Audio Download

“The glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter” Part 2

(Know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God) (Pro 25:5-16)

[Study Aired January 29, 2026]

Pro 25:5  Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
Pro 25:6  Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
Pro 25:7  For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
Pro 25:8  Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
Pro 25:9  Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
Pro 25:10  Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
Pro 25:11  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Pro 25:12  As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
Pro 25:13  As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
Pro 25:14  Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
Pro 25:15  By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
Pro 25:16  Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

God has called the elect to “know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1Ti 3:15). It is the longsuffering spirit of God working within the body of Christ (Rom 8:9) that is required in order for us to become overcomers, or “a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out”(Rev 3:12). It is the glory of God to conceal this process of overcoming from the world, and it is the honour of kings to search out this matter, this unsearchable matter by the spirit of God, the Comforter that is able to lead us into all truth that will set us free if we are granted to continue in it (Joh 16:13, Joh 8:31-32).

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Solomon’s prayer for the physical temple found in (1Ki 8:22-36) is a type and shadow event that describes what God is answering for the temple of God that we are today (1Co 3:16, Luk 22:31-32).

1Ki 8:27  But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
1Ki 8:28  Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
1Ki 8:29  That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

In order to become part of “the pillar and ground of the truth” or “a pillar in the temple of my God”, we must go through this longsuffering process ordained of the Master Potter, and not despise it (Rom 2:4), seeing it is the way by which the bride will be made ready (Rev 19:7). This section of proverbs gives some very instructive and clear reminders to the body of Christ as to “how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Before we read the verses for our study today, let’s look at the prayer in Solomon’s dream (1Ki 3:5-10), and the prayer that Solomon was inspired to make for the temple itself (1Ki 8:22-36). What we’ll see is that, in type and shadow, Solomon is praying for the church, the temple which we are and asking God to know how we ought to walk in the midst of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The first thing to notice is that we will not ask anything amiss (Jas 4:3, Mar 11:24) if we are granted to be dead to sin and alive in Christ, which is typified by Solomon’s being asleep when God inspired his selfless prayer for the nation of Israel who represents the Israel of God [Luk 8:52-53, Rom 6:11, Gal 6:16].

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gal 6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

“Know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God”
“which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”

1Ki 3:5  In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
1Ki 3:6  And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
1Ki 3:7  And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. [these words of (1Co 1:26) symbolized by “and I am but a little child”]
1Ki 3:8  And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. [Our calling is ultimately for the multitudes who will be saved (Rev 7:9 , Oba 1:21)]
1Ki 3:9  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?(1Co 2:16)
1Ki 3:10  And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

David is a type of Christ and Solomon a type of the body of Christ who will do greater works than Christ (Joh 14:12), by way of building the temple, which is symbolic of converting the life of those that God draws to the body of Christ, represented by Solomon. Solomon is asking, in old covenant letter of the law terms, to teach me that I may “know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”

“Know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God”
“which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”

1Ki 8:22  And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: [It is before the altar which is the cross where we must stand if we are going to be pillars of our God in his temple]
1Ki 8:23  And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
1Ki 8:24  Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
1Ki 8:25  Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; (Mat 22:14) so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me. (1Co 11:1)
1Ki 8:26  And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
1Ki 8:27  But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
1Ki 8:28  Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
1Ki 8:29  That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.
1Ki 8:30  And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive. (Joh 17:20)
1Ki 8:31  If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
1Ki 8:32  Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
1Ki 8:33  When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
1Ki 8:34  Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. (Rom 2:4)
1Ki 8:35  When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
1Ki 8:36  Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, [“know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God”] and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance. (Rom 2:4)

Pro 25:5  Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
Pro 25:6  Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
Pro 25:7  For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

These first three verses give the critical message of identifying the wicked within ourselves (Pro 16:4, 1Co 11:31-32) and the need to take it away from before Christ “the king”, and then shall His throne within us be established. We must not put “forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great” (1Co 10:12), which is accomplished by resisting the devil and cleaving unto God, humbling ourselves under His mighty hand (Jas 4:7, Mat 23:12). If God will permit us this spirit then we will hear His voice telling us “Come up hither” (Rev 11:12). If we are to be raised in heavenly places today (Eph 2:6) we must be lying dead in the streets of that great city (Rev 11:11). If we are boasting in our flesh we will be “put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen” in the lake of fire, great white throne judgement. Judging ourselves today will result in our being chastened of the Lord abasing us in this age so that we can be exalted in the next (Rev 20:6).

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Mat 23:12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Pro 25:8  Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

If we are going in the way that seems right to us in our flesh we will end up being put to shame by those who see that we tried to build something by our own strength that never came to fruition in the first resurrection (Psa 127:1, Php 3:9). Only God can give us the power to stop trusting in our flesh (Eph 1:11-12) and to continue to rely on Him for everything, which is what will happen when we stop going “forth hastily to strive”. It takes the ongoing trial of our faith in order to make that a reality in the lives of God’s elect (Act 14:22, Pro 3:5, 2Co 1:9, 2Ti 2:24-26, Php 4:4-7).

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Pro 25:9  Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
Pro 25:10  Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

In other words, don’t be a talebearer, go to  your brother and him alone (Mat 18:3-4, Mat 18:10, Mat 18:15).

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

If we gossip and don’t cover each other’s sins by going to our brother, the Lord will expose that immature spirit within us and it will humble us in one manner or another, “Lest he who hears should embarrass you When your gossip cannot be retracted” (CLV).

Pro 25:11  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

How we go to our brother who is ensnared of the devil with a spiritual sin is with a humble and contrite heart (Isa 66:2, Jas 5:20, 1Pe 4:8), and then our words will be “fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver”. The gold represents the tried word of God that is framed with silver that represents someone who has a humble and contrite heart and knows they are the chief of sinners and capable of any sin, but for the grace of God go we (Mal 3:2-6).

Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver (Pro 25:11, Jer 5:14), that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. (Isa 33:14-15)
Mal 3:4  Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
Mal 3:5  And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Isa 66:2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Jas 5:20  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

1Pe 4:8  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Pro 25:12  As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
Pro 25:13  As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

Our goal in going to our brother is to be “a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters”, which is another way of saying we are winning our wayward brother by “pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” of (Jud 1:23).

Jud 1:23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Jud 1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

If God permits, “an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold” will be found in both parties, the one being led and listening to the voice of the shepherd who leads us  to be our brother’s keeper (Gen 4:9, 1Ti 4:16), and God permitting the brother will be granted ears that hear Christ’s message to repent, represented by one who has an “obedient ear”, an ear that has been anointed and able to receive correction (Rev 3:18-22).

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The love and care we show to each other by going to our brother is interestingly connected with the snow and winter, when there is nothing happening in our lives spiritually, yet God says because we are sent as faithful messengers as Christ was sent into our lives, our actions will be “As the cold of snow in the time of harvest”, the harvest being the time of judgement when the wheat is separated from the tares (Mat 13:30) and where “the cold of snow” is the refreshing water in the heat of the Day (2Pe 3:9-12, Act 3:19)

Pro 25:13  (ERV) A messenger that can be trusted is worth much to the people who send him. He is like cool water during the hot days of harvest.

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Pro 25:14  Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
Pro 25:15  By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
Pro 25:16  Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

There is a warning in these verses that speaks about swallowing down this honey, these riches he gifts us with (Job 20:15), to become “waxen fat and turn unto other gods” (Deu 31:20), leaning unto our own understanding with this knowledge that we can get puffed up with (1Co 8:1-2).

Job 20:15  He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

Deu 31:20  For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.

1Co 8:1  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
1Co 8:2  And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

This whole section of proverbs that we’ve looked at today has been very centered around humility and repentance, and how that is an integral part of how we walk in the house of God. It is with that humble and contrite spirit, a gift from God that we learn to bear long with the infirmity of our brother, and in God’s perfect timing, “By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone”, which breaking of bones symbolizes a turning of our stony hearts to repentance (Eze 11:19, Eze 36:26, 2Co 3:3, Rom 2:5). Once we see it in ourselves, we are able to help our brother.

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

If we do not operate in the measure of faith that God gives us, we will be operating in our flesh, which is as one “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain”, the rain representing the spirit of God, the gift of faith that comes with that spirit.

This last verse, “Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it”, is also speaking about the measure of faith that we need, and being grateful for what God supplies, knowing that He knows our needs and is teaching us to be content whether we have a little or a lot (2Co 8:15, Exo 16:18, Rom 12:3, Php 4:12).

2Co 8:15  As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

Exo 16:18  And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Php 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

God will always provide what each joint needs to supply (Eph 4:16) so that we learn how a many-membered body works together for the church to grow (1Co 12:18), in order that we may “know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (Joh 13:35).

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.