God Imparts Wisdom

IN THIS SERIES on God and Creation, the first part introduced us to God, the great supreme Creator of the Universe. Many of God’s characteristics are mentioned in the conversation recorded in the Book of Job, taking place between God and Job. One of the most difficult questions asked Job was, “Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?” (Job 38:36) The lower animal creations are governed largely by what we call instinct. From the time of their birth they seem naturally to follow a certain pattern, and while many of them can be trained to obey somewhat the directives of their masters, there is no evidence that they really understand why. Certainly, as implied in the question asked Job, the lower animals do not possess a ‘heart’ knowledge, or appreciation of their existence, or of their course of action.

IN GOD’S IMAGE

But with man it is different. He is able to reason, at least to a limited degree, from the known to the unknown. He knows that some things are right, and other things are wrong. He has a conscience which is pricked when he does wrong, and affords contentment and peace of mind when he does right. Man in his folly—that is, the “fool” who says in his heart, “there is no God” (Ps. 14:1)—has advanced many fancy theories concerning the alleged ascent of man from protoplasm to his present state. They have explained what has brought about this and that change in the anatomy of animals, finally leading to the human species; but no one has even attempted to answer the question put to Job, ‘Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts’ of man, ‘or who hath given understanding to the heart?’

There is only one answer to this question. It is God’s answer recorded in his own inspired Word for our instruction and encouragement. It is found in the very first chapter of the Bible, verses twenty-seven and twenty-eight. Here we are informed that man is as he is, superior to even the highest form of lower animals, capable of reasoning, of planning, of inventing, of knowing right from wrong, because he was created in the image of God. When the evolutionists find a reasonable, valid, provable explanation of how this difference between man and his alleged nearest of kin among the brute creation accidentally came about, they will be a little more worthy of being given a serious hearing than at present.

ANIMAL INSTINCTS DISPLAY CREATIVE WISDOM

Throughout chapter thirty-nine of the Book of Job, a number of questions are recorded, the answers to which must also be negative where human wisdom is concerned. These questions pertain to the marvelous instincts displayed by various animals and birds. The chapter begins with these questions, “Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows. Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.”—vss. 1-4

Then the Lord called attention to the different characteristics of other animals, “Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.”—vss. 5-8

Again, “Will the unicorn [wild ox] be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?” (vss. 9-12) There is what we speak of as domestic animals, which with little effort can be trained to serve man. But here God called Job’s attention to other varieties, animals which are wild and refuse to submit to human training. The question is who is responsible for these differences?

Neither Job nor we are wise enough to understand the creative processes which brought about this almost endless variety. The poet, Joyce Kilmer, wrote, “Only God can make a tree,” and this fact is even more striking when we consider the thousands of varieties of trees, plants, and flowers, as well as the great variety found in the animal kingdom. Only a Supreme, Intelligent Creator could produce this endless array of created things, with each one in its own wonderful way displaying the wisdom and power of its Creator. This is the God who, “in the beginning … created the heaven and the earth.”—Gen. 1:1

As if Job would not yet realize how little he understood of the wisdom and power of the Creator, further questions were asked him. “Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?” the Lord inquired. (Job 39:13) All birds have feathers and wings, but how vastly different they are. The peacock is noted for the beauty of its plumage, hence it is used here as a contrasting example. The ostrich, on the other hand, is rather plain in appearance. What made the difference between the two? The fortuitousness of evolution or the wisdom and power of the Creator?

In most cases the birds and lower animals instinctively exercise great care over their young; the birds even watch over the eggs from which their offspring are hatched. If this maternal instinct of the lower creations was the product of evolution, reason tells us that there would be no exceptions, for the same influences would have governed the evolutionary processes of all. But there are exceptions, and in questioning Job, God called attention to one. Referring to the ostrich, the Lord said, “Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust [instead of sitting on them], And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her’s: her labour is in vain without fear; Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.”—vss. 14-18

Evolutionists would be at a loss to explain why the mother ostrich takes no interest in her young. God’s explanation alone reveals the reason for this paradox of nature, that explanation being that he ‘hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.’ But he did give the ostrich swiftness and strength so that ‘she scorneth the horse and his rider.’ If we remove God from Creation, we would have here another unanswered question.

INSTINCT OR ENDOWMENT?

In the closing verses of chapter thirty-nine, another convincing thought is brought to our attention. Job is asked, “Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.”—vss. 26-30

In calling our attention to the habits of the hawk and the eagle, the Lord reminds us of the numberless peculiarities which exist in the life habits of the animal kingdom. There are the migratory birds which move from north to south, and from south to north, with the changing seasons. There are the swimming birds, and the singing birds; the screech owls and talking parrots; the gorgeously handsome birds, and the drab, colorless birds.

But why stop with the birds? The same variety exists among the land animals, the trees, the flowers, and the insects. There is only one thing common to them all, which is, that they have life—either animate or inanimate. Unbelieving human wisdom, in its folly, contends that all these myriad forms of plant and animal life just happened to develop as they did; but no one has yet been able to explain how they live. The origin of life is unknown, apart from the explanation given to us in the Scriptures that ‘in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’

Accepting this fact, as the many otherwise unanswerable questions asked Job impel us to do, then we know the answer to them all, that answer being that the infinite wisdom and almighty power of a personal God and Creator is responsible for awe-inspiring works of Creation which are so marvelously displayed in the heavens, on the earth, and in the sea.

In chapters forty and forty-one, God reminded Job of certain great monsters of the land and of the sea such as “behemoth” [probably the elephant], and “leviathan” [the whale, perhaps, or some other sea monster]. (Job 40:15; 41:1) Job was made to realize that here again are marvels of Creation which he could not explain, and at last he answered the Lord, saying, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”—chap. 42:2

Thus Job reached the point where he realized that the only answer to all the mysteries of Creation is that they are the work of an intelligent Creator. This was the answer also to the problem of suffering. How could he question the wisdom of the great Creator in permitting him to suffer for a while? Surely the infinite wisdom displayed in all the creative works of God knew what was best for him. Should we not all reach this conclusion, and especially so if we would understand the meaning of our existence, and be inspired with hope in contemplating the eternal destiny which the Creator has designed for his human family?

‘I know that thou canst do every thing,’ said Job to his God. If we know this, then we have a foundation of faith upon which we can build a true knowledge of God and of his all-wise and loving design in man’s creation. If we believe that he can do everything, no explanation of his plans and purposes which he has given in his Word will be disbelieved; no instructions will go unheeded or disobeyed; and no promise he has made, regardless of how far-reaching, or, from the human standpoint, impossible of accomplishment, will be doubted.

The wisdom and power of God are wonderfully displayed in his creative works with which we are surrounded. However, had we no further revelation of God than these, we would have many reasons to wonder about his justice and love. These attributes of the Creator we will find revealed in his written Word as we become acquainted with his great plan of the ages for the recovery of his human Creation from sin and death.

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