God Gives Wisdom and Understanding

Job 12:1-12

1 Then Job answered and said:

2 "No doubt you are the people,
And wisdom will die with you!

3 But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?

4 "I am one mocked by his friends,
Who called on God, and He answered him,
The just and blameless who is ridiculed.

5 A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
It is made ready for those whose feet slip.

6 The tents of robbers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure—
In what God provides by His hand.

7 "But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.

9 Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?

11 Does not the ear test words
And the mouth taste its food?

12 Wisdom is with aged men,
And with length of days, understanding.

The hand of the LORD has done this.  That was the answer for the self-appointed counselors of Job, the one called just and blameless by Him.  Job pointed out sarcastically that the wisdom of the people, even of humanity by implication, would die with them.  He pointed out that the things they claimed, he knew also; he was no less than they in understanding, and much of it really is common knowledge.  They just want to mock the man who has been knocked down and forget that Job is the one who heard from God when Job ask Him about things.  Not them.  They ridiculed him and blamed his circumstances on imagined sin because they believed that sickness and suffering always came as a consequence of sin.  This bad teaching continues to the present day, unfortunately, and even within the church!  People look past God’s providence and sovereign grace to only see works as earning favor or punishment, just as the friends of Job here.  He likens himself as a righteous lamp giving light to guide others, yet good times make it seem unnecessary; only when the darkness creeps in and their feet slip do they want to have its guidance on the immediate path under their feet to avoid trouble.  Even thieves and critics of God find His providential grace, however.  He shines light on all (Proverbs 29:13, Matthew 5:45).  All of creation knows that God has made and governs everything and everyone; He holds our lives in His hands, not we ourselves.  He gives us life and breath.  Wisdom then is to taste and see that God is good (Psalm 34:8, 1 Peter 2:2-3).  We look into His word, knowing it comes from Him, and learn to trust His providence and goodness through all circumstances, good and bad.  He allows all for our good, not to destroy us, as He gives us Light for our path in His word through others (Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 10:8).  May we grasp and understand these things with humility.  Remember, God gives wisdom and understanding that we might rightly judge all things in humility and with grace, not in condemnation and accusations like Job’s three friends with misguided counsel.