Purpose Of Man

Mark out Two Roads for the King of Babylon

Dan

It was my observation in Ezekiel chapter 21 (also in Jeremiah 39) that the end of Jerusalem came to pass. The very idols pursued by Babylon and the rebellious Hebrews were consulted to decide what the King of Babylon should do next. When you read this passage, savor each sentence. Notice how Elohim can use anyone and anything to bring about His plan. He owns everything!

Ezekiel must have chuckled a bit when he first heard this message from Elohim. He was well aware that intense hardship was coming for his people, but the specific details caused him to think deeply. In Ezekiel’s mind, he could see the Babylonian army on the move, marching toward the walls of Jerusalem.

The Hebrews confidently believed their walls would hold, as noted in Lamentations 4:12. But Ezekiel knew better. He could see the decision point coming for the Babylonians. He could see the literal fork in the road. He could see the liver of a sacrificed animal being examined by pagan soothsayers. He could see the Babylonians scratching their beards, gradually deciding which city to attack first.

We should be clear in our thinking; this was not an “either-or” decision for the King of Babylon. It was a “who is first” decision. The King’s army was on the road to crush a widespread rebellion. Both target groups were part of that rebellion. From a tactical view, the King made the correct military decision: cut off the head of the leadership first, and the rest of the rebellion will collapse in time.

Consider how the Israeli military handled its strategy in 2024. Did they not do the exact same thing, minus the liver analysis? Did they get the tactical idea from this ancient passage? Perhaps. The strategy remains highly effective: neutralize one major threat, then systematically move to the next.

Ezekiel 21:19-24 outlines the scene perfectly: “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost where the road branches off to the city. Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: he will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver. Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works. It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.” (NIV)

This is what I think, never doubt the awesome power or the deliberate will of Elohim to achieve His objectives. Never assume you know the only way He will work to solve a problem or cause an event to happen. Never underestimate His creative methods to execute His will and demonstrate His absolute control over history. Do we have free will? Yes, we do. Can our actions and our surroundings be influenced by the Almighty? Absolutely. Selah!

It is notable that King Nebuchadnezzar faced the exact same decision-making issues we face today: incomplete data to render a sound judgment. So, what did he do? He leveraged his soothsayers. Even though he was a ruler with great foresight and sharp political acumen, he had very little knowledge of what was actually in his own best interest. We are reminded by this history to avoid relying on powerful men who stand with their heads held high, wallowing in self-perceived strength. Even the world’s greatest leaders seldom know what truly needs to be done.

I suspect Nebuchadnezzar might have been a bit embarrassed to resort to animal innards to make a military choice. Consider the implication: he was deciding the fate of entire empires based on the ancient equivalent of a modern-day coin toss or the roll of a few dice. His grand decision tools were reduced to a couple of arrows and the random markings on animal organs. What a sad reality.

I say to you, is that the way you want to live your life—making random decisions based on happenstance, or resting secure in Elohim’s plan? Look closely at this situation. The Hebrews experienced a devastating day because they misused their right to exercise free will. Goodness!

As for me, I choose Jesus.

It Is Not Where You Are Looking

Dan

It was my observation while reading the 28th chapter of Job, I noticed a central question that the writer asks: Can wisdom be found outside of God?  Twice, in Job 28:12 and Job 28:20, we read the echoing question, “Where is wisdom?” The short answer is simple: Elohim is the source. True wisdom as a spiritual gift only exists because it is inherent in Elohim and reflects one of his atributes. That is precisely why it cannot be dug up or discovered in the natural world.

While the natural world can and does point us toward wisdom, simply gaining power from natural resources does not make us wise. True wisdom is spiritual, not earthly.  As Colossians 1:9 says: “We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom.”

Ultimately, wisdom is about yielding to God and the scripture he has written in our heart so that we may know His will.  We are getting there (close to embracing Elohim’s wisdom) when we are able to see things from his perspective rather than our own perspective.

The Blueprint of Creation

Job 28:24 tells us, “He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.” God is omniscient, which means He sees and knows everything. He does not have to search the earth or scan the skies to discover what is there. He already knows it all because He is the very definition of wisdom (as implied in Romans 16:27).

Job 28:25 continues, “When He gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure…” God has the perfect wisdom required to adjust the atmospheric pressure of the wind and measure the exact amount of water vapor in the sky. If these cosmic proportions were changed even a tiny fraction, we would experience catastrophic disturbances in our environment.

Furthermore, Job 28:26-27 states: “…when He made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then He saw it and declared it, He established it and searched it out.”

Elohim commands the rain and guides the path of every storm as it moves across the globe. Flashes of lightning and peals of thunder may seem completely random and arbitrary to us, but Elohim controls every single one of them. This shows us that Elohim’s wisdom is applied knowledge.

Trusting the Architect of Our Lives

Elohim’s invisible attributes are woven directly into the fabric of creation. This is especially true of His wisdom, which is clearly demonstrated by how perfectly structured our universe is.

Romans 1:19-20 reminds us: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.”

As Job considered Elohim’s absolute sovereignty over the universe, it caused him to see God’s sovereignty over the painful events in his own life. Even though his current circumstances looked completely chaotic, he looked at how perfectly Elohim orders nature. This realization, I believe, allowed Job to accept that Elohim had permitted everything he was experiencing.

Job saw Elohim ‘s wisdom resting at the very bedrock of creation, enveloping all of life. This wisdom was established at the very beginning of Elohim’s work, as the first of His ancient acts (implied in Proverbs 8:22). Psalm 19:7 confirms this power: “The instruction of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.”

This is what ultimately led Job to ask for an audience with Elohim. If God can control all of creation—in its vastness, complexity, and majesty—how much easier can He control our individual circumstances? If we can trust Elohim to order all of nature so perfectly, how much more can we trust Him and yield to Him to order our daily lives?

The Only Reasonable Conclusion

We can learn a great deal about wisdom by analyzing Elohim’s sovereignty over physical things. When we do, we arrive at the only logical conclusion. Job 28:28 states: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.”

The world warns us against relying on our own understanding. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” And 1 Corinthians 3:18 cautions, “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise.”

Earlier in the chapter, Job told us where to find wisdom: it comes from Elohim. But here in verse 28, he tells us what wisdom actually is: fearing God. But what does fearing God really mean? In my final essay on this topic, I want to explore the depth of that famous phrase—the Fear of the Lord.

As for me, I choose Jesus.

Digging in the Dirt

Dan

It was my observation while considering the 28th chapter of Job, a question emerges, should we pursue wisdom? Let us examine this idea as an interesting source of irony. On the surface, the author of Job appears to be commending human ingenuity. But let us take a closer look at Job’s actual thoughts.

We face great danger when we explore the earth and the sky. We work incredibly hard to build tunnels and caves through solid rock and under mountains, and we bring light to the darkest, farthest places on earth. But to what gain? Money? Wealth? I believe these verses can actually be seen as a criticism of our efforts.

Human beings work tirelessly to find material wealth, but expend very little energy to gain spiritual wisdom—even though wisdom is far more valuable than any physical treasure we pursue. This should cause us to ask ourselves: Do we truly see value in the pursuit of wisdom?

We always pursue what we value. If we value wisdom, we will gladly invest our time and energy to gain the prize. Because we often see little immediate value in it, we do not pursue it.

I think there is a second reason why we do not search for wisdom, which is implied in Job 28:13. The reason is simple: wisdom cannot be found in the inert, physical resources of the land. There is no physical place in all the world where we can dig up wisdom. We may bring many hidden things to light (as implied in Job 28:11), but there is one thing we cannot uncover on our own, and that is Elohim’s wisdom. We will never find the source of Elohim’s wisdom in material wealth.

Consider how Jesus taught this concept. In Matthew 13, He used familiar earthly situations—like a rebellious son, an annoying neighbor, or an unjust judge—to teach heavenly wisdom. He placed earthly, physical stories alongside eternal realities to illustrate them. When the disciples asked Him in Matthew 13:10, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Jesus replied:

“This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand… But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:13-17, NIV)

The core focus here is clear: Elohim’s wisdom is hidden from an impure heart. We cannot find it in the physical elements of the earth. True wisdom is only gained by getting close to Elohim and learning from the Holy Spirit.

The theologian J.I. Packer reminds us that we learn reverence for God through submission. Scripture tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10). Packer writes:

“Not till we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God’s holiness and sovereignty… acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours.” (This attitude is beautifully reflected in Nehemiah 1:5, Deuteronomy 7:21, and Jeremiah 20:11).

Job 28:16-19 reminds us that wisdom “cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold” (NIV).

The world often thinks that anything can be obtained or fixed if we just throw enough money at it. Clearly, this is untrue. Elohim’s wisdom and grace are the true glue that holds our lives and world together.

This leaves us with the ultimate question posed in Job 28:20-21: “From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air.”

Wisdom cannot be found apart from walking with God; it is even concealed from the dead. Job 28:22 says that Abaddon and Death can only say, “We have heard a rumor of it with our ears” (NIV). You cannot find ultimate wisdom in the land of the living, and you cannot dig it up in the land of the dead.

Instead, Job 28:23 gives us the final answer: “God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.” Only God knows where true wisdom resides.

In my next essay from the Book of Job, we will discuss exactly where wisdom is located. Then, we will conclude this series with the ultimate key: the fear of the Lord.

As for me, I choose Jesus.

Where is Wisdom?

Dan

This is my second observation while reading chapter 28 in the book of Job, there is a strong theme presented as a question — Where does man look for wisdom?  Job 28:1-3 says “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that they refine. Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore. Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness.” This quote is a little obtuse when it comes to evidence, but as in most things, patience is a virtue. Continue reading, you will find this observation about exerting hard work to mine precious metals is right on target – we work hard to find things important to us.

Man digs into the darkest parts of the earth to mine silver, gold, iron, and copper…but he doesn’t find wisdom. Job 28:4 says “He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives; they are forgotten by travelers; they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro”.  When Job says they hang in the air and swing to and fro, Job is describing man descending with ropes and swinging back and forth.  Man risks his life digging tunnels where nobody lives, in places people have forgotten about, but he doesn’t find wisdom.  Job 28:5 says “As for the earth, out of it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire.”  Grain and wheat are used to form Bread – the grains come up out of the earth, but when you go down into the earth deep enough there’s nothing but fire, referring to molten rock and lava.

Job 28:6 says “ Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold”. Man finds precious stones such as sapphires and gold …does not find wisdom. Now after 6 verses, we form a theme – many people expend very hard work (mining rock) to learn wisdom on their own (God’s irony makes me smile sometimes). Can it be done? Can we discover wisdom apart from God? So far, their effort has not yielded any discernable wisdom. Let us continue.

Job 28:7 says — “That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon’s eye has not seen it”. Man searches out places no bird has ever flown or seen…but still no wisdom. Job 28:8 says — “The proud beasts have not trodden it; the lion has not passed over it.” Man searches out places that powerful animals (such as the lion) have never gone. Job 28:9-10 says “Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots. He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing.” Man breaks open large rocks and cuts tunnels into them. He finds all manner of precious thing that he believes is important … but he does not take the time to search for wisdom.

Job 28:11-12 says “They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light; But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?” So, where is this place of understanding?  Man creates dams to stop rivers so he can search out riverbeds. If there’s anything valuable hidden in the dark, he brings the valuables to light.  He looks everywhere in pursuit of value, but he doesn’t find wisdom.

Job 28:13 says “No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living.” Man doesn’t find wisdom, because he’s not looking for it, he’s not looking for it in the right place, and he misunderstands value of wisdom.  He’d rather find riches and gold, but… Proverbs 3:15 [Wisdom] “is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her”. Man will look everywhere for wealth; but does not look for wisdom…even though wisdom is more valuable.

In my next two posts I want to answer three questions: (1) should we pursue wisdom? (2) How do we find the source of wisdom? and (3) Can wisdom be found outside of God?

I choose Jesus.

This is How God Draws us Close

Dan

It was my observation while reading the first few chapters of Ezekiel that all of the sequencing happened in a set of visions. Now, in the passage that is the subject for this essay, Ezekiel is coming out of the visions and re-engaging with real life. He seemed startled, not anxious to leave the vision, and even grumpy about the closure.

Ezekiel 3: 12-15 says — Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the Lord rose from the place where it was standing. It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord on me. I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days—deeply distressed [NIV].

I think that this transition from Vision to Real-life is a magnified version of what it is like to go on a weekend Christian retreat that is non-stop teaching and prayer. It is fun, interesting and completely engaging.  Then just as quickly as it began, it stops and we are reunited with our normal routines.   This is a hint of what Ezekiel was feeling. He is lifted up and he hears the angels making noise and they brush their wings together. The noise is deafening.

The angels crowded about to see the wisdom of God packaged up like a mantle and placed upon Ezekiel.  Their noise is a sound like clapping or tapping a table with a spoon at a meeting.  They are crowding in to get a good view.  All this was in place to reinforce the importance of the commissioning of Ezekiel.  Surely, he was also hearing them say something like blessed be the glory of the Lord God from his throne.  We praise God from the heavens, we all his angels praise him for the wisdom displayed (implied in Psalms 148:1-2)

Sometimes, when we know the depth of the calling, we may feel some reluctance. In this case, I do not think he was disobedient to the heavenly vision, not shrinking from the work, as Jonah, but was not at all pleased with the task.  He knows the audience will be exasperated by the message and will be very agitated. So, he resists but has no choice.  He is going. 

Perhaps he was aware of the hard task that Jeremiah had undertook at Jerusalem.  Perhaps he was thinking it would be just as difficult.  Perhaps he knew the opposition Jeremiah met with, how he was abused by the locals, and what poor treatment he endured, and all to no real change.  So he wonders – must I experience the same? His life as a captive was tough enough; but now he was facing the double whammy – the captive prophet to a captive nation scenario.  His self-doubt overcame common sense.  He buckled emotionally and became bitter.

What did God do?  God picked up Ezekiel by the knap of the neck and placed him square in the middle of the rebellious nation.  The hand of the Lord was strong.  Like a firm parent helping a child overcome obstacles that seem like a mountain to the child but a mere speedbump to the parent.  God prevailed and compelled Ezekiel to move forward.  God reminded Ezekiel he was well prepared. 

And so, God gently placed the pouting child in his place of ministry and provided time to digest his fear and his grief.  God helped him to heal and then begin his work. Those who God prepares for a hard job are often humbled greatly before the task begins. This is how he draws us close.   I choose Jesus.

Abundance Leaves no Sleep

Dan

It has been my observation that Solomon demonstrated (in the fifth chapter of Ecclesiastes) the inherent problems with pleasure, gaiety, and public testimony of outstanding personal honor, power, or dignity. He also observes there are many covetous humans that believe money to be worthy of aggressive pursuit and that the voluminous pile of fresh dollar bills will make a person powerful and extremely happy. After setting the premise, Solomon attempts to explain the deeper over-riding problem; he shows that there is much emptiness in wealth; the pride of life tugs on all of us. Therefore, a man can make himself no happier by hoarding wealth than by spending it. Neither condition brings happiness or peace that overcomes the troubles of the day. Only God can bring peace to our troubled soul.

Ecclesiastes 5:9-17 says — The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the field. Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb and as everyone comes; so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes; so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? [NIV].

Our profit from the earth is for all; it is appointed for all; there is enough for all; the same fertile soil supports food for cattle and food for men (implied in Ecclesiastes 5:9 and Psalms 68:7-10). Solomon maintains that excess riches support hoarding and vanity, they will not make a man’s life easy or happy. Jesus said — a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses (Luke 12:15). Our spirit filled heart will rest when the goals are met, but the greed in us can drive us further. We often strive for a bit more. Learn to resist. Learn to rest.

Jesus said in Luke 12:27-31 — Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well [NIV].

The more wealth we accumulate the more anxiety we garner; the collecting of wealth disrupts our rest (Ecclesiastes 5:12). We sleep better when we work hard and have only what we work for; the balance between working and becoming weary facilitates our ability to sleep. When our head is full of troubles, they drive away the sleep we need to be ready for tomorrow. After spending time in the service of others and of God, the sleep of the diligent Christian will be fruitful; we settle in, we rest from a good day’s work.

Those that have accumulated too much often are unable to secure a good night’s rest. Either their eyes are held open, their sleep is unquiet, or their sleep does not refresh; the anxiety over their abundance disturbs their rest (implied in Luke 12:16-21). The abundance vexes the heart, makes them sick with ulcers, and so hinders their rest. God gives his beloved the rest they need, so they are ready for work on the next day. I choose Jesus.

The Bottom of the Glass

Dan

It has been my observation while reading Ecclesiastes that Solomon struggled to find meaning in Life. He had the resources to explore a wide range of avenues looking for wisdom and meaning. In Ecclesiastes 2:1-3 Solomon leaps into the fray with the following observation, “I said to myself ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’ But that also proved to be meaningless. ‘Laughter,’ I said, is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish? I tried cheering myself with wine and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.” [NIV]

Solomon was struggling, trying to put his finger on the nature of wisdom and the fullness of meaning in his life. He tried pleasure (a form of hedonism) to determine if there was something to be learned. He pursued anything he wanted, any woman, any object, any experience. Nothing was out of bounds for the king. Yet this failed. Both pleasure and laughter were unable to calm the angst in his heart as he searched for peace and meaning in life.

He filled up vessel after vessel with wine, hoping the buzz would dull the angst. As many people do, he looked for wisdom at the bottom of an empty glass. Finding none, he turned to other things, see Ecclesiastes 2:4-11 “I undertook great projects: I built houses … planted vineyards … planted all kinds of fruit trees … made reservoirs … owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem … I amassed silver and gold …. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me …. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” [NIV]

 So, what happened? He had achieved all we could imagine when defining success. He had money, possessions, power, prestige, and pleasure. He had it all, and he had done it all “for himself.” There was a reason he struggled to find purpose. This reason was simple – God was not part of the plan, rather Solomon was busy working on self, building for self, looking for satisfaction of self with little regard to the negative impact on others (effort and taxes of the common folk to build stuff) or benefit to anyone else but himself. 

He learns the hard way that leisure and entertainment are not valuable to anyone including himself if there is no intent or external goal associated with the effort. It is not enough to see a new thing, do a new thing, or experience a new thing; if all we are accomplishing is the receipt of something, then we are left with angst.

Giving is not just a mantra, it is central to the way we are made, the way we think, the way we find meaning in life. When we think of others before self our angst begins to dissipate. When we give to others, our angst begins to dissipate. As a man thinks – a Man is (implied in Proverbs 23:7). As the Father gave to us – we are designed to give to others. After all, we are created in his image. Giving only to self is counterproductive to who we are, why we are, how we are designed to function.

What do we do? Isaiah 43:6-7 says, “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” [NIV]

What do we do? We respond to the call!

I choose Jesus.