Job

Job Chapter 28

Job Continues: Where Is Wisdom?

Job 28:1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

One of the descendents of Cain became skilled in working with metal. I imagine others eventually learned to make things out of gold, silver, iron and other metals. This takes earthly wisdom and skills. We sort of take that for granted. We use pots, pans and such. People have went a little crazy with the gold rush in the history of the early United State. Diamond rings are worth thousands although I can't figure out why. I would rather have something I can use not just sit and look at.

Job 28:3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

I've known a few men who were coal miners and went deep under the ground. Some died when it caved in and there was a few times when they encountered a flood of water. There have been many who died. Coal was once used for heating and cooking. It is still used for that in some places. They mine for gold and other metals too, risking their lives to dig into the earth and find it. It is hard and dangerous work. Now they have safer methods I'm sure. I remember seeing one of my uncles coming home from work in the mines covered head to toe in black coal.

Job 28:5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

Men risk their lives searching for these things. They are beautiful to see. I wonder what God originally placed these in the earth for. Perhaps we will find out one day when we see the Lord.

Job 28:7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

Animals like birds and wild beasts have not discovered these things but humans have learned how to dig into the earth, overturn mountains and dig out what is underneath. Man has learned to build great dams and irrigation systems, generate electricity and many other ways to improve our living. It took a lot of hard work and sacrifice. I'm sure that slaves were used at one time but I remember men that just wanted to support their families. As a child I saw a lot of coal mining camps and the river lined with coal along the banks. They also built canals and waterways for boats to travel to being trade to cities. There is one long one in Ohio.

Job 28:12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

True wisdom is from God. We can obtain knowledge about things from studying, going to school, learning from others but wisdom is how to use the knowledge we have. Actually both come from God and is a gift from God. Solomon got his wisdom from God but he was flesh and failed in the long run so our will power works with it. We can receive or refuse to heed to the wisdom that is given us.

The wisdom that comes from God must not be confused with the gift of the spirit that we call the Word of Wisdom. That type of wisdom is given after one comes to Jesus and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is for wisdom needed in certain instances as one is working in God's service like spreading the gospel or within a believer's meeting or church service. It is supernatural whereas other kinds of wisdom can be given to anyone. It is a natural gift but it is also from God.

The word of knowledge is similar and is also supernatural but just having knowledge is learned as we learn from others. We can get the wrong kind of knowledge at times. Natural God given talents also must not be confused with the gifts of the spirit which accompanies the baptism of the Holy Spirit spoken of in the book of Acts and 1 Corinthians. It is also spoken by Jesus Himself in the gospels. When Jesus walked on the earth, He was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and exercised all nine gifts of the Holy Spirit at times as an example for those that followed Him was supposed to have after His resurrection and the day of Pentecost. In saying all this though, we need to seek the kind of wisdom Job is speaking of. It comes from God also and is needed to guide us in the direction that leads to good things. True wisdom is needed actually to use the knowledge we have.

Job 28:15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

Wisdom that comes from God cannot be bought whether it is natural wisdom or the word of wisdom.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

If we want true wisdom we can get it from the Lord.

Job 28:18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

Not just reading but studying the written word of God will bring wisdom also.

Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

Wisdom from the Lord cannot be compared to anything we think we have to have like money, expensive jewels or anything we think is valuable.

Job 28:20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

Wisdom is something we should seek diligentaly. Cry out, seek, pray and ask for wisdom in all things. True wisdom cannot be found anywhere but from our creator and our God.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

I wonder sometimes how much we lack needlessly because we don't ask God. Perhaps we assume God does not give what we ask for. We must ask in faith.

Job 28:23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

To substitute the theory (And it is only a theory, not a proven fact), of evolution in place of the creation is the very opposite of wisdom. To think the whole universe is there by accident is one of the craziest nonsense anyone ever came up with. DC

Job 28:27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

If only all of us can just "Get that".

Proverbs 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

Job Chapter 29