PROVERBS Chapter 25
25:1 “This section of the book contains additional proverbs attributed to Solomon that were collected by the men of Hezekiah (715-687 B.C.). These scribes or scholars ‘copied out’ the sayings, i.e., transcribed them from one book to another” (Gaebelein p. 1078).
Kings And Courtiers 25:2 On the one hand it is the glorious nature of God to conceal things. God’s government of the universe is beyond human understanding, we cannot fathom or follow or search out God’s providential workings which are happening on a daily basis. But human government cannot claim Divine secrecy. “Kings have to investigate everything….they must make things open and intelligible to their subjects, especially judicial matters” (Gaebelein p. 1079). “But it is chiefly praising not academic research but administrative probes: the king should know what is going on” (Kidner p. 157). The verse also infers that kings are in no way Divine Beings, they are limited in their knowledge just like any other man. A righteous administration will therefore search out the will of God, justice, fairness, morality, and will try to ensure that it is free from corruption. God doesn’t need to search anything out, for He knows everything. We are truly honoring God when we are investigating and trying to find His answers to our questions (Acts 17:11). A government which is trying to understand God’s creation and His will is on the right track. 25:3 Mystery has its place in an administration. A wise king must know which secrets to keep. “He must be resourceful, inscrutable, always one step ahead, to keep a firm grip on power” (Gaebelein p. 1079). The verse may also be a warning. Be careful about assuming that you have a leader figured out, people in positions of power are often unpredictable, so don’t put a whole lot of confidence in someone’s analysis of what a leader might do next.
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