The Treasure of Suffering

Job continues his speech in chapter 28 to talk about the lengths people go for riches but the sad reality that hardly anyone makes the same attempt at gaining wisdom. His words resonate with our generation in powerful ways. 

He begins:

Job 28:1–2 (ESV) “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that they refine. 2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore.

Then he describes the time put in to search for these natural resources:

Job 28:3 (ESV) Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness.

That is, man will seek all night for gold and silver.

Then he describes the effort to gain riches:

Job 28:9–11 (ESV) “Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots. 10 He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing. 11 He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

Man will literally dig up a mountain and dam up a stream to increase wealth. America has those skills down. All you need is to visit the Hoover Dam. 

Finally, Job asks the penetrating question:

Job 28:12–13 (ESV) “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? 13 Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.

Job knows fully the emptiness of man's words having listened to his friends babble for these last few days or weeks. He knows that wisdom can only come from beyond the land of the living. He knows also that ones riches cannot purchase wisdom:

Job 28:16–17 (ESV) It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. 17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

Finally, the chapter resolves to where wisdom is found.

Job 28:23–24 (ESV) “God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. 24 For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

After this statement, Job begins to utter a preview of things God will say when He arrives.

Job 28:25–28 (ESV) When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, 26 when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, 27 then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. 28 And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”

Now, this is something I never realized in Job before. The themes to come from God later are already on Job's mind which begs the question - isn't this the true value of suffering - to lead us to think and understand as the Lord does? 

What happens to you when you suffer and struggle matters greatly. You either listen to this world and follow the vain assumptions of fallen man or you seek God, pray, cry out to Him while holding on in faith, and watch as your life slowly metabolizes into a more God-oriented reality.