Job 28:12 asks, But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?  Job shifts his focus from earthly riches to wisdom and understanding in this verse.  I believe that Job was asking if all the effort that people put into obtaining riches could bring them wisdom, which comes only from God.  We may think that a person who is rich must be smart, but they may lack true wisdom, which comes from surrendering to God's will.  Verse thirteen states, Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.  People may know the value of silver, gold, and gems, the precious things of this earth, and not know the value of wisdom.  Real wisdom comes only from God and cannot be found in anything else in earth.  We cannot dig up wisdom, but must look to God and doing His will to gain wisdom.  In verse fourteen Job declares, The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.  I believe that Job was saying that there is nowhere in the earth to find wisdom.  People today go on pilgrimages to be closer to their god, but the true and living God is not found in a particular place.  Verse fifteen says, It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.  I believe that Job was continuing to stress that wisdom cannot be bought.  Again, we may believe that those who are rich are somehow wiser than the average person, but Job tells us that riches cannot buy wisdom.  Most of the time, people seem to put more value in obtaining riches than they do in following the will of God, which is where true wisdom lies.  In verse sixteen Job states, It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.  Verse seventeen continues, The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.  In these two verses and the two that follow, Job was citing examples of what people considered to be the most valuable things of the earth and asking if they could buy wisdom.  Verse eighteen states, No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.  Then verse nineteen declares, The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.  I believe that Job was simply emphasizing that even if people gained all these riches that they were really of no value in gaining the wisdom of God.  I believe that this also implies that we should put more effort into gaining God's wisdom than into gaining the treasures of the earth.  In verse twenty Job asks, Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?  I believe that Job was asking if we could not find wisdom in the riches of the world, then where could we find it.  We as followers of Christ know that true wisdom and understanding come only from God.  If we are looking for wisdom, we will never find it in the things of this world.  Verse twenty one says, Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.  We will never gain a complete understanding of God in this life.  In Job's day, the birds could get higher in the sky than people could, but they could not reach the realm of God, and neither can we today no matter how far we send rockets into the universe.  Verse twenty two states, Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.  I believe that Job was saying that death and destruction of the things of this world can lead us into a true wisdom of God.  Verse twenty three says, God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.  Then verse twenty four continues, For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;  God knows the place of death and even destruction of the material things because He sees from an eternal perspective.  Verse twenty five says, To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.  Then twenty six follows with, When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:  Job said that God controls the forces of nature.  I do not believe that every time there is a natural disaster that God is directly behind it, but that He instead allows it to happen.  Verse twenty seven states, Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.  God is aware of everything that goes on in the world.  We need to have the wisdom to put our faith in God no matter what.  Verse twenty eight declares this stating, And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.  To fear or put our faith in God is wisdom, and to depart from evil is a true understanding of the will of God.

Job 28:1 says, Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.  Job seems to have moved on from his discussion of the concept of his suffering being due to sin to the nature of people attempting to gain the riches of this world.  Job said that there were indeed riches in this world, like silver and gold.  They are hard to find, and are therefore seen as more valuable.  Still, we must acknowledge that their value is assigned by man, and we cannot give them an everlasting value.  Only the things done for God have an everlasting value.  Verse two states, Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.  Though not as highly valued as gold and silver, iron and brass have more practical uses in the world.  Still, all of these metals must be worked for.  People are willing to take great risks to remove these metals from the earth, because they are usually hidden deep in the earth.  I believe that we as followers of Christ should be just as diligent in seeking God's will in our lives, because that is where our real treasure lies.  Verse three says, He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.  Job said that people would do whatever was necessary to obtain the riches of this world.  When mining for silver and gold, darkness is set aside by artificial light while in the mines.  We, as followers of Christ should be as willing to work for His glory, while living in the true light.  Verse four states, The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.  Matthew Henry says this means that people are able to divert even the waters to attain the precious metals and gems of the world.  We should be willing to work just a hard to uncover the riches of God's word.  Though salvation is free, we are still expected to work to advance God's kingdom.  Verse five says, As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.  I believe that Job was saying that though we might value gold and silver more, that we really should be thankful for the food provided by the earth.  I believe we need to be thankful to God for meeting our needs and not just for bringing us riches.  Verse six states, The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.  Again, we know that there are riches to be found in the earth.  People will go to great extremes to attain these riches, which are all but another part of God's creation and are temporary in their value.  Verse seven says, There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:  Then verse eight states, The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.  I believe that Job was saying that these riches were hidden to even the sharp eye of the vulture and were not found by be beasts of the earth, but that men could dig them out of the earth.  Verse nine states, He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.  This verse, and the next two, speak of the efforts that people will go to in obtaining the precious metals, silver and gold, and jewels from the earth.  Verse ten says, He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.  Then verse eleven concludes, He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light. Job said that people would move mountains or divert rivers to gain the riches of the earth.  I believe that the Implication is that people put more effort in obtaining the riches of the earth, which really have an arbitrary value, than they put into following God's will, which has an everlasting value.

Job 27:11 says, I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.  Job said that even though his friends were accusing him of being a hypocrite that he was still ready to teach them the truth of God, which he could not conceal.  We today, no matter how the people of the world may treat us, need to be ready to teach them the truth of God, which should not be hidden to them.  Our actions should always point others to God.  In verse twelve Job declares, Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?  Job told his friends that they had all seen the truth of God and asked why they all acted out of vanity.  They were attempting to put themselves above Job morally based on material aspects in life, even though they should have known the truth of God.  Job did not say that they were lost, but that even though they knew God's truth, they were not applying it correctly.  Verse thirteen states, This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.  Job begins to proclaim what would happen to the wicked because of their not being willing to follow God.  Though the wicked may prosper in this life, their prosperity would be of no use at their death.  Verse fourteen states, If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.  I believe that in these verses, Job is saying that not all the wicked continue to prosper in this life, just as not all are punished.  Even if they have many children, the children will not be satisfied with the simple things in life.  Matthew Henry says this means that the children will go hungry, and we do know at times that those who are rich lose everything.  Verse fifteen says, Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.  When the wicked of this world die, they are not mourned after losing everything, not even by their widows.  I believe that the statement that the children would be buried in death means without a spiritual relationship with God due to the parent's lack of witnessing to them.  Even if they had been successful at one time, they never gave God glory for their success.  Verse sixteen says, Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;  Job said that they might have riches beyond measure, but this would mean nothing after life on this earth is done.  Verse seventeen states, He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.  Job said that eventually the wealth of the wicked would be divided by the poor, though I believe maybe not in this life.  Verse eighteen says, He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.  I believe that Job was saying that the things gained by evil methods would be eaten away, if not in this lifetime, then in the everlasting one to come.  Verse nineteen declares, The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.  Verse twenty continues, Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.  I believe that Job was saying that instead of bringing contentment to the wicked that their riches only brought worry about how to keep what they had or to gain even more.  I don't believe that a person can be truly satisfied without having a right relationship with God.  Verse twenty one says, The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.  After death, the wicked will be blown away like one in a storm.  We may deny it, but one day judgment is coming, and the material things of this world will indeed be blown away.  In verse twenty two Job says, For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.  I believe that Job was saying that no matter how rich, or even how poor, a person is, that those who have not put their faith in God will be cast out of God's presence.  Verse twenty three states, Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.  We know that when a truly wicked person dies that we tend to celebrate, but I am not sure this is the correct attitude.  Just as I believe God mourns the death of any unsaved person, I am not sure we should ever celebrate their death.

Job 27:1 says, Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,  Job was continuing to speak of the truth of the power of God.  In verse two Job says,  As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;  Job acknowledged first that God does indeed live.  If we are to enter into a relationship with God, we must first acknowledge His existence.  Job then said that God had taken away Job's judgment and had vexed his soul.  We know that God had already pronounced Job as an example of a righteous man, and that the vexing of Job's soul came from his questioning God.  Once we acknowledge God's existence, then accept His salvation through faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we no longer have a reason to question God.  It should not matter what is happening in life.  We serve God because of Who He is, and not for what he can do for us materially.  Verse three says, All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;  Job was acknowledging that as long as he had breath that God was the One Who kept him breathing.  Even if we are suffering greatly, we should never question nor blame God.  As followers of Christ, we are God's forevermore, and should never let our situation in the world cause our faith to waver.  Verse four states, My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.  Job said that in his speech he would never proclaim wickedness or lies about God.  We need to be the same way.  We should never attempt to credit the wickedness in the world to God, nor should we utter deceitful things about God.  We need to stand firm in our convictions about God.  In verse five Job states, God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.  Job asked that God forbid, or prevent, him from ever agreeing with his friends who questioned his integrity.  We can never allow other people to determine our relationship with God.  If we are certain of our relationship with God, even if the whole world were to pronounce us as guilty of sin, we must simply hold on to that relationship with Him.  God secures those who are His forever. Verse six states, My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.  As just stated above about what we should do, Job said that he would hold fast to his righteous, his living under God's authority, for as long as he lived.  His righteousness was not based on his goodness, but on his relationship to God.  Verse seven says, Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.  Job said that those who rose up against him should be viewed as wicked and unrighteous, since they were making false claims against him.  If we go to those who are suffering and claim that this is a sign of sin in their lives, we are acting as wicked people, unless God has shown us without a doubt that they are suffering as a result of sin.  Even then, we are not to go from an attitude of contempt or superiority, but from an attitude of love and concern.  In verse eight Job asks, For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?  Job wanted to know what anyone gained from a hypocritical relationship with God.  They might use their supposed relationship with God to profit materially, but they would sacrifice their soul's eternal relationship with God.  Verse nine asks, Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?  If our relationship with God is not real or sincere, the only prayer He is going to hear from us in times of trouble, or anytime for that matter, is when we call on Him for forgiveness through Christ.  Verse ten asks, Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?  Hypocrites really do not delight in God, but attempt to use God for their own purpose.  Even as followers of Christ, we can become guilty of hypocrisy in our relationship with God if we start to believe that God should always bless us materially or if we start to feel morally superior to others.

Job 26:1 says, But Job answered and said,  Job was still responding to the claims that his friends were making against him.  In verse two Job asks, How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?  Job was basically asking Bildad how what he had said could help those in need.  We may know the truth of God, but if we try to use His truth to condemn others instead of to comfort and offer hope to them, the what have we accomplished?  God expects His people to reach out to the world with His love and not with His condemnation.  We as followers of Christ can only be effective by sharing God's love with the world.  Verse three asks, How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?  Job asked Bildad if he thought he was counseling someone who had no wisdom by his words which were plentiful.  We may at times believe that we know more about God than those around us, but may instead be attempting to counsel someone who has a better understanding of God than we do.  We cannot assume that we are morally superior to those around us.  Verse four asks, To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?  Job asked Bildad who he thought he was talking to, and more importantly whose spirit he was speaking from.  We need to understand that we do not alone understand God's word, and we certainly need to make sure that what we say comes from the Spirit of God.  In the following verses, Job speaks of the majesty of God, something his friends and he could agree on.  Verse five states, Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.  Though I am not sure at the wording that dead things are formed, I believe that it means that God formed the creatures of the sea from nothing.  They have no life without Him.  Verse six states, Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.  I believe that Job was saying that even if a person were in hell, he would not be out of God's view.  Even for the lost, the soul is everlasting, and never truly escapes from the knowledge of the existence of God.  Verse seven says, He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.  Job said that God created everything from nothing and that He sustains it.  God keeps everything in its proper place.  Verse eight says, He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.  Job said that God controls the rain.  We may wonder at times when we have a flood or a drought why God allows this, but we know that He has it in His power to flood the world if He decided to, so we have to acknowledge His greatness in not allowing this to happen.  Verse nine states, He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.  I believe that Job was saying that in this life we can never see the full majesty of God. Verse ten says, He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.  Verse eleven declares, The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.  God can indeed shake the heavens and the earth, as they are His creation.  Verse twelve says, He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.  I believe that the proud would be those who felt that they were above living by the knowledge of God.  There are people today who proudly claim that there is no God, but one day they will be struck down forever.  Verse thirteen says, By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.  We know that God created the heavens and the earth, and Matthew Henry says that the crooked serpent likely refers to the Milky Way.  This is the part of the heavens that the earth is in, but even the Milky Way is not the extent of God's creation.  In verse fourteen Job declares, Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?  Job said that we can see parts of God's work, but that we see only a small part of the majesty of God.  When Christ returns to claim His followers, the we will begin to see the full majesty of God.

Job 25:1 states, Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,  Bildad still was unwilling to acknowledge that what Job had been saying was the truth.  He was still determined to prove that Job was being punished by God for some unconfessed sin.  We may encounter people today who see us suffering and are certain that the suffering is caused by some sin in their lives, but we may be just as wrong as Bildad was.  He didn't have as much to say this time though.  What Bildad had to say was true, but it just didn't apply to Job's situation.  We cannot attempt to to force God's truths to support our beliefs, but must align our beliefs with God's truth.  Verse two states, Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.  God does have dominion over all the world, but He sometimes allows Satan to exercise power.  We can rest assured in the final outcome.  Since God is the ultimate authority, we need to always stand amazed in His presence.  I do not believe that we have to come to God fearing that He will suddenly strike us down if we are His followers, but instead in awe of the fact that He loves us enough to redeem us.  God does make peace in His high places. Verse three asks, Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?  Bildad asked if God was limited in His ability to defeat those that opposed Him. Though God may have an unlimited army, He has the power to overcome His enemies simply by His word.  God does indeed shine His light on the whole world.  In verse four Bildad asks, How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?  Bildad's implication was that people cannot be justified before God by their own merit.  There is no way that we can ever justify ourselves, which is why Christ came to the world to make our justification available through our faith in Him.  Verse five declares, Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.  Bildad said that even the heavenly bodies were not pure in the sight of God.  Just as the moon only reflects light, so it is that people can only reflect the Light of God.  We can never be a light unto ourselves, or bring about our own salvation in other words.  Verse six asks, How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?  When compared to God, we are no more than a worm.  We may like to think that we are rich and powerful, but before God we are nothing.  Bildad did not apply these truths to Job directly this time.  He was as running out of arguments, and Zophar had nothing to add this time.

Job 24:13 says, They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.  Job is speaking of those that he had referred to in the previous verses.  Those who stole from and oppressed the poor did not have the light of God in their lives.  They did not follow what God's Law taught.  I don't believe that we can claim to be followers of God today and look down on those less fortunate than we are with a lack of concern at best or contempt at worst.  We certainly should not be attempting to use them for our own benefit or profit.  Verse fourteen says, The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.  I believe that Job was saying that it didn't matter what the time of day was, morning or night, that there were always those who would murder others for what they had.  Verse fifteen states, The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.  Job said that the adulterer would wait until dark was coming to commit their crime, thinking that no one would see them.  They could not hide their evil deeds from God, and neither can we.  Still, they were not immediately struck down by God.  Verse sixteen states, In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.  Job said that those who intended to rob a house at night often used the light of day to plan their crimes.  We know that as followers of Christ that we live in the light, and we need to make sure that we never attempt to use that light to justify taking what belongs to another.  Verse seventeen says, For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.  Job said that those who steal from others don't want to be recognized in the light of day.  I believe that we can likewise say that those who sin against God do not want to be caught in His light, but it is unavoidable.  Verse eighteen states, He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.  Job appears to be speaking of pirates in this verse.  They boldly take what belongs to others.  We still hear of piracy today, and the pirates really act without concern for being caught.  Verse nineteen says, Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.  In this verse through verse twenty four, Job speaks of the certainty that the wicked will ultimately be judged and found guilty by God.  They may hide in the darkness or outrun judgment in this life, but as surely as drought and heat consume the water from melted snow, the wicked will be judged after death.  Verse twenty states, The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.  Job states that even the mother of a truly wicked person would rather forget them.  Verse twenty one says, He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.  Job once more begins to state some of the evil things that the wicked do.  They have no compassion for the childless couple or for the widows.  Having children in this time frame was important for carrying on the family name and for security in old age.  Verse twenty two says, He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.  I believe that Job was saying that even those that were mighty in the world were not exempt from falling into the power of the wicked, but still the wicked were not always punished in this lifetime.  Verse twenty three says, Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways. Then verse twenty four concludes, They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.  I believe that Job was saying that even though the wicked, those who refused to acknowledge and follow God, might die prosperous in the eyes of the world, they faced the ultimate judgment of God.  We cannot hide sin from God, nor can we outrun His ultimate judgment, but that does not mean that the wicked will always be punished in this lifetime.  In verse twenty five, Job asked, And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?  Job challenged his friends to prove him wrong if they thought he was.  If we are living by the truth of God, we like Job need never worry that someone can prove that what we say is wrong.  Even if people oppose what we say, we can stand firm in God's truth.