Is wisdom found among those living in this world? According to Job it is not (Job 28:12-28). Let us be sure to understand Job’s point, however. Job recognizes that wisdom is in this world, but the wisdom that is in this world is not a wisdom within man to generate. In fact, there is nothing in man that is able to generate wisdom – that is, a wisdom that understands what is really significant about this world and one’s travel to the next.

To be sure, many in this world have the word “wise” ascribed to them by others. In worldly matters there may be some wisdom. The wisdom they ascribe, however, is only a perceived wisdom. What will that wisdom do for them? In the end it will do very little, even if it has done much for them in this material world.

It will do little because the wisdom of the world looks upon the wisdom of God as being nothing but silliness and wishful thinking. These same people who arrogantly dismiss the Lord’s wisdom have no wisdom to help them with the prospect of death and what is on the other side. In their final breath they are screaming out how wrong they have been.

Though there is in man no inherent wisdom that is able to change a man profoundly, as Job recognized, the wisdom that does change man in a profound way is that wisdom that is of the Lord. “And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding'” (Job 28:28, ESV). RT