Job: Chapter 28

Job Continues: Where Is Wisdom?

Crestone Needle | Colorado

Naturally, we can search for silver and find it. We long to discover gold, we do so and refine it to make beautiful things of great worth. We mine the iron we find on the earth and smelt from that ore to create copper. Man has put light where there is darkness, we have lit the world so that darkness does not rule the night. We venture to all corners of the earth and discover the limits of creation, we search deep in the darkness to discover the fine ore that was hidden from our eyes long ago. What we see on the surface of the earth are beauty, nature, wonderful things that bring joy. But underneath all things at the core are refined through fire and heat. We spin on the outskirts of a great ball of fire. Even the falcon's eye has not seen that which is beneath, proud beasts have not put hoof nor paw to this, even the lion who is considered kind has not passed over this coveted thing. Man breaks the rock and overturns all mountains by the roots, we seek high and low in a search for this thing that cannot be found. With our eyes, we see all the beauty of this wondrous creation and witness glory, yet we cannot see that which is hidden. We dam up streams to bring them to a halt and control them, we ensure nothing is hidden through bringing light to it - but this still cannot be found? Thus, where is the wisdom found that alludes to man? What foundation flows wisdom that we may drink it in like water for the mind and soul? We cannot comprehend just how vital wisdom is, we cheat ourselves by pursuing the above tangible things that are shiny and of monetary value. Wisdom is not found in the land of the living, the depths of the earth say, 'It is not in me,' the ocean floor says, 'It is not with me.' You cannot purchase it, regardless of all the gold of Ophir, nor precious onyx or sapphire, anything you offer cannot validate a purchase of this allusive trait. There is no equal to it, it cannot be traded for nor exchanged. If it cannot be bought, regardless of your purchase price, how then do we attain it? We live in a world that is valued through what we can buy, how do we comprehend something that isn't bought? Where does this wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding? If it is hidden from even the sharpest of eyes that fly through the air, how might I find it? It is concealed. Not even the Angel of Death knows where it is found, they say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.' They tell us that God understands the way to it, and He knows its place. He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. God described this to us: "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding."

Wisdom, where are you? We all have a yearning deep within us that seeks wisdom and the knowledge of understanding. Yet, we do not seek it with all the vigor of the person who longs and is driven to be successful. (This concept of being successful is something each person has to evaluate within themselves, success is not the same for every person.) In Genesis 3, Satan used the concept of wisdom and knowledge to tempt Adam & Eve in the Garden. With the knowledge of good and evil, if we could decipher this perfectly, life would look a lot different. No man can fully understand the concept of wisdom because no man is perfectly wise. The pursuit of wisdom is often vain because we never reach the point where we do not make mistakes, which would be the ultimate goal of being wise. However, there is something we often forget, we are broken and sinful people and cannot attain perfection through ourselves. We cannot become perfectly wise, it is impossible. It is my belief that becoming wise is something that we do over time and through many, many mistakes. If it wasn't for all the mistakes I have made in life, I would not be the man I am today, I would not have acquired wisdom through making the right choice, wisdom is learning from the mistakes you have made and not getting caught in the same mistake the next time it is brought before you as a temptation. Seeing the truth, not the lie, is wisdom. Understanding the consequences of the choice and choosing to seek that which is likely less exciting or pleasurable at the moment for something more valuable in the future, is wisdom. The crafty serpent will seek to lure us into situations we cannot escape, he will tempt us with all the pleasures of the world, he will catch us in his snare and seek to devour us, we will fall but we can be lifted up and brought out of the darkness through someone who is perfect. This does not mean we will not fall again, but we can be acquiring wisdom through our poor choices and learn to follow that which gives life, not death.

Dear lord, we seek and do not find wisdom on a daily basis. There are so many opportunities for me to learn, yet I do not. I seek things that never satisfy long-term, only my temporary satisfaction is fulfilled, teach me to learn the art of wisdom and understanding. Patience and foundational truth often evade my thoughts, place them at the forefront of my mind. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2021 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapters 25-27

Bildad Speaks: Man Cannot Be Righteous

Keystone Resort | Keystone, Colorado

All power and all things are with God. He creates peace and pain, agony and joy. He is the author of all things. Do you dare to try and quantify God? The light He created touches all things and from his mouth, all things were made. How could you, man, possibly be right before God? You are born of woman, not God. You are born into sin and therefore cannot be pure. Even the moon is imperfect in the sight of the Lord, the stars shine impurely, how could you - a man - consider yourself more than the moon and stars? You are nothing but a worm!

Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable

Well, how can I ever thank you for all of your wisdom? Amazing! You have helped the man with no power by giving him nothing! Remarkable how you have uttered so many words with no weight behind any of them. All are naked before the Almighty God, none can hide from His presence. He stretches the sky and covers the areas he wants to cover, he brings the moisture from the oceans to the clouds and tells the rain when to fall, he shades the moon with clouds and covers its light. He tells the darkness how far it can go and commands the light to overtake the dark in His time. The foundations of Heaven tremble and fear the sound of His rebukes. He makes the seas still, He shatters all countries that he chooses, merely by His voice He commanded the winds to make Heaven as it is, He commanded Satan to be gone and it was so. We know almost nothing of Him, but look at what He has done and see more of Him. We cannot comprehend His power; we should fear it greatly.

Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity

With God as my witness, He who has made my soul bitter towards Him, for as long as I continue to breathe and there is life within my body, and the Holy Spirit remains within me, I will not utter false words and I shall not deceive Him. My integrity is all I have left, I have been left in the darkness with no forecast of light in my future, I will not let go of it. Whoever rises up against me, just like you, my friends who offer terrible advice, should be counted as the unrighteous. Those who are cut off from God, like me, what is their hope? Will God hear me as I cry out in the night? Will I take delight in Him? Will I call upon God regardless of circumstance? Let me instruct you on the ways of God's hands: All of you have seen these things for yourselves, why do you all live in vain now? The wicked man receives this portion: If they have many children and children of their children, yet they are not given enough food to feed those within their family, they fall upon the sword and are lost. Though they may be blessed with riches untold and pile up luxuries unlike any others, the righteous will wear it and the innocent will divvy up their money. The wicked man builds his house on a foundation of vanity, his life is fleeting and meaningless without a foundation of the eternal. Terror overwhelms his thoughts and the east wind blows and he is swept away, out of place, and cannot find the meaning behind his life. He will flee from this power and chases him away from any joy.

Dear Lord, there are many challenges I face on a daily basis that attempt to steer me away from my integrity. It is a challenge to live a life of integrity day in and day out. There are many echoes within my mind and heart that yearn to be rebellious whether it is towards others or you. I know your majesty if never-ending and I cannot comprehend who you are fully, continue to show me glimpses of your glory during my daily life so that I might continue to choose you over the world. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2021 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapters 22-24

Eliphaz Speaks: Job's Wickedness Is Great

Arapahoe Basin - Colorado

Are you arrogant enough to believe you profit God? Clearly, you have profited yourself and God has found no pleasure in your 'right' actions. Therefore you must not be acting rightly, He profits not from your blameless ways, not that I believe for a second that you are blameless. Do you think he punishes you due to your fear of Him? He judges you because you have honored Him? Your evil is rampant within your heart, even though it isn't obvious to man, but God sees the iniquities of your ways. You allow your brothers to suffer, you strip those who have nothing and leave them with less than before, you've withheld food from the hungry and stuffed your coffers with a surplus, those who are thirsty are offered nothing but the door. Widows come before you and you refuse aid, the fatherless child cries and you turn away, this is why you are surrounded by tragedy - because of your actions! Will you stay on this trodden path that many wicked men have walked and continue to consider yourself upright? Look to the heavens! Does not God reign above all and see all? Or, are you cynical enough to believe that there is a veil between yourself and God? Perhaps you believe your true self is not visible to the Almighty? God blessed your house with riches and wealth beyond your worth, now you shake your fist at God because he has stripped away from your ill-gotten gains? You are lying to yourself! Agree with God's judgment of you and be at peace, listen for instructions from His mouth and store those words in your heart for the rest of your days. If you return to the Almighty and rebuke the life you have lived He will bless you abundantly. Merely remove injustice from your house and seek redemption, then he will bless you with gold and precious silver. You must pay your vows and then God will shine His light on you. He saves the lowly and delivers even those like you, who are not innocent, you cannot be saved by the cleanliness of your own hands.

Job Replies: Where Is God?

God has appointed me with this suffering and I do not understand His ways. I have held my ground and suffer on His foundational truth. However, I am bitter, my heart weighs heavy and I have been groaning for His presence. I yearn to be with Him and lay my case before the Almighty that He might bring me out of this darkness. I have many arguments I can bring before Him as to why I don't deserve that which has befallen me. If this opportunity were presented He would answer my contentions and I would understand His response. However, I press forward and He is not there, I look around in every direction and I cannot see Him. But, He knows the direction of my feet and He will bless me in the end. I have withstood these trials and treasured His commandments as morsels. His plan is the only plan, how can I rebuke it? Regardless of my opinion, He is God, God does what pleases Him. All that said: I am terrified at the thought of Him currently, He has weakened my heart and I am silenced in the weighing darkness.

Why doesn't the Almighty judge those who openly rebuke Him? Evil moves through people like snakes in the ground on earth, they make they're living off the pain and suffering of others and seek only to gratify themselves. Those who know Him still contend with the suffering of the world, why is this reality? There are many who are suffering within the world and it seems they are never restored from their agony. There are others who rebel against God and seek to watch the world burn. The adulterer waits for the cover of night and veils their face, they seek to strip pleasure from those who are weak and frail. They move in the shadows and live a life that is built on lies. They take advantage of those who are unable to see the lies in their eyes. Yet, God prolongs their days by His power and He watches their ways. They are raised up for a time and then disappear, eventually, they are brought low and gathered up like everyone else. If this isn't true, show me the truth?

Dear Lord, sometimes it is hard to find you through the veiled darkness that I have before me. I see you only through a cloud of my own sin and it keeps me from understanding you more and more. I fear you and I love you, I seek you and I run from you, I cherish you and I despise you, I am always changing my perspective on you so that it fits my own agenda. Change in me the way that I see you and your love. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2021 Jordan Tackett

Job: Chapters 20-21

Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer

The Moon

The thoughts within my head answer the questions I have about you. I must hurry this process along and end this debate. Do you not remember that since Adam was placed on earth that the wicked prosper for but a short time? They only experience a temporary fulfillment of joy that is not everlasting? Yes, as a mortal man he may reach new heights and experience happiness abounding - to a point - but he will perish forever like his cattle's excrement in the field. So temporary will his existence be that those who saw his attained glory will forget him like mist on the mountain. He does not lay a foundation, he merely builds up a house that shall soon be forgotten in his children and their children after them. Evil always comes to a stopping point and all who fell under his silver tongue will be forgotten. The stomach of evil prosper does not settle, it is uneasy and regurgitates all that he has swallowed during his tenure. He will not see the rivers of flowing honey or taste the everlasting life that can be found outside of himself. He yearns for a life of fulfillment but it never satisfies. After he has eaten and tasted the fruit, there is nothing left. All is vanity, in the end, he will ask questions about why life was seemingly wonderful from the outside but painfully empty within. God will reveal all his iniquity on the day of death and the earth that blessed him with riches will turn against him. All his possessions will flee from him like flowing water over the rocks and cease to be his. This is what the wicked man will receive from God - vanity of vanities on a foundation of vanity.

Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper

Listen to me, again. Find comfort in the words I am about to say, then continue to mock me after I have spoken. When did I say my complaint was against man? I am impatient with God - not man. Look at me! You see nothing but offenses and shudder at the condition of my flesh. You say the wicked suffer, but why do they grow old and fatten themselves on the fruits of God's creation? They grow mighty in power and prestige among the worldly. Their children are blessed before their eyes as well as their children. Their lineage does not even think about fear nor do they condone any idea of suffering, it isn't even in their language. Their cattle are fattened and produce great yields, their children dance in joy, they sing joyful songs and enjoy happiness while rejoicing in their splendor. They curse God and tell him to stay away from them. Why do we need God? Who is He? They say. This is their lot in life. Yet, how often is their luxurious livelihood taken from them? When does God snuff out their blasphemy of Him? You tell me that God stores up these iniquities and will bring wrath about their house someday. They do not care if their house falls after they have reaped what they sow, as you said, they seek everything they can in the moment. What is it to them if their children or grandchildren suffer pain due to their personal transgressions? They are not seeking to teach God, they are seeking to soak up as much satisfaction as they can for as long as they can. One man dies in prosperity and is placed in the ground the same way as the man who never experienced prosperity, both are bitter and to what end? There is merely foundational truth that satisfies any man, regardless of their lot in life. How are you possibly going to comfort me with empty nothings? You speak nothing but false utterances and hearken your ear to anything sweet that you hear from "spirits".

Dear Lord, it is hard to watch the wicked prosper. The idea that they are furthering themselves from you by never truly experiencing a "need" is not a comfort to my heart when I think about their actions (actions I to experience). Show me how to exercise humility and see that they have earned their blessings, even if they haven't earned it rightly, show me how to show them grace. Show them how to experience your grace even within their prosperity. We must stop drawing enemy lines and learn to hear before we speak, offer grace before critique. Lord help me to love anyway. Amen. 

All images © 2015 - 2021 Jordan Tackett