Proverbs 25:2

"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter."

If it is the glory of God to conceal a thing, then what things would God conceal, and why? There are things in the New Testament that are referred to mysteries. These are things that God had hinted at in Old Testament times, but has, in the New Testament, revealed entirely. To the folks in Old Testament days He concealed the full revelation of His intentions. How is this to His glory? It is to His glory in that it is a reminder of His greatness. Were He to determine to hide Himself, there would be no finding Him. It is also to His glory in that, and as Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven ...", God has perfect timing in all things. Nothing in His ways are slapdash or arbitrary. He has a plan, and He will execute it. His plan was revealed over time, starting with the promise of a savior in Genesis 3:15, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel", and culminating in the coming of that very one. All done according to perfect timing. To God be the glory!

But, even though He had concealed the details, He has, after all, ultimately revealed them. He has also shown us what He is like, albeit only a small part thereof, because we are unable to take Him in in His greatness. He is not hiding, concealing Himself from mankind. He has revealed Himself. And He has displayed His plan, revealing it to mankind. So ultimately, these are not what He has concealed, but rather what He has revealed.

So what has He concealed? Probably the most wonderful work of concealing that He has done is noted in Psalm 32:1, 2, which says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." See that phrase in the middle? "... whose sin is covered..." Our sin is against Him. He is the one that is offended. He is the one against whom we have rebelled. In recounting the history of their nation, the priests of Israel noted in the book of Nehemiah that their fathers, and they, "refused to obey" God (9:17). They go on to note, though, that God continued to meet their needs, sending the manna, and guiding them by the pillar of a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

Psalm 32 speaks of sin being covered (concealed). Further evidence of this can be found in Micah 7:19, where it says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Something cast into the depths of the sea cannot be found. It is concealed. This is where God has concealed our sin. In Isaiah 38:17 we find, "Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." That which is behind our back is something that we ignore, that is concealed. Our sin has been cast by God behind His own back. It is clear, then, and it is to God’s glory, that He has taken action regarding our sin against Him. His action is to conceal it. Which is not to say that He has winked at it. This would not be just. But having judged His Son, Jesus, for our sin, thus satisfying justice, He has concealed our sin, and it will never again be brought against us. To God be the glory! He is certainly worthy of glory and praise for this.

The second part of Proverbs 25:2 says, "... the honor of kings is to search out a matter." When considering kings, one is reminded that one day the Lord Jesus Christ will reign on the earth. He will be King of kings and Lord of lords. He is even now King of kings and Lord of lords. One day, though, He will reign on the earth as such. And in that day He will also be judge of all the earth. Hebrews 4:13 says, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." There will be nothing hidden before Him as judge except those things that God has concealed.

So what of the ones whose sin has not been concealed? The piercing, unflinching, all-seeing eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ will search it out. When these eyes fall on unconcealed sin, the guilty one will honor the LORD. Philippians 2:10, 11 says, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." There is nobody that will not honor Jesus as LORD of all. Those whose sin is concealed will gladly bow the knee. Those whose sin is open unto the eyes of the judge will bow, knowing that their judgment is just. There will be no courtroom antics, as seen in human courts, where the accused proclaims his innocence. Before the Judge of all the earth they will bow the knee, and proclaim that He is LORD indeed. As king He will search out these matters, and receive the honor that He deserves!

Again, Psalm 32:1, says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." Those who are so blessed will not be in the terror of judgment, but will gladly bow the knee to the one who is LORD of all. This is why these ones are blessed! How much better it is to be in the judge’s favor rather than to be awaiting the carrying out of His righteous judgment.

The question that every human being must face is where they stand in Proverbs 25:2. Am I among those whose sin is concealed, to God’s glory, or those whose sin will be found out and judged, to the honor of the King, the LORD Jesus Christ? The best is to be blessed because our sin is covered.

O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head!
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
Didst bear all ill for me.
A Victim led, Thy blood was shed;
Now there’s no load for me.

Jehovah lifted up His rod;
O Christ, it fell on Thee!
Thou wast sore stricken of Thy God;
There’s not one stroke for me.
Thy tears, Thy blood, beneath it flowed;
Thy bruising healeth me.

HJK