Job’s friends had clearly failed to take advantage of revelation. Instead, they relied on their own reasoning as to how things worked, a miserable failure. Job continues his speech by explaining how wisdom is not within human reach, but requires full submission to God.
Job leads of with descriptions of primitive mining. The most valuable material things among men required digging into the earth. He describes vertical shaft mining in remote places to set the tone of how much trouble it is to harvest mineral treasures. Miners try to bring daylight to the deepest reaches of the earth. No other creatures invest so much effort in something that cannot be eaten. Given the technological advances, Job supposed mankind had probably found just about everything of value from such extreme efforts.
But the one thing man needs most in this world is not found in mines. More, what men can dig up from such extravagant searches for material wealth cannot buy that one thing we all need. No matter what you can find, make or pile up in terms of things mankind values, none of it — all of it together — cannot purchase wisdom. Could we find a way to search the bottom of the sea, or visit the abode of the dead, we would not find it. Human treasures cannot be weighed in terms of wisdom because the slightest glimmer of wisdom tips the scales against all human wealth and power.
So where do men get wisdom? If you charmed every other living creature, none of them would be able to lead to it. If you could ask the spirit beings in charge of God’s wrath — Abaddon and Death — the best you could get is a report that it could be found, but they haven’t actually seen it themselves. God alone knows the path to wisdom. When He began Creation, He wove wisdom into it. Against the vast reaches of our universe, He alone understands how this reality works. Then He declared to all men that the entry to the path of wisdom is embracing His revelation.
Subtle it may be, but Job drives home the point that human effort cannot discover the moral fabric of the universe. They can receive it only from above. Job implies all the blather from the trio was merely the echoes of their own limited understanding, their own reasoning, and bore no connection to what God had revealed up that point.
