Job 28:12–14

In Job's day people practised mining. It may have been a new pursuit then, whether for iron or copper, for gold or silver or gems. They dig down, they divert the underground stream, they cut paths that the strongest beasts and the sharpest-eyed birds have never walked. But in all this searching they never find wisdom. This is the question he raised in verse 12, and he was right to say that these human activities could not find it. Men may discover much. Since Job's day they have discovered far more. But wisdom still escapes them.

"But where shall wisdom be found?" No, there is no wisdom in all that. There is self in all that. There is what will make a man rich; there is what will bring money and perhaps distinction; but where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Well, it is not on the earth, and it is not down in the dark mines where men rush after what they value.

Man, frail mortal, does not know the price and does not have it to pay, for it is not found in the land of the living. If it were within reach, some would be able to reach it; some rich man would have the price to pay for it. But it is beyond man. "It is high, I cannot attain it." In the bottomless depths of the deep — "the waters under the earth" — the call for wisdom wakes only one reply: "It is not in me." The wide sea, for all its vastness, does not hold this priceless treasure. Nature, by itself, cannot give a single clue to this heavenly, wondrous good.

Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the path of understanding? It is not found in the land of the living. Destruction and death say we have heard a report of it with our ears. So they have. They tell us the emptiness of all the scene we are in, and, above all, of man at the head of it, the sorest place of all. But it is only negative.

"Destruction and death say, We have heard a report about it with our ears" (v. 22), but only a report, for wisdom itself is known only by a direct revelation from God.

God alone can declare its true nature and value. To man He said, "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding." Solomon added to this later: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight" (Prov. 9:10). So until God gets His rightful place in a man's mind and heart, he cannot see anything wisely. His thoughts are off-centre. His beginning is all wrong.

True wisdom and true understanding not found in the earth at all! It comes down from heaven. It is found only in Christ, and Christ had not yet come. This came out even more in Christ's rejection and Christ's death… "Destruction and death say, We have heard a report of it with our ears." Yes, it was just that very thing. There was a report of that One who is Himself wisdom, and who is the Giver of wisdom to the meek. It was by death that it came to us, but they did not know it.

"He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light. But where shall wisdom be found?" No, there is no wisdom in all that. There is self in all that. There is what will make a man rich; there is what will bring money and perhaps distinction; but where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

Man, frail and mortal, does not know the price and does not have it to pay, for wisdom is not found in the land of the living. If it were within reach, then someone would be able to reach it; some rich man would have the price to pay for it. But it is beyond man: "it is high; I cannot attain it." Down in the bottomless depths — "the waters under the earth" — the call for wisdom goes out, and the answer comes back, "It is not in me." The wide sea, for all its vast expanse, does not hold this priceless treasure. Nature, by itself, cannot give even a simple clue to this heavenly, this wonderful good.

Where all is morally wrong and departed from God, there can be no right path. Adam did not need a path. He had only to stay where he was. When we have gone wrong, and are driven out by God, and so need a path, none can be found. There is none... Destruction and death say we have heard the fame of it with our ears. So they have. They tell us how empty this whole scene is, and above all how empty man is at the head of it, which is the most painful point of all. But it is only negative. This is an immense truth, that there is no way for living man fallen from God.

Does it not seem like a hopeless case for any poor ignorant mortal to search for this wondrous pathway? No, blessed be God, it is by no means a hopeless case, for "He understands the way to it, and He knows its place."

True wisdom and true understanding not found in the earth at all! It comes down from heaven. It is found only in Christ, and Christ had not yet come. This came out even more clearly in Christ's rejection and death... There was a report of that One who is Himself wisdom, and who is the Giver of wisdom to the meek. It was by death that it came to us, but they did not know it.

Yes, God knew the wisdom that was needed. When that "hidden wisdom" came out in Christ, and the world crucified the Lord of glory, then death and destruction heard its fame! It was at that wonderful Cross that God brought His attributes and His nature into harmony, so that sinful man could be blessed.

"And He said to man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding." ... So until God has His rightful place in a man's mind and heart, he cannot see anything wisely. His thoughts are out of centre. His beginning is all wrong.

In his days men were mining: it may have been a new pursuit then, whether for iron or copper, for gold or silver or gems. They dig down, they divert the underground stream, they make paths that no strong beast or sharp-eyed bird has ever travelled. But in all this searching they never find wisdom... Men may discover much, and since Job's day they have discovered far more, but wisdom eludes them.

But while man is told to seek, this wisdom is not found in nature, nor by human effort... Man, frail mortal, does not know and does not have the price to obtain it, for it is not found in the land of the living... In the deepest depths of the abyss — "the waters under the earth" — the call for wisdom awakens only the reply, "It is not in me." The wide sea, in all its vast expanse, does not hold this priceless treasure. Nature, on its own, cannot give even a simple clue to this heavenly, wonderful good.

True wisdom and true understanding are not found in the earth at all! It comes down from heaven. It is found only in Christ; and Christ had not yet come... "Therefore the deep says, 'It is not in me.'" There are silver and gold in the deep, and other things like them, and precious stones.

No, there is no wisdom in all that. There is self in all that. There is what will make a man rich; there is what will bring money and perhaps distinction; but where shall wisdom be found?

Moral things are greater than material things. Man is after all greater than the whole of the material universe. Inanimate creation cannot commune with God. Man can. Here stands his greatness, as given by God, and his responsibility.

The depths of the earth will not reveal it, and its value far exceeds that of gold and rubies. God alone can declare its true nature and value, "and to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"... Therefore until God gets His rightful place in a man's mind and heart he is incapable of viewing anything wisely. His thoughts are out of centre. His beginning is all wrong.

And yet, when once God is known, we find all nature eloquent of Him. Those depths below and above declare His glory and power. The "great and wide sea" tells of the depth of His wisdom, care and goodness... How sad it is to see men of vast knowledge, of profound reasoning powers, gazing into the glorious heavens and failing to find God or wisdom there... How blessed it is then to have the true wisdom — "Christ the wisdom of God, and the power of God."