I knew a fellow who was fond
of saying, even a blind hog can find an acorn every now and then.
He was being descriptive of the fact that sometimes even those
who have little spiritual understanding can speak the truth, even though
they might make a misapplication of it or fail to see the forest
for the trees. One instance that comes readily
to mind is regarding the subject of tithing as the Pharisees understood
it. The Lord Jesus said, But woe
unto you Pharisees, for ye tithe mint, and rue, and all manner
of herbs, and pass over judgment, and the love of God. These ought
ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. The Lord did
not condemn them for tithing, but rather making a big deal
out of it while ignoring far more weighty matters which the
kingdom of God is concerned with. One of these other instances
which stands out most starkly was when they brought to him
the woman taken in adultery. They were exactly correct in
stating what the law said. The woman was indeed worthy of
death by stoning. Yet he made full application
of the law to each one of them, and they went away smitten in
conscience like a dog with its tail between its legs slinking
back in their darkness. He then used this incident to
demonstrate his mercy to this fallen sinner who had no excuse
and felt the just condemnation of the law. Only the Lord can
bring a clean thing out of an unclean and use justice as an
occasion to show mercy. Thus we read Zophar's declaration
to Job. Indeed, Zophar spoke much truth
if we simply look at what he said out of the context in which
he said it. Zophar, however, was in reality
seeking to take Job down a notch rather than simply glorying in
that which upon its face value one could not disagree with.
His purpose in describing the end of the hypocrite was to accuse
Job of being just such a man and to explain to him that this
was the reason for his calamities. Had Zophar any true understanding,
he would have spoken words of encouragement to Job rather than
loading him with condemnation. The reality is that those who
are the greatest discoverers of hypocrisy and others are generally
greater hypocrites in the process. Who among the sons of men, when
illumined by the Spirit of God, would not confess to seeing his
own hypocrisy on shameful display whenever he is able to uncover
it in someone else? Of late we have had great examples
of such in the political realm, as many of our august statesmen
adopt a holier-than-thou attitude as the sin of other politicians
is brought out, by stinging accusations if not in actual fact. Rather
than weeping at the manifestation of sin, they see it as an opportunity
to make gain for themselves, until the shoe is found fit on
their own foot, and then they as quickly begin to make the
same excuses which they earlier condemned. Augustus' top lady
said that hypocrites are like dunghills covered with snow.
One may look at the white landscape and remark of its undulating
beauty until the sun comes out and the snow melts away, revealing
what is beneath. Had Zophar merely been recounting
the just deserts of wicked men and the certainty of the fact
that all men must stand before the judgment of God, we should
have had no reason to take issue with his claims. The triumphing
of the wicked may often be very loud, even as Zophar demonstrates. There is no shortage of those
who have spiritual advice for the multitudes, or of those who
are adept at pointing out the failures of men, most especially
in comparison to their particular standards of holiness. The triumphing
of the wicked is indeed short. As Job says, man that is born
of a woman is a few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth
like a flower and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow, and
continueth not. The joy of the hypocrite is but
for a moment. That very transgression which
he accuses others of is often that which captures him. The
moralists and humanists of the world opine that man has some
great intrinsic value which in essence requires God to take
notice of him and to reward him for the good things which he
does. But the only thing which is owed to man is his destruction
according to the dictates of that holy law which says the
wages of sin is death. The sweet sound of the gospel
of the glory of the blessed God informs us that there is one
who has gladly received that reward of death and the grave
in the behalf of an undeserving rabble of hypocrites, profligates,
and religious pretenders. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at ForThePoor at WinStream.net