How does Job 28:21 connect with Proverbs 2:6 about wisdom's source? Finding the Thread Between Job and Proverbs Job 28:21 – “It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.” Proverbs 2:6 – “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Job 28:21—Wisdom Hidden From Creation • Humanity’s best efforts—mining, exploring, reasoning—still cannot uncover true wisdom. • “Hidden” and “concealed” emphasize complete inaccessibility to created beings on their own. • Even the sharp-eyed birds (“the birds of the air”) that see what humans miss cannot locate it. Proverbs 2:6—Wisdom Freely Given by the Lord • The verse moves from inaccessibility to divine generosity. • Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding “come” directly “from His mouth”—God speaks, and the treasure is supplied. • The giver is personal: “the LORD” (Yahweh), highlighting covenant relationship, not impersonal discovery. Connecting the Two Verses • Job tells us where wisdom is not found (within creation); Proverbs tells us where wisdom is found (in the Creator). • Together they teach: – Source: God alone knows wisdom’s place (Job 28:23) and dispenses it (Proverbs 2:6). – Human limitation: Effort apart from God leaves wisdom “hidden”; dependence on God opens the storehouse. – Revelation, not exploration, bridges the gap. Practical Takeaways • Approach Scripture expecting God to unveil what we could never dig up ourselves. • Exchange self-reliance for humble petition: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God” (James 1:5). • Measure every other claim to “insight” against the revealed Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Supporting Passages • Job 28:23–28 – God alone “understands its way.” • Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” • Colossians 2:3 – In Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” • 1 Corinthians 1:30 – Christ becomes “wisdom to us from God.” |
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