Job

Job 28: God alone knows wisdom’s way

Begin in prayer

Before we read the search for wisdom, please ask God for hearts that reverence Him and turn away from evil.

and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship,

Exodus 31:3

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Teach us to receive the wisdom we cannot discover or buy. Open our eyes to Your wisdom in the crucified Christ. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Job describes people digging deep into the earth for metals and precious stones. They open shafts, cut rock and bring hidden treasure to light. Yet wisdom cannot be found or bought like those treasures. Living creatures, the deep and the sea cannot reveal its place. God alone knows its way and orders wind, water, rain and lightning. He tells humanity that fearing the Lord is wisdom and departing from evil is understanding.

As you read Job 28, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God knows wisdom’s way and teaches us that wisdom is fearing the Lord and departing from evil.

People can reach deep into the earth to uncover treasures hidden from animals and birds. Their skill brings precious things to light, but it cannot discover wisdom by the same methods. Neither gold nor the finest jewels can buy what they need. God knows wisdom’s place because He sees the whole earth and orders wind, water, rain and lightning. His answer to humanity joins reverence for Him with turning away from evil. This is wisdom people can practice without knowing every reason for His providence. The opening of Job already described Job as fearing God and turning from evil. His suffering therefore cannot prove that he has never known the wisdom his friends demand.

How does Job 28 show us that God knows wisdom’s way and teaches us that wisdom is fearing the Lord and departing from evil?

Human skill and wealth cannot obtain God’s wisdom.

Miners cut shafts and channels to find what lies hidden. Gold and jewels reward that work, yet none can serve as wisdom’s price. The poem values their skill while showing its limit.

God gives the answer people need.

God sees what no living creature can discover and orders the weather beyond human command. He calls people to fear the Lord and depart from evil. Reverence and obedience belong together, even when His purposes remain beyond us.

Memorise

To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”

Job 28:28

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, where do I need Jesus to turn my heart from evil toward reverence for God?

Job’s poem ends with wisdom that God gives, rather than a discovery people can buy. Fearing the Lord and departing from evil belong together. Yet our proud hearts want knowledge without submission.

First Corinthians 1 verses 23 and 24 calls the crucified Christ God’s power and wisdom. The Son came to save sinners who cannot make themselves wise or clean. He died for His people, bearing their sins in their place. His offering accomplished their redemption once for all, with no further sacrifice required. He rose from the dead.

Turn from evil and put your trust in Jesus. He grants forgiveness to everyone who believes in Him. Ask Him for a heart that reveres God and obeys His Word, while leaving hidden purposes with the One who knows.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God’s answer joins reverence with departing from evil, rather than promising explanations for every painful event. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for knowing wisdom’s way and teaching us to fear Him, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God’s Spirit. But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12

Father, thank You for knowing wisdom’s way and teaching us to fear You. Forgive our pride and our willingness to keep evil near. Please lead us to repentance and faith in the crucified and risen Jesus. Teach us to obey Your Word this week, even when we cannot explain Your purposes. In Jesus' name, Amen.