What is the meaning of Job 28:13? No man can know its value - The “it” in Job 28 is God-given wisdom—the ability to see life from His perspective. Like precious metals hidden deep in the earth, its worth is incalculable. Proverbs 3:15 declares, “She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.” - Human measurement falls short. Job’s friends offered opinions, but only God can assess true worth (Job 28:23). Paul exclaims, “O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33). - Even the most determined searcher can’t appraise wisdom by intellect, labor, or wealth. Jesus illustrates this with the parable of the hidden treasure: when a man discovers the kingdom, he sells everything for it (Matthew 13:44). The point—earthly pricing systems collapse before heavenly treasure. - Ultimate value appears in Christ Himself: “Christ Jesus…has become for us wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). The costliness of Calvary underscores that no human coinage could purchase what God freely supplies. nor is it found in the land of the living - Genuine wisdom isn’t mined from earthly strata, university libraries, or scientific breakthroughs. “The wisdom from above is first of all pure” (James 3:17); it descends, it isn’t dug up. - Job’s imagery pictures miners plumbing the depths yet returning empty-handed. Likewise, worldly pursuits—success, pleasure, philosophy—cannot uncover the mind of God (Ecclesiastes 1:17-18). - Scripture constantly lifts our gaze beyond the present sphere: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). Isaiah 55:9 reminds us that God’s thoughts soar higher than ours as the heavens eclipse the earth. - The only pathway to this other-worldly wisdom is relationship with the One who has “descended from heaven” (John 3:13) and now invites us to Himself. When we ask, He gives generously (James 1:5), proving that what cannot be found horizontally is granted vertically. summary Job 28:13 underscores two truths: first, no human can assign a price to divine wisdom; second, no human endeavor can locate it within the boundaries of earthly life. Its source and standard reside in God alone, and He ultimately reveals it through His Word and through Christ, the embodiment of wisdom. |
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