What is the meaning of Job 28:22? Abaddon • Scripture links Abaddon with the realm of destruction—the deepest reaches of the grave (Job 26:6; Proverbs 15:11; Revelation 9:11). • That realm is real, not mythical, yet Job treats it as capable of reflection. • Even the darkest world beneath acknowledges it does not possess ultimate wisdom. and • Pairing Abaddon “and” Death shows a united front of the most feared powers (Job 28:22). • Their combined mention highlights the breadth of creation that still falls short of God’s understanding (Romans 8:38–39). Death • Death is both an event and, in Scripture, a personified ruler (1 Corinthians 15:26; Revelation 6:8). • It reigns over humanity because of sin (Romans 5:12), yet it remains limited. • Death cannot unlock the mysteries of life or wisdom; it merely receives those who lack them. say, • Job pictures these forces “saying” something, underscoring that every realm must testify to God’s supremacy (Psalm 19:1; Philippians 2:10–11). • Their testimony is involuntary; they are compelled to admit their ignorance. We have heard • Hearing implies second-hand information; they do not “see” or “possess” wisdom. • The line reminds us that hearsay never equals firsthand knowledge (John 3:11). a rumor • A rumor is a faint whisper, lacking substance (Isaiah 29:4). • These powers grasp only echoes of true wisdom, reinforcing how remote it is from fallen creation. about it. • “It” refers to the priceless, hidden wisdom Job has just described (Job 28:12–21). • God alone “understands its way and knows its place” (Job 28:23). • Christ perfectly embodies that wisdom for us (Colossians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:24). summary Abaddon and Death—real, formidable powers—confess they possess nothing more than a rumor of God’s wisdom. Their admission magnifies the truth that only the Lord knows the path to wisdom and freely reveals it to those who fear Him (Job 28:28; James 1:5). |
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