LEARNING THE HIDDEN TRUTHS

Phil Wainright

“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing but the honor of kings is to search out a matter” - Prov. 25:2.

By way of introduction, I would like to define the words used here. The word “glory” means splendor or lavishness, honor (-able). The word “conceal” means to hide, be absent, keep close, keep secret. The word honor is the same word as glory used already. The word “search” means to penetrate, hence to examine intimately, find out, seek out.

FIRST OF ALL WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT GOD DOES HIDE TRUTH.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing…” and in Isaiah 6:9-10, “Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not.” God does not have to reveal His Word to everyone. We hear so often by the ungodly and even the carnal that there are so many contradictions in the Bible and that many things don’t make sense. Those that say such things are often bitter toward God and His word, but actually they don’t appreciate God’s Word and don’t really want to know and understand it. Paul spoke in I Cor. 14:38, “But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.” If they choose to be ignorant there is nothing that we can do. And God, again, is not in any way obligated to reveal these truths found in His Word to them.

Then Jesus quotes from Isaiah 6, in Matthew 13:10-18, in the parable of the sower. Notice his disciples came and asked about the parable. Jesus said in verses 14-15, “And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall not perceive. For this people’s (and this tells why  God hides truth, they don’t understand) heart is waxed gross, their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” In verse 16, “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” In verse 18, “Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.” And Jesus went on to explain the truths within this parable. Did everyone in this audience understand what Jesus was talking about? We would conclude that they didn’t. Did they want to? Apparently not. Do even the vast majority of  God’s people want to know and understand His Word today? Sadly, we often come to the conclusion they do not. They don’t seem to care enough to stick around and ask Him to explain it. They don’t take the time to learn. The disciples heard the same thing others heard and likewise didn’t understand, but they hung around and asked Him to explain the parable, which Jesus did. God is the same today. To those who earnestly care and want to know, He is faithful to reveal His Word to that heart. If our heart is at all tender and wanting to know the Word of  God, He will reveal it to us. I’m very confident of this. But again, many simply don’t want to know.

Remember in ACTS 7:54 (Stephen’s sermon), “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth,” and V. 57, “and stopped their ears.” Notice they were cut to the heart and stopped their ears. This faithful brother anointed by the Holy Spirit was sharing God’s precious Word with them and they did not want to hear. They were convicted by the truth and turned from it. And so it is today, that many simply don’t want to hear. It’s uncomfortable for them (they stop their ears, close their eyes and heart) because the Word convicts them. Because God’s Word does convict and convince of sin and unrighteousness, many don’t want to responsibility. They choose to stay in sin and to be ignorant of God’s Word that would set them free from the power and bondage of sin. Another reason men don’t understand these wonderful truths is that they don’t want or can’t appreciate them. Read and consider Matthew 7:67-8. “Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” A dog cannot appreciate nor discern what is valuable. We would not be so foolish as to put a necklace of pearls about a pig and turn him loose in his pen. Before long he would lost the pearls and destroy them. They are of no value to him. Therefore, a pig cannot appreciate a necklace of pearls. And many today cannot appreciate God’s Word enough to care for, protect, keep it and allow it to enhance the life of Christ within. God has placed His Word above His name. He values it and does not feel that He has to share it with those who do not appreciate it.

There is a story of a little girl who had a pig. She brought him in cleaned him up placed a bow about his neck and then turned him back into his pen. He soon was wallowing in the mud again. A pig doesn’t appreciate these things. Sadly, the world doesn’t appreciate God’s Word. Even sadder, perhaps, many of God’s own people have too little regard for the Word also. I like what Job said in Job 23:12, “I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job appreciated God’s Word and valued it, and God was faithful to reveal wonderful truths to him.

Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” V. 8 – “For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” God is faithful to reveal His Word as we ask Him to help our understanding. Luke 10:21, “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.” We think of the wise and prudent as having ability to really appreciate the Word. The scripture talks about the foolishness of peaching – to the wise of this world it is foolishness. But to those who are of a humble spirit, God does reveal His Word to them. To those who despise and reject His Word it will remain hidden. They will never understand God’s Word. Even with all of their so-called wisdom, knowledge, and education, they will not come to a good understanding of the Word. This is by choice. Those who do go on and come to an understanding of God’s Word have made a conscious effort to do so.

SECONDLY: “…BUT THE HONOR (GLORY) OF KINGS...”

Consider Rev. 1:5-6, “…and hath made us Kings and priests unto God,” also Rev. 5:8-10,”…And hath made us unto our God kings and priests.” Who are these kings and priests? Those, first of all, that have been washed in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 1:5). And secondly, I believe those that are laying hold of God’s Word.

Next issue – The third point – Searching out a matter.