Thursday, October 22, 2020

Wisdom

 Job 28

 

 

A hymn Job sings about Wisdom, let us begin with verses 12 and it is going to take 17 verses to find the answer.  “But where shall wisdom be found?  And where is the place of understanding?  Man does not know his worth, and it is not 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 bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.  It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.  Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.  No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;
the price of wisdom is above pearls.  The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.”

 

Job’s hymn explains it is not found in your wealth, not in your many degrees, there are many smart fools who say there is no God.  There have always been men who believe they are self-made and have no need for God.  They die and take not one thing with them to the grave.  Once more Job asks the question; 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.  Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.”

 

He tells us God knows the source of Wisdom, the answer is found in verses 23-28,

“God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.   For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.   When he gave to the wind its weight
and apportioned the waters by measure when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then he saw it and declared it; he established it and searched it out.   And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

 

Where else in Scripture does it state this truth?  Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Proverbs 2:6, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;”  Does the New Testament address Wisdom; James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”  Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

 

My dear reader, both the New and Old Testaments are full of verses about Wisdom.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

 

 

No comments: