Wisdom: The Oldest Pursuit
In 1976, my wife Stephanie and I attended a class on Proverbs taught by Dr. Bruce Waltke—professor of Hebrew at Dallas Theological Seminary. The class changed the outlook and direction of my life. It was not because Dr. Waltke revealed underlying meanings of the Hebrew words. It was the infectious joy and energy he had when he spoke of wisdom and righteousness. He spoke as one for whom these were the most important things. His enthusiasm passed on to me as I came to realize that having wisdom is the most precious thing I could obtain.
The need to value wisdom and our pursuit of it is not new. Indeed it goes back to the oldest book we have in the Scriptures. Not the oldest history, but rather the first written. This is the book of Job. Fascinating how the most problematic of questions, “Why is their suffering?” is the topic of the oldest book. Equally fascinating is that the author declares the need for wisdom and understanding when faced with such questions. Job 28 emerges at a moment of crisis in the story of Job. His 3 friends are accusing him falsely, and Job has made arguments that, perhaps, God is not good—or does not care. Who can answer his friends? Who can answer Job? The reader is desperately seeking answers—and the author breaks in to the book and says:
But where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?Man does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.The deep says, 'It is not in me';
And the sea says, 'It is not with me.'Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it,
Nor can silver be weighed as its price. (Job 28:12-15)
Understanding is insight into how the universe works. It knows the ways of the LORD and the ways of mankind. Wisdom is akin to having a skill. It is an acumen to make right and beneficial choices. How many lives have we seen destroyed from bad choices? How many bad choices are made from not understanding consequences?
Wisdom and understanding are vital, but the finding and discernment of them is elusiveness. You will not find it on the internet or the news or your schools. There is no place in the creation where you will find it and no one who will accept your money for it. And yet, our hearts seem to know that it’s there and that it would be good if we had it.
Over the next sessions, I will take you through all of Job 28 section by section—and then on to parallel passages in Proverbs. But I will close today with this teaser, “God understands its way, And He knows its place.” (Job 28:23)