Even in Christian circles you don't often hear people talking about the book of Job. Let's admit it--preaching on the book of Job is bad for church attendance. It's a downer. The message of Job doesn't neatly fit between last week's message of "10 steps to a happier you" and next week's message of "Exerting your authority in Christ to shape your reality." If we do hear anything on the book of Job, we'll likely get the fast-food version: "Once there was a guy named Job who went through a hard time. People gave him bad advice, but God blessed him in the end." All of those statements are true, but they miss the heart of the book. The book of Job is not about Job--it is about God.

We have the tendency as human beings to put ourselves on center stage. I remember once hearing a preacher speak on the book of Job. The preacher's main point boiled down to that Job was in the mess he was in due to his fear and due to his negative confessions. At any time during his trial, Job could have just stood up, commanded the universe to do his bidding, and all would have been well. 

What a load of rubbish. Only God commands center stage.

The book of Job is about the mystery, the glory and the unsearchable-ness of God almighty. It's about a group of guys sitting around and doing their best to try to make sense of God in light of a recent tragedy. Have you ever been at that place? If so, you're not alone.

In the first two chapters of Job, we see his trial. In the last five chapters, we hear God's response and see a resolution to Job's trial. In between, we have 36 chapters we're a little embarrassed about. What do you do with 36 excruciating chapters of dialogue between Job and his friends? Shouldn't we just skip those chapters and jump ahead to the end? Go right ahead, but you'll miss at least one treasure in God's word. You'll miss chapter 28. 

Chapter 28 is about Job, scratching his head, and wondering where wisdom--the answer to his questions--comes from. Job starts the chapter with the imagery of a miner looking for treasure. The miner searches the farthest recesses of the earth in a dark shaft where no eyes see and "Brings hidden things (gold, sapphires and other treasure) to light" --v.11. But Job is quick to add in verse 12 "But where can wisdom be found?" Job then goes on and says where wisdom is not (he must of already looked there): it is not in the land of the living, nor can it be bought with money. It is not in the sea or in the deep. Death and destruction don't know where to find it either (verses 14-22). Wisdom is of such surpassing value that "Man does not comprehend its worth" v.13. But where can we get wisdom?

Wisdom is found in only one place, "God understands the way to it (wisdom) and He alone knows where it dwells" v. 23. If you want wisdom--understanding for not only the practical things but also for the most baffling things--you've got to go to God. He has the corner on the market. And God is not stingy. He tells mankind, "The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding" v. 28.

What is the fear of the Lord? The fear of the Lord is to see God and ourselves with the correct perspective: He is "I AM," the eternal one, the creator of all. We are his loved creation. And that correct perspective has a very practical application: "to shun evil" v. 28. Let us walk in the fear of the Lord in how we live day by day. The wise are not just right thinkers, but right do-ers.

"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day, but the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble." --Proverbs 4:18-19