More Proverbs of Solomon
“These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah: It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth. Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that he says to you, “Come up here!” than demote you in the presence of the prince.
Even what you have seen with your own eyes, do not go out to argue in haste. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your opponent puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence, lest the one who hears may disgrace you, and your infamy never go away.”
“These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah..” Hezekiah lived 200 years after Solomon; however, Hezekiah was a God-fearing man who realized the need to preserve Solomon’s wisdom.
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.” This one statement has always bothered me and has made it difficult for me to appreciate the rest of Proverbs 25. Here it is as if Solomon is thumbing his nose at God, giving him back-chat. “See God, it doesn’t matter what You have created; I am going to understand everything.” For a creature to respond this way to his creator scarcely seems appropriate, but Solomon apparently has an ego that just won’t quit and has forgotten Who has given him wisdom in the first place.
“As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.” Say what? Solomon, you think God doesn’t know every bit of your heart, including your failure to control your lusts and your willingness to cover up using the excuse of the need for strategic marriages for the sake of diplomacy? But Solomon, 700 wives and 300 concubines??? Really? Do you truly think that God doesn’t know the heart of every ruler on earth, including yours?
“Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that he says to you, “Come up here!” than demote you in the presence of the prince.” Jesus once advised his disciples that when they came to a banquet, they should not take the seat of honor, lest someone more important show up, forcing them to move down the table and to be embarrassed. When we first came to Ghana, we lived in Kumasi, the second largest city, and attended a big Methodist church there. It was quite entertaining to see the big men arriving and jockeying for position on the front rows of the church; it was the same scene that Jesus had described. Throughout the Bible, we are reminded that “he who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
“Even what you have seen with your own eyes, do not go out to argue in haste. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your opponent puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence, lest the one who hears may disgrace you, and your infamy never go away.” Repeatedly, the Bible warns against bearing false witness; however, this statement carries things even further. Here we are advised to be discrete, refusing to leap into arguments. Even if you are an eye witness, how do you know that you have interpreted events properly? Perhaps you have seen something and have then jumped to a totally wrong conclusion. The results may be very hurtful and you may destroy friendships in the process. One of the most frustrating things about being a police officer investigating an accident or a crime is the number of different interpretations various witnesses will put on the same event. No matter how much we try to be honest, we will always analyze things in the light of our emotions and experience.
APPLICATION: First, we should thank Hezekiah in heaven for having ordered his scribes to record these sayings, preserving them for us. Second, we should strive to avoid Solomon’s mistakes of assuming that we can understand everything and that God cannot possibly know our hearts. We do not know everything and God knows us better than we know ourselves. Third, do not think more highly of yourself than you should. While this is the age of self-esteem, that does not mean God approves us being the centers of our own universes. Fourth, we should heed the warnings in these verses. Even if you are certain you can give an accurate account of an event, be wary about sharing that information unless you are forced to do so. Rush to judgement and you might find yourself being very embarrassed!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be guided by Your Word, even when we would rather not be. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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