Proverbs 25:2,  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

It is interesting how the King James translators translated this proverb from the Hebrew to the English.

The word "glory" in the first part and the word "honour" in the second part are from the same Hebrew word, kabowd, kaw-bode' and the word "thing" in the first part and the word "matter" in the second part are from the same Hebrew word dabar, daw-bawr'.

So using the words "glory" and "matter" in both parts instead of the variety of words the King James translators used, this proverb can equally be said in this manner:

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

Put in this fashion it is easier to compare the two parts since there are less variations of words to consider.

So we see we have a direct comparison of a characteristic of God and a characteristic of the kings of this earth.

The glory of each is opposite -- God conceals, but kings search out.

This proverb contrasts the great King of Heaven with the mortal kings of this earth.

To men, the kings of this earth may appear to be all powerful but that is not the case since God rules all kings from on high.

As Psalm 47:2 says,  For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.

Since God is all knowing he never needs to search out a matter like the kings of this earth.

It is his glory that he needs no counselor, he needs no teacher.

All knowledge, except that which he specifically reveals to his creatures, is concealed by him.

He chooses what to reveal and he chooses what to conceal.

What he chooses to conceal, man has absolutely no ability to discover.

Eve thought differently as she ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God intended concealment but she sought revealment and through Adam's fall sin entered the world.

Man is only to know that which God allows him to know.

We are to prefer the tree of life to the tree of knowledge.

Job 11:7-10,  Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

Psalm 145:3,  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

God and God alone chooses what he reveals. All else is concealed.

What glory would belong to a God whose ways and works were known by those that he has created.

His wisdom would not be divine if we could understand all his ways.

He would not be sovereign if he only did things that we would approve.

What he has revealed, only shows the vastness and the depths of what he has concealed.

He allows us only a glimpse of his greatness, the rest he conceals. We are not up to it!

We look into the heavens only to be astonished at the infinite depth that we cannot look at, the end that is concealed.

We look at the small things and cannot find the beginnings.

In his creation there are no beginnings and there are no endings that are revealed to us.

The concealed things of His creation declare his eternity.

They show his glory, they show his splendor.

The concealed things demand worship of God by his creation.

The heavens declare his glory.

Not only the little bit of the heavens that are revealed to us but also the vast heavens that are concealed from us.

The black holes, the supernovas, the unknown galaxies, the comets with tails of a million miles, that never are allowed in our sight.

Job 26:14,  Lo, these are parts (outlines) of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

Psalm 77:19, Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

We study the scripture to get the sense of a passage.

Our faith may be rewarded with a small understanding.

But we soon realize that there is so much we do not understand, so much that is concealed from us until our heart is right for further understanding, for further light.

Romans 11:33,  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Isaiah 55:8,9,  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We cannot find out his ways unless he reveals them to us.

Psalm 18:11,  He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

So God clothes himself in mystery so that his children shall live by faith.

He tells us that it is impossible to please him without faith.

He not only makes faith possible by what he conceals but by what he reveals.

At each dispensation he opens the curtain of heaven to those he saves and he dispels mysteries to those who have ears to hear.

Matthew 11:25-27,  At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because 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.

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

And he will only reveal the father to his own. To the rest the mystery remains. To the rest the concealment remains.

Matthew 5:8,  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

But even that sight of God is limited by God himself as he will continue to eternally conceal himself that his glory is revealed.

1 Timothy 6:16,  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Moses also found out the mystery of God in Exodus 33:20-23,  And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

But kings of this earth are infinitely inferior to God.

It is their glory or honor to search out a matter.

They are to be diligent to search out everything a king ought to know.

They must seek the best counsel and find the wisest men to inform them of the best ways to govern.

They must search out the best way to satisfy the needs of their people, how to encourage honesty and fairness and peace.

They must search for the facts in order to discern what is the right thing to do.