Job, Chapters 26-31
Through six chapters Job continued; at first he leas justifying-himself before his friends,—-and as far as their accusations went, he was right and they were wrong.
In chapter 28 he looks at the state of mankind, generally. He talks of -what men, even in that early day were doing, in mining silver and gold, iron and "brass" (copper), and changing the course of streams. But such knowledge and ability were not wisdom—where should it be found? Man knows not its value, only destruction and death can say, "We have heard its report with our ears" (verse 22).
But God not only gave to man the knowledge and ability to do great engineering feats; He put man in relationship with Himself, and the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding (verse 28).
In chapter 29 Job begins his last appeal, rather than an argument. His heart is fully poured out. He longs for the old days that were happier, when everyone thought much of him, and when he was full of good deeds; now those that then were little thought of, derided him; lie was their song and by-word, He speaks to God again in the bitterness of his soul (chapter 30, verses 20-23), and in chapter 31 he examines his history finally, and no doubt what he tells of himself there, was every bit true.
He was an almost blameless man in his life, and there was none like him in all the earth. Wealth was not what he lived for (chapter 31, verses 24, 25), nor was lie in any way turned to idolatry, bowing down to the sun and moon,—the first form of worshiping idols (verses 26-28). Yet with all that he could testify about himself, Job could not find rest for his poor troubled heart in that.
How hard it was for this excellent man to turn away from himself, to see with God how worthless the best that man can do is a means of becoming just in God’s sight! In what follows we shall find that job is for the most part a listener, but not to the false charges of his friends.
Messages of God’s Love 12/15/1929