Dave Burnette's Commentary

Job Chapter 28

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Unknown, possibly Job, Moses, Solomon, and Elihu
Date Penned: (2000-1800 BC)
Overview: Faith in God's Sovereignty Through Trials (c 1-42)
Theme: Three Friends Answer Job (c 3-31)
Message: Job's Third Discussion (v 1-28)

Job 28 Commentary

(28:3) Wisdom Comes From the Lord - Job stated that wisdom cannot be found among the living. It is natural for people who do not understand the importance of God's Word to seek wisdom here on earth or within themselves. They look to philosophers, to other leaders, or to their inner selves to give them direction for living. Yet Job said that wisdom is not found in those places. No person or group of people can produce enough knowledge or insight to explain the totality of human experience. The ultimate interpretation of life, of who we are and where we are going, must come from outside and above this mortal life. When looking for guidance, seek God's wisdom as revealed in the Bible. To be lifted above and beyond the boundaries of life, we must know and trust the Lord of life because he alone sees the greater purpose for his world.


(28:16) The Gold of Ophir - Gold of Ophir was considered the finest gold available. Ophir may have been located in Africa, along the Arabian coast, or in India. Whatever the location, Ophir was a good distance from Israel, for Solomon's ships made the voyage only once every three years (1 Kings 9:28; 10:22).


(28:28) A Reverence For The Lord - The "fear of the Lord" is a key theme in the wisdom literature of the Bible (Job through Song of Solomon). It means having respect and reverence for God and being in awe of his majesty and power. This is the starting point to finding real wisdom (see Proverbs 1:7).


Dave Burnette's Life Application


Fear the Lord

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the Book of Job with Chapter 28. In our text today we see Job continue to speak as he outlines the riches of the Lord and in verse 28 he speaks of the fear of the Lord. A theme throughout the Bible. This word fear means to respect and reverence the Lord and fear is the starting point to find wisdom. In making application we see that we need to fear the Lord. Understanding that he owns it all and is in control of it all with all knowledge and power. When we see - who He is - then we can attain wisdom as it places us in the humble position to seek Him. How about you? Do you fear the Lord? Let us learn from our text today as Job explains to respect and reverence the Lord so we will fear Him and attain wisdom.

 

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Job 28

Job 28

 1Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.

 2Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

 3He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

 4The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

 5As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

 6The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

 7There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:

 8The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

 9He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

 10He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

 11He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

 12But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

 13Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

 14The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

 15It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

 16It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

 17The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

 18No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

 19The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

 20Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

 21Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

 22Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

 23God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

 24For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

 25To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

 26When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

 27Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

 28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.