People let each other down, and sometimes it happens at the worst time.

Job must have been so grateful when his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar rushed to his side soon after the catastrophe that fell upon him. For seven days their quiet support strengthened him. It must have been a blessing just to be able to look up and see three friends constantly beside him. If they had gone on waiting and listening to Job, seeking the Lord with him, and following his lead as he journeyed through his recovery they would have remained a blessing. But Job’s friends decided to turn on him.

When that happened Job had a decision to make. Either he would listen to his friends’ destructive words, believe their lies and accept their misplaced blame, or he would stand up for himself and what he knew was true. Job decided to stand for the truth and silence his critics.

Job Dismisses His Friends

In Job 26:1-4 Job speaks to his three friends for the last time in this story.

“How you have helped the powerless! . . . What advice you have offered to one without wisdom! And what great insight you have displayed! Who has helped you utter these words? And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?”

 Sarcasm dripped from Job’s words. The friends’ advice was useless, and Job questioned the very source of their “wisdom”. It was time to stop listening to Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar.

Astounding Observations

Job seemed to always be thinking about God and from time to time he made some astounding observations about him. In Job 26:5-14 Job talks about how God made the earth, the atmosphere and space, in ways that science didn’t have the tools to verify until the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

“He spreads the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.” Job 26:7

How did Job know that space was empty and the earth was suspended over nothing? In ancient times people believed the earth sat on pillars or rested on the back of a huge turtle, or was held up in the hands of a giant. It wasn’t until December 7, 1972 that the crew of Apollo 17 shot a picture showing earth suspended over nothing, surrounded by empty space. How did Job know?

He also described the process of evaporation and formation of clouds, something that wasn’t studied scientifically until the early 1800’s, and Job understood that the force of the wind could be measured and there was a detectable pattern to weather.

“When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it.” Job 28:25-27

Science is still learning how wind and weather develop over the earth. Four thousand years ago Job saw that it was God’s wisdom and plan that set it all in motion.

The Vastness of God’s Knowledge

Job thought about what God could see, where he was present and what was under his control and Job realized that nothing was beyond God’s understanding and power. He saw the realm of the dead — everyone who has lived and died is known to him. (Job 26:5-6) God knew the actions of every wicked person and they could not escape his justice (Job 27:7-23).

Treasures from the Earth

In Job 28 — one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture — Job thought about how gold, silver, iron and copper were taken from the deep recesses of the earth and made into metal. Men dug long shafts into dark places carrying lamps for light. They hung suspended over chasms and lowered themselves into unexplored caves. Here at the beginning of civilization people were already mining the earth’s treasures using methods that have hardly changed since then.

“The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire; lapis lazuli comes from its rocks and its dust contains nuggets of gold.” Job 28:5-6

Job thought the core of the earth was made of fire. This wasn’t confirmed until 1936 when the Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann deduced the fiery core of the earth by studying earthquakes in New Zealand. The precious gems men were mining for in Job’s time were formed by heat and pressure. How did Job know that?

The Greatest Treasure of All

Job’s musings about mining for precious gems led him to thoughts about the greatest treasure of all.

“But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. The deep says, ‘It is not in me’; the sea says, ‘it is not in me.’ It cannot be bought with the finest gold nor can its price be weighed out in silver. It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. Neither gold nor crystal compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. Coral and Jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.” Job 28:12-18

“Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? . . . God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens . . . he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. And he said to the human race, ‘The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.’” Job 28:20, 23-24, 27-28

In these verses Job told us why he understood so much about creation. Job feared God and shunned evil and in return God blessed him with wisdom and understanding.

Fear God and Shun Evil

What does it mean to fear God? Does it mean that we should be afraid of him?

Job said several times that he was afraid of God, that God terrified him because he held all of the power over Job’s life and controlled his destiny. Job found God unpredictable and that scared him.

But Job was also drawn to God, fascinated by him and in awe of him. Job’s fear didn’t drive him away; it made him fix his attention on God. The same power that made Job tremble before God also made him put his trust in God for his salvation. Job knew that only God had the means to rescue him from the ultimate danger of eternal death.

Because Job feared God he devoted himself to knowing him. He asked God questions. He pursued him and called out to him above the noise of the world around him. While others accused and condemned Job, he listened to God.

When we pray for wisdom for ourselves and others, we should also pray that we will develop a fear of God. We should pray that we will fear doing the things that displease God. There is no other way to gain wisdom. It comes from knowing God, having a healthy sense of awe toward his power and majesty and hating evil so much that we shun it.

Job is a credible model for living well in the midst of suffering. His body was battered, his heart was broken, his wealth was gone . . . but his spirit kept running after God.