Job 28-32
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire, The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.”
We know those words of Job’s are true, our food is grown from the earth, and the food for all creatures; in the earth are the metals and precious stones, so valued; and out of the earth comes the fire of volcanoes. Then Job tells of a certain path:
“There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: The lion’s whelps (young lions) have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.”
The vulture is an eagle with very keen sight, and, when flying high above, it can see a small animal, and swoop down to take it; yet it cannot see the path Job knew about; and the lion has not been in that path, though it is the strongest of animals, and, in lands where it is wild, goes whatever it pleases, hurting those in its way.
So the path Job knew was some different path than the paths of earth. What do you think that path was, and where did it lead? There is still such a path, and those who trust God walk in it through this world, but no natural eye sees it, so we call it “the path of faith.” This path is to heaven and all who believe the Lord will be is led there in safety. It is also the path of true wisdom. Job asks where it shall be found, He says it cannot be bought with gold, silver or precious stones. He does not mean a wisdom learned from school books, for he says,
“God understandeth the way thereof, and He knoweth the place thereof. For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven, ... .He prepared it, yea and searched it out.”
“And unto man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.”
To “fear the Lord” does not exactly mean to be afraid; it means to reverence the Lord above all, whose greatness and power are beyond our knowing. If we believe Him, we will not be afraid, but choose His way. When we read in the New Testament of the Lord Jesus, we know God has “prepared” the way, for Jesus said,
So Job spoke very beautifully of God’s way and power, but soon began to think again of his high position before his troubles came, and spoke much of his good deeds, and grieved at the unkindness of others, which all was true, but in thinking of all that, He also spoke as though God no longer thought of him (chapter 29:5), and we find front the next chapters that was not true. The Lord does not forget His people.
Read all of chapter 28 in the Bible. See how many names of metals and jewels you can find in chapter 28.
ML 05/19/1940