Job 17:10

10 But ['uwlam] as for you all, do ye return [shuwb], and come now [bow']: for I cannot find [matsa'] one wise [chakam] man among you. KJV-Interlinear

10 'But come again all of you now, For I do not find a wise man among you. NASB

'But, come on now. Get real. I haven't heard one smart thing from anyone yet.' So says Job.

He has three friends sitting with him now. Their names are Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Elihu will be introduced in chapter 32. And even though he hasn't been mentioned yet, he is there, none the less, listening to all of these three 'older' men speak.

Due to the nature of the times in which Job lived, we can easily presume that these men did not travel to Jobs home, by themselves, because of robbers and such, but were accompanied by several other travelers, servants perhaps. And of course there is Jobs wife, who is doing what one would expect her to be doing, and that is taking care of all of her guests.

Currently there exists a gang verses Job in this conversation. The gang members have knowledge of many proverbs, sayings, and truths, which are universally known and accepted, but their application of them to Jobs specific situation is in error. They have not understood the situation, nor have they reviewed any of the facts of Jobs situation.

They have done nothing but presumed Jobs guilt, because of the magnitude of his suffering.

Knowledge is the basis for wisdom, but knowledge is not wisdom.

Wisdom requires common sense, objectivity, analysis, fairness, empathy, and so forth. Experiences in life serve to aid in ones understanding of the various circumstances of life, but experiences are feedback ingredients only.

If a person is biased, or has some preconceived ideas or beliefs, then his analysis and objectivity, and therefore his conclusions, are cancelled out.

We just watched a show on the History channel, about Galileo and the Inquisition. Galileo was making astronomy discoveries with his newly created telescope, and was promoting Copernicus's theory that the earth revolved around the sun, rather than the universal belief that the sun revolved around the earth.

This was not received well by the Catholic Church and rather than look into the telescope to see the proof, they wanted to destroy Galileo. Beliefs that the earth was the center of the universe had existed since Aristotle came up with the idea many, many centuries earlier. Why confuse a long established belief, with facts?

Today we see this as silly, of course, but then people still treat life with their own preconceived ideas, based on emotions rather than with facts. Look as nearly every topic that is in the news these days. Look at all of the religions in the world. Look at all of the opinions that are floating around society. They all can't be right. So while the flat world and the earth being the center of the universe discussions are not on the table these days, there is ample room for prejudice in knowledge even in our current day.

And prejudice in knowledge is the greatest single barrier that prevents the advancement toward wisdom. Prejudice arises from insecurities and lusts, and even from fears.

When people are closed minded, or narrow minded, then they become unteachable or unchangeable. If they are set in their ways, and when one refuses to consider other possibilities, possibilities founded in fact, as opposed to their beliefs or preferences, which are founded in emotions, then mistakes are made. And the greater the mistakes, the greater the wrong decisions, and the greater the eventual loss and suffering will become.

Remember, the blessings of truth are withheld from those who reject truth. The curses of lies always fall on those who embrace them.

Politics and celebrityship tend to exploit the uncertainties and ambiguities of life, such that if anyone does anything that is right and true, then they are immediately attacked or investigated in order to put them in their place. Mediocrity and public opinion assume authority and the door is left wide open for disaster.

Mediocrity votes for mediocrity, and then mediocrity rules.

Job was in a difficult way. His friends intended to keep him there, and even to destroy his reputation permanently by getting him to confess to a lie. They presumed that he was going to die soon, but they enticed him with promises of restoration to wealth and forgiveness if only he would confess his guilt.

They wanted his confession more than his recovery.

Doesn't the news media drool with glee when is gets some sound bite, or even when it manipulates something that someone has said, in order to influence people toward some false conclusion? Isn't that exactly what Jobs friends are doing?

They refuse to listen to Jobs plea, and continue to press on with their own agenda regardless of the facts, because the nature and the implications of their accusations are more important to them, than the truth.

Jobs friends have been pretending comfort and concern while all the while they have been attempting to promote themselves by means of destroying him. The same happened with Christ. The same happens every time some controversy over truth enters into the public view.

Prejudice in knowledge or facts, always gets skewed toward evil.

Now is the time to post a prayer.