Pretenders
And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. ~Genesis 27:22
A masquerade is when people gather in a costume and pretend to be someone else. Typically, an event like this is meant to be a fun game of guessing who is underneath that disguise and costume. It is an intentional false outward show, pretense, and façade. The sin of hypocrisy is just like that. It is a masquerade. It is a false pretense of depicting something on the outside that is vastly different from that which is on the inside. This morning, we are examining what hypocrisy is, what hypocrisy can do, and how hypocrisy can hurt.
We see Jacob and his disguise.
Jacob’s father, Isaac, was very old and to the point where his vision was very poor and his health was declining. Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, had a strong preference of Jacob over Esau. This family was torn by the problem of favoritism. Rebekah preferred Jacob and Isaac preferred Esau. Rebekah wanted Jacob to receive his father’s blessing before Isaac died. Jacob had already connived Esau into trading his birthright to him. He would be complete if he also got his father’s blessing. So, Rebekah and Jacob plotted to fool Isaac. Rebekah cooked savory venison for Isaac to eat, and Jacob would don Esau’s garments so that he would smell and feel like Esau. This disguise was meant to depict someone on the outside who was different from the inside. Hypocrisy is when we pretend to be a good and godly Christian, but in reality we are living a life opposite of what we are depicting. It is like Jacob pretending to have the hairy hands of Esau, but all along he was not Esau. Are you pretending to be a real Christian?
We see Jacob and his duplicity.
Jacob entered into Isaac’s presence with goat skins on his hands and his neck. The goat skins depicted coarse hairy skin like Esau’s. The smell of the goat skin depicted the smell of animal and the field. Isaac requested Jacob to draw near to him so that he could touch Jacob’s hands and neck. Isaac said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” Hypocrites deceive with their words and actions. They pray well in public, but pray little in private. They know how to impress people with their deeds, but in reality they have no time or conviction to perform that deed. They pretend to be a person of character but within they are struggling with secret sins. They can shed tears at the right moment, but show little concern as a conviction. Hypocrisy is a spiritual masquerade. It is pretending to be someone that you really are not. It is purposely deceiving people that you are spiritual when in reality you are carnal. The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.
We see Jacob and his damage.
Jacob’s masquerade worked! Isaac unknowingly gave him the blessing. When Esau came back, it was too late for him to get the blessing of his father. Jacob stole from Esau. Jacob deceived Isaac. Hypocrisy leads to serious hurt and damage to those around you. Hypocrisy leads other people to sin. Hypocrisy is a stumbling block that can result in unsaved people rejecting Christ. Hypocrisy is a stumbling block that hurts Christians who are younger and have a weak conscience. Hypocrisy is living a lie. It is lying to God, to those around you, and to yourself. It is a life of self-righteousness: it pretends that it is a super Christian when in reality a hypocrite is a sinning Christian. Jesus described hypocrisy as being like white sepulchres which appear beautiful on the outside, but within are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness. There are never any victors when hypocrisy is present.
What kind of testimony and life does God see about you? Are you living a masquerade life? One where the voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau? Forsake a life of hypocrisy!
Have an unfeigned God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Luke 12-13