Royal Robes of Hypocrisy

Drawing attention to yourself is as popular as ever, especially in our day of social media, influencers and advertising dollars.  A child throwing a tantrum to get his way, protesters shouting slogans and holding signs, content creators, politicians and musicians--really anybody--can seek the spotlight to achieve their ends.  One potential of drawing attention to yourself means your hypocrisy can be exposed on a grand scale.  The preacher who delivers sermons on morality and decries sin loses credibility when he is shown to be guilty of adultery.  The one who claims climate change is the greatest crisis the world faces shows a double-standard by globetrotting aboard a private jet to spread the message.

Actions speak truer than words, and a person of integrity will be honest with others.  We say a building has structural integrity when it is built to code in a manner that can withstand normal conditions--not just having a new coat of paint.  Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees who were "holier than thou" with their trappings of religion marked by clean robes, tassels and tefillin but inside resembled tombs filled with the bones of dead men.  They were like unmarked, unclean tombs that defiled everyone who passed by.  We have likely experienced sickness because we were around people who pretended they weren't sick, they were "just getting over a cold" when they were especially virulent and contagious.  It is better to admit to ourselves and everyone else we are sick so we will seek medical treatment and prevent the spread of illness to others.

This is also true when it comes to personal struggles.  We can feel it is important we put on a strong front or the appearance of gladness when we are sorrowing and grieving--perhaps because of our role in a family or the church.  Nehemiah was not seeking attention when the king astutely realised he was sad, and after seeking guidance from God Nehemiah told him exactly what was the matter:  Jerusalem lay in ruins and the people were suffering.  Nehemiah did not put on a sad face or try to draw attention to himself for sympathy or a break from work, but it was his love for his countrymen and the glory of God that moved him to grieve over the awful situation over many days.  King Jehoram (son of Ahab) took a different approach, for he tried to hide his grief perhaps thinking he could improve the morale of people who suffered the devastating impact of a Syrian siege.

As King Jehoram walked through Samaria, a woman called out to him for help.  Jehoram answered her sarcastically that he was not greater than God, for if God was not helping her how could he?  He was shocked when the woman explained what had happened, how she and another mum had eaten her son yesterday, and she complained the woman hid her son afterwards!  King Jeroham was overwhelmed by the plight of his people and powerlessness to help and 2 Kings 6:30 says:  "Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body."  When the king tore his royal robes, the people noticed the king was wearing sackcloth underneath.  He walked through the city sporting royal attire to keep up the morale of the people as their ruler, but what he wore underneath was a more accurate picture of how his present state.  If God did not help him or his people, what could he do?

A better approach in troubled times was demonstrated by the heathen king of Nineveh who responded publicly to the preaching of Jonah.  This king did not pretend that everything was fine or put on a strong face to lead his people well.  Jonah 3:6 reads, "Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes."  Now this is good leadership that arose from belief in God's word.  The king led by example by laying aside his robes and put on sackcloth, sat in ashes, and commanded all (animals included!) be clothed likewise, fast from food and water, turn from their wickedness, and cry mightily out to God, for he said in Jonah 3:9:  "Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?"  And God did exactly that.  The king put on sackcloth before the judgment came, and the public grief for sin and repentance moved God to deliver and save.

For Jehoram and Samaria judgment from the LORD had already come by the hand of the Syrians as predicted in God's word, yet he walked around in his royal garments that concealed sackcloth.  Leviticus 26:29-30 outlined judgments God would bring upon His people for idolatry:  "You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. ³⁰ I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you."  It seems the king of Israel did not have the belief in God's word the king of Nineveh did as spoken through the prophet Jonah.  Had king Jehoram put off his royal robes in repentance, put on sackcloth, turned from his wicked ways and cried out mightily to God at the start of the siege, the situation in Samaria may not have grown so dire before Jehoram's hypocrisy was exposed.  Who knows if God would have delivered His people quickly from their enemies and destruction?  The king of Nineveh and his people answer that question in the affirmative.  May we learn, rather than drawing attention to ourselves, to turn from our problems to the LORD in humility and faith, knowing He alone is our Saviour, help and deliverer.