Ariel Unveiled

A recent study by members of the Yale University psychology department found that people disdain hypocrisy for a reason other than the stigma of failing to practice what one preaches. People hate hypocrisy because false moralizing seems to be signaling the hypocrite’s virtue. In any of our hypocritical beliefs or acts, we want others to see us as the one who is right on the issue in question.

As much as hypocritical virtue brings contempt from other people, it brings far more contempt from the Lord, who sees right through our words and deeds to our true motives, intensions, and goals. His words to the inhabitants of Jerusalem—identified here as “Ariel”—specifically focus on the two-faced nature of their approach to the Lord in worship.

The people approached the Lord with words of praise and contrition, songs of thanksgiving and joy, prayers of supplication, and intercession. Perhaps they even quoted the words of the Law and shouted a hearty “Amen.” But their failure to fear the Lord in obedience to His Word demonstrated the root problem of their hearts. Their concern was not to bring glory to the Lord but to appear virtuous. Unimpressed, the Lord silenced His prophetic word toward Israel so that their hypocrisy might be unveiled.

When we gather for corporate worship as followers of Christ, the temptation to hypocrisy is ever with us. Worshiping the Lord in order to esteem Him as worthy is both a command and privilege for our good. Therefore, worshiping for the Lord’s approval only is a pursuit we must undertake with diligence and humility. We must relieve ourselves of concerns with how we appear in worship and resolve to have hearts that thirst for the Lord.

Pray with Us

Moody Distance Learning brings Moody education to students everywhere in the world. We are thankful for the MDL Product Development staff—Alin Vrancila, Kevin Mahaffy, and Mary Oprea—and for their creativity and love of learning.

BY Dr. Eric C. Redmond

Dr. Eric C. Redmond serves as a professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and as associate pastor of adult ministries at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Ill. He is married to Pam and they have five children. He is the author of Say It!  Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition (Moody Publishers), Where Are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men's’ Questions about the Church (Crossway), a commentary on Jonah in the Christ-Centered Exposition Series (B&H Publishers), and a study guide on Ephesians in the Knowing the Bible series (Crossway).