Job 28:12-13 “But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.”
When I was a kid, Disney produced an epic tale of pirates and gold in a movie called Treasure Island. The young Jim Hawkins encountered Long John Silver while following a treasure map. The crafty old pirate who seemed kind one moment and a scoundrel the next brought intrigue and adventure as the tale unfolded into mutiny, cannon fire, and greed.
The search for hidden treasure has always been an intriguing idea for many who fancy adventure and the prospect of great riches, but the quest for wisdom could be just as compelling.
When reading the book of Job, we witness a poetic perspective of godly treasure that seems difficult to find. What sounds like a clue on a treasure map can be viewed in God’s Word.
Job 28:7 “That path no bird of prey knows,
and the falcon’s eye has not seen it.
The proud beasts have not trodden it;
the lion has not passed over it.”
The treasure of godly wisdom is not found in nature. The treasure hunter can’t dig it up nor will they find a place where X marks the spot. When searching through God’s treasure map, we find clues directing us along the way.
Job 28:9-11 “Man puts his hand to the flinty rock
and overturns mountains by the roots.
He cuts out channels in the rocks,
and his eye sees every precious thing.
He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,
and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.”
How many people have there been who have spent their youth looking for riches. The search for gold and silver has taken the best years of many men and women, only to leave them searching for more. The prospect of great riches is a dream that many believe will bring true happiness. The drive to acquire more has stolen the hearts of many, leaving them hoarding their riches til death, only to leave it for another.
Mankind does not understand where worth is found. The godless search for what they cannot attain and strive to purchase what they continually lack.
Job 28:20-22 “From where, then, does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
It is hidden from the eyes of all living
and concealed from the birds of the air.
Abaddon and Death say,
‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
Unless one has spiritual eyes and knows the way to life, the search for what has true value will always continue and their sad ending will be in grief.
To know where to find true riches is to go to the source and ask the One who formed it.
Job 28:23-24 “God understands the way to it,
and he knows its place.
For he looks to the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.”
If you find great riches on earth, will you truly be happy. Is that all it takes is to acquire massive wealth so that you can buy more stuff? How much do you need before happiness is found? If you know this, they why do you strive so hard to acquire it?
The message to those who make riches their aim is simple.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”
According to Paul, true riches are not to be gained or stored here on earth, but are to be found and treasured in Heaven. A place where all true believers will enjoy for eternity. Then, when the treasure hunter has reached the end of the quest, they find what is truly valuable.
Job 28:28 “And he said to man,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
When the treasure is found and the box is opened, ironically what is found is what was needed all along. Wisdom and understanding are necessary for finding true value in life, and yet the treasure is found in the journey. The path of the righteous is perilous and full of adventure, and when the Lord is doing the leading no one sees what is coming around the next turn.
What we discover is that by seeking God first, a treasure trove of riches follows. The Lord wants you to find His hidden treasure, He has prepared it for those who seek Him. And all who know will get to enjoy it with God forever.
U.T. 