even if it could be found by man, Job goes on to show how it cannot be obtained. Not even the great material wealth that man can lay hold of from this world would be able to buy for him that which is of true and lasting value . . .
It cannot be purchased for gold,
Nor can silver be weighed for its price.
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx or sapphire.
Neither gold nor crystal can equal it,
Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral or quartz,
For the price of wisdom is above rubies.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in pure gold" (vv. 15-19).
Job once again asks the question-and assures us that there is no hope for man in his own efforts to find the answer:
"From where then does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
It is hidden from the eyes of all living,
And concealed from the birds of the air.
Destruction and Death say,
'We have heard a report about it with our ears'" (vv. 20-22).
That last sentence has stood out to me. Isn't it good to know that wisdom is not in "Destruction and Death"? I wouldn't have thought to go there and ask for the information anyway; would you? By that point, it would be too late; wouldn't it? You'd want to obtain wisdom in order to avoid of "Destruction and Death" in the first place!
And yet, how many people will have spent their whole lives, and extended all of their human effort, to seek truth and wisdom from all the wrong places-human philosophy, or human religion, or human reasoning; only to find that where their search had landed them was in "Destruction and Death"-where the news about "wisdom" is only a faint 'rumor'?
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The prophet Jeremiah once wrote, "O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). Job would have said a loud "Amen!" to that! Clearly, the way to "wisdom" is not known to men through the means that this world has to offer.
So; where then is the way to wisdom? Who knows it? This leads us, then, to the third step in Job's argument; that . . .
3. GOD ALONE UNDERSTANDS THE WAY TO WISDOM (vv. 23-27).
He says,
"God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
For He looks to the ends of the earth,
And sees under the whole heavens,
To establish a weight for the wind,
And apportion the waters by measure.
When He made a law for the rain,
And a path for the thunderbolt,
Then He saw wisdom and declared it;
He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out" (vv. 23-27).
Only He who sees and knows all things can know the pathway to true wisdom. Only He who made all things can say where it is to be found. Only He who saw wisdom from the beginning, and tested it, and approved its ways, can declare it to men.
This may sound like an obvious point. But it is so basic to all of life that it must be declared again and again. The arrogant, prideful dismissal of this basic point is the fundamental cause of all the fruitless, philosophic "dead-ends" that have ever plagued the world and damned people's souls. It is that only God our Creator knows the ways of true wisdom; and He alone can tell it to us. Look for it apart from Him, and you will surely lose everything.
The failure to believe that fact, and to cling to it, was the cause of mankind's fall. Do you remember what the serpent said to the woman in the garden about the fruit of the forbidden tree? "You shall not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:4-5).
The first couple disobeyed God and ate-seeking to be wise apart from Him. And mankind has suffered "Destruction and Death" ever since. And even today, the devil continues to lie to people-telling them that they still can find "wisdom" apart from Him. And yet, God holds His hand out to us, and in His word tells us,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And do not lean on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones (Proverbs 3:5-8).
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And this leads us, then, to Job's final point-his "conclusion"-that . . .
4. IN GRACE, GOD REVEALS TO US THE PATHWAY TO WISDOM (v. 28).
In the final verse of this amazing chapter, we're told what God-the only One who knows the way of wisdom-has to say to mankind:
"And to man He said,
'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding'" (v. 28).
The place of wisdom and understanding is made available to man by God's gracious act of revelation. He "utters" it to man; and says, "Lo!" or "Behold!"-as if to say, "Here it is, O man and O woman! I will not hide it from you! I lay it before you plainly! Do this; and you will have seized hold of that which is more precious than silver, or gold, or any other precious things you can find upon this earth. Do this; and you will have made the best use of the best means, in the best way, for the best of all possible outcomes."
It is expressed in two things, which are like the two sides of the same coin. First, it is to "fear the Lord". This certainly means to have an attitude of reverence and awe toward God. But I believe it also means what it sounds like it means-that is, to be afraid of standing against Him. It means to tremble before His majesty. I know that this is the case because that's how the book of Job ends! It ends with Job coming to an encounter with the majesty holiness of God, and saying,
"I know that You can do everything,
And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?'
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
Listen, please, and let me speak;
You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.'
I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You.
Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:2-6).
And this attitude toward God is what the Bible tells us is the "beginning"-the very starting point-of all wisdom. Psalm 111:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever." Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge . . ." Proverbs 9:10 says "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 15:33 says, "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom . . ."
And note that the fear of the Lord cannot be disconnected from turning away from evil. If you cling to sin, you do not fear the Lord. "Do not be wise in your own eyes", Proverbs 3:7 says, "Fear the LORD and depart from evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 says, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."
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Would you be a truly "wise" man or woman? Then I cannot close without pointing you directly to Jesus. It's Jesus we must look to if we would truly "fear the Lord" and "depart from evil"; because it's Him that the Father sent to take away our sin. It's Jesus we must cling to if we would be wise; because He's the one "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3).
The apostle Paul once wrote to the Corinthian believers because they were in the midst of a prideful and fruitless search for this world's wisdom. And he pointed them to the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He wrote;
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God-and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
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Where, then, is wisdom to be found? God Himself tells us. It's found in fearing the Lord and in turning away from evil. And how do we fear the Lord? How do we turn away from evil? God has pointed us to His Son, Jesus Christ.
The true search for wisdom finds its end in Him.
EW Commentary - B. Job explains the value and the source of wisdom.
1. (12-19) True wisdom is rare.
"But where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Man does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
The deep says, 'It is not in me';
And the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
It cannot be purchased for gold,
Nor can silver be weighed for its price.
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx or sapphire.
Neither gold nor crystal can equal it,
Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral or quartz,
For the price of wisdom is above rubies.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in pure gold."
a. But where can wisdom be found: Job here made the point he had built up to in the previous verses. Men search hard and are willing to endure danger for the sake of the riches of this earth, but all of that is easy compared to the search for wisdom.
i. "Man doth not see this wisdom but only so far as God is pleased to reveal it to him, and therefore he cannot declare it to others; man did not prepare, nor order, nor contrive it, and therefore no wonder if he cannot search it out." (Poole)
b. The deep says, "It is not in me": Job spoke here of how rare wisdom is, making it all the more valuable among men. Indeed, it cannot be purchased for gold and is therefore worth more than all of those precious metals.
i. "The logic of saying in one breath, 'It isn't there, but, even if it were, you couldn't buy it', is often met in the Bible." (Andersen)
2. (20-28) The source and summary of wisdom.
"From where then does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
It is hidden from the eyes of all living,
And concealed from the birds of the air.
Destruction and Death say,
'We have heard a report about it with our ears.'
God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
For He looks to the ends of the earth,
And sees under the whole heavens,
To establish a weight for the wind,
And apportion the waters by measure.
When He made a law for the rain,
And a path for the thunderbolt,
Then He saw wisdom and declared it;
He prepared it, indeed,
He searched it out.
And to man He said,
'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.'"
a. From where then does wisdom come: Job explained how hard it was to find wisdom, and then asked the logical question. Job knew that he needed this precious wisdom, and he certainly knew that his friends needed this wisdom.
i. "Sure it is that man, sorry man, knoweth neither the price of Divine wisdom, for it is invaluable; nor the place of it, for it is investigable; nor the order of it, for that is unattainable till we come to heaven." (Trapp)
ii. "He seems to say that, though men should explore the deep places of the earth with all the diligence of miners seeking gold and silver, though they should exert all their mental force, as miners use all their muscular vigor, and though they should employ all the machinery within their reach, as men do who pierce through the rocks in search of precious treasure yet it is not within the range of human labor and skill to attain unto wisdom. That can only be found by another and a higher method; it must come to us by revelation from God, for we cannot find it by our own efforts." (Spurgeon)
b. God understands its way, and He knows its place: Job knew the answer to his own question; he knew that God understood wisdom and its source.
i. "This is, indeed, at once our confidence and our comfort - 'God understandeth.' The things that perplex us, do not perplex Him; the mysteries by which we are surrounded, are no mysteries to Him." (Morgan)
ii. "Having shown God as the Source of wisdom, the author now makes his application to man. Man must look to God for wisdom. Man may share in it only through a knowledge of the revealed mind of God." (Smick)
c. To establish a weight for the wind, and apportion the waters by measure... He made a law for the rain, and a path for the thunderbolt: The same God who masters the natural world has the riches of wisdom at His disposal. He has demonstrated His own wisdom and power through the design of the natural world.
d. Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding: Job concluded this great speech by coming back to the touchstone of revelation. Since true wisdom comes from God, it is found by being in right relation to Him (the fear of the Lord), and it is shown by a life that does depart from evil.
i. Job understood what the later psalmist also understood: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10), an idea also repeated in Proverbs 9:10 and 15:33. If true wisdom can be simply gained by human effort, energy, and ingenuity (like the rare and precious metals of the earth), then the fear of the Lord is not essential to obtaining wisdom. But if it comes from God's revelation, then right relationship with Him is the key to wisdom.
ii. Adam Clarke on to man He said: "This probably refers to the revelation of his will which God gave to Adam after his fall. He had before sought for wisdom in a forbiddenway. When he and Eve saw that the tree was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, they took and did eat, Genesis 3:6. Thus they lost all the wisdom that they had, by not setting the fear of the Lord before their eyes, and became foolish, wicked, and miserable. Hear, then, what God prescribes as a proper remedy for this dire disease: The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; it is thy only wisdom now to set God always before thy eyes, that thou mayest not again transgress."
iii. "The gaining of wisdom requires the total sacrifice of our single most precious possession: ourselves. More specifically, what is required is the surrender of our wills." (Mason)
Job 28 Commentary - Bible Study Guide
It must have been a few years ago that I lost my wallet for over a week. I thought it was in the car, but I searched there several times with no luck. I was about to start calling my financial institutions and having them cancel my cards and things like that - when I checked one last time thoroughly and systematically that car. And I found it - there it was - under the passenger side seat. I had looked there before. But apparently not hard enough. Certain things in this life are easy to find. While, others are quite difficult. But in Job, chapter 28 we're going to have Job tell us that there's one thing that's utterly impossible for mere mortals to find. And that thing is wisdom.
OVERVIEW: So, let's turn our attention to Job, chapter 28. Now, we saw in the last chapter that Job was in agreement with his friends that - indeed - God does show his power against wicked men by punishing them. But that causes Job to consider that he himself is receiving the fate of these wicked men - but he himself is righteous. Job - a righteous man - even by God's testimony - is suffering like the wicked are supposed to. And that makes no sense. He can't understand God's ways. And as the message of this book goes, When We Can't Understand God's Ways, We Must Trust His Wisdom in Our Circumstances. But in this chapter that we're going to be studying now, Job admits that God's wisdom is really difficult to find.
Job 28:1-11 ' Mankind can find some amazing things...
And what's really interesting is that humankind has shown an amazing ability to find things that would seem to be nearly impossible to discover. And so, this is what Job marvels at for the first 11 verses of this chapter - that there's very little that's hidden from human endeavor to discover it. Job begins by speaking of mining precious metals.
1"Certainly there is a [a]mine for silver And a place [b]for refining gold. 2 Iron is taken from the dust, And copper is smelted from rock. 3 Man puts an end to darkness, And to the farthest limit he searches out The rock in gloom and deep shadow. 4 He [c]sinks a shaft away from [d]inhabited areas, Forgotten by the foot; They hang and swing, away from people. 5 [e]From the earth comes food, And underneath, it is turned over like fire. 6 Its rocks are the [f]source of sapphires, And its dust contains gold. 7 No bird of prey knows the path, Nor has the falcon's eye caught sight of it.8 The [g]proud animals have not trodden it, Nor has the lion passed over it. 9 He puts his hand on the flint; He overturns the mountains at the [h]base. 10 He carves out channels through the rocks, And his eye sees anything precious. 11 He dams up the streams from [i]flowing, And brings to light what is hidden.Yes, there is a place for silver and gold. And what we need to recognize is that that place is not usually out in the open. You usually need to search for it and dig it up.
And Job goes on to highlight human endeavor to excavate these metals. And so, verses 1 and 2 are Job pointing to the existence of hard-to-find metals. And now, he's going to focus on mankind's ability to find these metals in the earth. Verse 3 is describing the darkness that's found in caves and other places in which mining activities are carried out. It's dark down there - but mankind puts an end to that darkness and finds what its looking for. In verse 4 Job goes on to speak more of spelunking in caves as people search for previous metals.
Job 29:12-29 ' But mankind is unable to find wisdom
But Job isn't merely concerned about gold and sapphires and mining. He's not marveling at mankind's abilities just to marvel. No - Job has led us through all the things that people can discover on this earth in order to make the point that there is one thing that none of us can find: wisdom. He says:
12 "But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
Because we know where to find gold. You just dig with your hands and your tools in the right place in the earth and there it is. But where would you direct someone to find wisdom if you were Job with no Bible as we have it today? You can't direct people to a location on earth where they can dig out or even buy wisdom and understanding.
...And it's because it's not from "around these parts" (the physical world)!
13 Mankind does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
So, wisdom is not found in this world - and certainly not within the earth - like with jewels and such. And so, who can discover how much it's worth? If you want to figure out how much a certain piece of jewelry is worth, you bring it to an appraiser. He'll look at it, examine it, and tell you based on his experience how much it's worth. But how do you get wisdom appraised? It's real. And it's incredibly valuable. But you can't bring it in to your local jewelry store and let the man behind the counter estimate its value. You can't appraise the physical value of something that you can't find.
...And it's not just that mankind cannot find wisdom - Job even presents inanimate locations on the earth as testifying to the fact that even they can't find wisdom and understanding within themselves.
14 The ocean depth says, 'It is not in me'; And the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
...And even if someone did know where it could be found, you'd never have enough money to purchase it.
15 Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, Nor can silver be weighed as its price.
...And then Job is going to go on about how there's nothing that can help you purchase wisdom - not even the precious metals and jewels that he's already discussed.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx, or sapphire.
...And that's because wisdom is unrivaled in value to anything else that a man can get.
17 Gold or glass cannot equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for articles of pure gold.
...And we just celebrated Mothers' Day and were reminded of the virtuous woman whose worth was far above rubies. But a woman who fears the Lord is to be estimated in that way because the thing that she possesses - wisdom - is also valued like that.
18 Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; And the acquisition of wisdom is more valuable than pearls.
...And Job goes on to extol wisdom by telling us what cannot purchase it.
19 The topaz of Cush cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold.
...And then Job utters what seems to be a refrain in this chapter because we saw a statement that was very similar in verse 12.
20 Where then does wisdom come from? And where is this place of understanding?
Only in verse 12, Job asked where wisdom can be found. Here in verse 20, he asks from where it comes. But every other word is exactly the same - and really, even the two ideas of finding something and knowing where it comes from are almost identical. And Job's question is legitimate - because according to Job, no one knows the answer-no creature or bird knows where wisdom comes from.
...No creature or bird knows where wisdom comes from.
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living creature, And concealed from the birds of the sky.
...And not even destruction and death know where wisdom comes from - where its source on the earth is.
22 Abaddon (i.e., a parallel to Sheol) and Death say, 'With our ears we have heard a report of it.'
The point: Mankind can find awesome things in this world, yet no one can find wisdom. That's what we've learned thus far from Job up through verse 22.
Job 28:23-28 ' Only God has wisdom
No one can find wisdom, that is, no one - except for God. And therefore, Job is going to make that point from verses 23-28 - that God alone has wisdom.
23 "God understands its way, And He knows its place.
...God knows wisdom's way and place. He knows how to access it. Why is that? How can God know this when no one else does?
24 For He looks to the ends of the earth; He sees everything under the heavens.
God sees the whole picture. Nothing (in the entire universe) is hidden from Him and there's nothing he doesn't see. Thus, God alone knows and perceives and sees everything, and therefore, he alone knows wisdom.
...And so, in his context, Job appears to be using the terms wisdom and understanding to describe the ability to see the whole picture and act accordingly. Or to be in tune with reality - as only God knows it. However, Job lacks this ability and doesn't know what's going on. God's ways are confusing...makes no sense to him. Job's conclusion and answer: God has wisdom while Job himself feels like he's totally lacking in it.
...Now, Job wants to go back to the beginning of creation and recall how God established wisdom. God did this when he created the winds and the waters.
25 When He imparted weight to the wind, And assessed the waters by measure,
..And that's the same time in which he created the rain and thunder.
26 When He made a limit for the rain, And a course for the thunderbolt,
...And what did God do at the time he created these forces - wind, water, rain, and thunder? He did what no man can do - he assessed the value of wisdom and scrutinized it.
27 Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out.
And so, that's how Job pictures God coming to be acquainted with wisdom.
...And then God communicated that to his human creatures.
28 And to mankind He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to turn away from evil is understanding.'"
Point: As humans we can't find wisdom as we find other physical objects. We need God to give it to us. And that's when God says - you want wisdom? Fear me. You want understanding - a rough equivalent of wisdom? Then turn from evil.
And now we bring that to Job's situation. Job is having great difficulty recognizing what reality even is anymore. Reality as Job knew it was that if he lived right, God would bless him. That's what Job believed and its apparently what many others believed - at least if his three friends are any indication of the popular thinking of the time. Everyone was thinking that God rewards moral goodness with blessings. That was reality in their minds.
However, Job is still doing good ("blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." Ob 1:8), yet he's not being blessed. It seems like God's angry with him and punishing him. Job still is fearing the Lord and departing from evil. Why is this not seeming to help Job live in light of reality anymore?
• The answer to this of course is that the reality is bigger than Job's small view of how God works in the world. God is bigger than that. Reality is something broader than any of our human minds can comprehend.
• And while Job is ready to admit that in creation at-large, he's not ready to trust that God is acting according to wisdom - the broad and complete view of things - in Job's situation.
• And that's why next time we're going to see Job wistfully relive all the blessings that once were his as he sought to fear the Lord.
