Proverbs 25:2 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

God's glory in concealing

A contrast is here drawn between the glory of God and the honour of man, especially of one class of men—the order of kings.

I. THE HONOUR OF MAN IN INVESTIGATING .

1 . The honour of royalty . This is "to search out a matter." The king is acting in a way that honours him when

2 . The honour of mankind generally . This is to "search out" and become practically familiar with

II. THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING . The thought of the writer is obscure. We shall certainly get into the track of it if we consider the three truths:

1 . That God has no need to investigate . "All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do;" all the dark places of the earth, the hearts of men, the most abstruse problems which are so perplexing in our sight.

2 . That he himself is the Inscrutable One . "His thoughts are very deep," his "ways past finding out."

3 . That it is necessary for him to conceal in order that he may truly bless; that he knows more than he can wisely reveal at once. Parents readily understand this, for they have frequently, constantly, to keep some truths our. of sight, ready for a later day and fuller powers; also to decline to reveal, and to leave their children to find out by their own patience and ingenuity. This is very frequently the case with our heavenly Father. For our own sake he half reveals to us and half conceals from us