Yesterday we saw Jesus condemn the three cities in
Matthew 11:25-26
25 At that time Jesus
said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent
and have revealed them to infants.
26 "Yes, Father,
for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
Notice that it is GOD doings these two things: hiding and revealing. He is either hiding or revealing “these things” or spiritual principles, based on our attitude toward Him.
The word hides is the word KRUPTO, and it means to hide, to conceal, or to keep someone from finding something. The word reveals is the word APOLAPUTO, and it means to reveal, to disclose, or to bring something to light.
The principle here is that God CONCEALS both His will and divine truth from the wise and intelligent.
Don’t think this means that you have to be stupid to be a Christian! He’s talking about people that are SOPHOS, or learned and educated above the average. He’s talking about the Pharisees and scribes, who were well educated in the Old Testament Law. Look what else the Word has to say about wise people:
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
26 For
consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
27 but God has chosen
the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak
things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
28 and the base
things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not,
so that He may nullify the things that are,
29
so that no man may boast before God.
That last verse gives us the reason that God hides His will and divine truth from people who are wise. It really refers to an attitude of arrogance. The Pharisees had a great deal of “book knowledge” but therefore assumed they knew all the answers! Their independence made them unteachable. Have you ever run across someone who had all the answers? They are unable to listen! Therefore, God hides His will from them.
Isaiah 5:21
21 Woe to those who
are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their
own sight!
The key is to maintain that childlike faith and trust in the
Lord. When you get back to the principle
of the first verse above (Matt.
No matter how much you learn, there is always an infinite amount more that God can reveal to you. You have to keep approaching Him in childlike faith, because that’s who He reveals both His truth and His plan to.
Proverbs 3:5
5 Trust in the LORD
with all your heart
And do not lean on
your own understanding.