“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” (Proverbs 25:2)
We habitually seek to glorify ourselves, don’t we? We spend most of our time and energy in vain efforts to glorify ourselves. We strive for power or money or fame or knowledge or amusement or creature comforts. We fixate on our physical appearance, or our accomplishments, or new toys, or gratifying our desires. We seek to please, and to be pleasing to, ourselves. But the thrill fades and we find that whatever it was we thought we were seeking isn’t ultimately what we are seeking.
Could it be that the “matter” God conceals is the very thing we’re seeking but never find? I suspect the answer is yes, but what is this matter?
The next verse offers a clue: “As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.” (Proverbs 25:3) This scripture seems to say where not to look. The word “unsearchable” is particularly noteworthy. How can a thing be unsearchable? I would think anything can be searched but this scripture says no, not the hearts of kings. This goes beyond saying where the matter isn’t; to say that our hearts are “unsearchable” is to call attention to the process of searching.
You cannot even begin to search for the matter that I conceal, not even within your own heart.
Is it because we don’t know how to search, or that the matter simply isn’t there? Matthew 11:25-26 offers another clue: Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”
Children take things literally and at face value. There’s no subterfuge in a little child — there’s only what they can behold and how they feel about it. So, with the eyes of a child, I re-read Proverbs 25:2 and, behold, the answer is right there in the very scripture! “It is the glory of God to conceal…”
God’s glory is the matter that He conceals! This makes perfect sense to me now. God’s glory is not found in our hearts and so it would be pointless to look for it there — unless He put it there. But why would He? To do so would quite literally destroy us. Not out of malice or ill-intent or harsh judgment but, rather, because His nature is fundamentally different from ours. He is pure and good and holy and without sin, and we are the reverse of these things. If God injected His glory into our hearts we would deconstruct — much like how an alka-seltzer disintegrates in water.
We see several instances in the Old Testament where God warned people who hadn’t been purified not to come into His presence because His Holiness would break out against them. Again, not out of malice, but due to the stark contrast between their nature and His. They simply weren’t ready or able to withstand being in His presence.
Why would Proverbs 25:2 encourage me to seek the very thing that could destroy me? What’s a king to do? Well, what does a king do? A king sits on a throne. A king makes judgments. A king maintains law and order. A king rules. Glory comes not from a king’s being or having, it comes from a king’s doing.
All are invited. Few will come. Will you come and sit on My Heavenly Throne? Will you reclaim the kingship birthright that I gave you?
Wow! Would I even dare to approach the Throne of the King in Heaven? Moreover, would I dare to sit on it? If I did, would I survive? Or, would I drop dead in an instant like Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:6-7), and like Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10). Or, would God provide a way for me like He did for Moses?
Moses sought God’s glory. He wanted to see God’s face. “Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory.’ And the Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. …But you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live. …There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.’ ” (Exodus 33:18-23)
This event was deeply symbolic — it foreshadowed that a way would be provided for us to dwell in the presence of God without being destroyed. Ultimately, Jesus would be this “way.” Notice that Moses stood on a rock in God’s presence. Jesus is the rock of your salvation. God allowed Moses into His presence but special provision had to be made so as not to destroy Moses. Jesus is the intercessor who covers your transgressions. God allowed Moses to see His glory in passing. In Jesus, in heaven, you can boldly approach and join Me on My Throne. You can come face-to-face with Me, experiencing My glory firsthand.
To experience God’s glory is to experience joy and love and goodness and holiness and euphoria beyond our imagination. That experience literally shone on Moses’ face. “...[Moses] was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.” (Exodus 34:29-30)
Why wouldn’t we forego the counterfeit glories of this world to seek God’s glory? This, then, is the glory of kings: the process of seeking God’s glory. So while the “matter” that God conceals — His glory — isn’t within our hearts, we must give our whole heart over to the process of seeking Him. Jeremiah 29:13 says: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jesus showed you the way.
(Continued...)
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Discussion Questions:
1. Is it possible that some of your ways of glorifying yourself interfere with your relationship with the Lord?
2. What would it take for you to seek God’s glory with your whole heart?
3. What do you imagine it will be like to enter into God’s presence and stand face-to-face with the Author of Life and Creator of the universe? Are you ready for that experience?
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