AS JOB proceeds he says some remarkable things about the wonders of creation. These things were true, but they were lost sight of by man later on, thus bearing out the truth of the Scriptures (Romans 1) where we read that men, professing themselves to be wise, became fools.
In verse 7 he says, “He stretcheth out the north over the empty space,” and it is remarkable how few stars there are in the north compared with the myriads visible in the southern sky. Then he speaks of the earth as a sphere ("He hath traced a fixed circle over the waters,” v. 10, J.N.D. Trans.), though men did not make this discovery until only a few centuries ago. “He hangeth the earth upon nothing.” How sublime is the testimony of Scripture to the power of God in creation, as compared to the wild notions of the heathen who had lost the knowledge of God. But at the same time Job speaks of “the pillars of heaven.” v. 11. Then in verse 13 he attributes to God the furnishing of the heavens. “His hand hath formed the fleeing serpent,” evidently a reference to one of the constellations.
Job’s concluding remarks at the end of this chapter are also remarkable. “Lo, these are the borders of His ways; but what a whisper of a word do we hear of Him! And the thunder of His power, who can understand?” J.N.D. Trans. Job had a desire to know more of God and His ways with man, but he did not have the precious Book we possess, the Bible, which is the full revelation of the mind of God. According to Romans 1:2020For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20), God holds man responsible for not allowing creation to speak to him of God’s eternal power and Godhead; but now those who do not desire to know more from His written Word are held under greater responsibility (Rom. 1:16-1816For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:16‑18)).
In chapter 27 Job drops back into pleading his own righteousness; he complains that God had taken away his right and embittered his soul. Still he says, “My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: ray heart will not reproach me as long as I live.” This is self-vindication, showing up what is so natural to the heart of man. It was found in the heart of Adam when God asked him, “Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” Gen. 3:1111And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? (Genesis 3:11). Job had to learn that there was something else in his ways before God for which He was dealing with him.
In the latter part of this chapter Job attempts to show his friends that though the ungodly man does go on for a time, as if God were indifferent to what he was doing, yet God would eventually bring him to account for it all.
In chapter 28 Job seems to forget his own troubles and speaks in a remarkable way of the wisdom of God which is far beyond man’s ability to find out. He sets forth in this chapter something of the great activity of man in his search for the treasures that lie deep in the earth, and it is remarkable the knowledge they had of these things in those early times. Job describes in vivid language the path of the miner, and speaks of how he overturns mountains by the roots and turns rivers out of their courses in the process of bringing out the precious stones and metals. Though the miner has the ability and wisdom to do all these things, yet Job shows that in all this he cannot find out the wisdom of God. It cannot be gotten for gold, nor precious stones; the price thereof is far above rubies. True wisdom is not found in the earth; it comes down from heaven. We know now that it is found alone in Christ.
ML-06/12/1960