Hypocritical Prayers

HYPOCRITICAL PRAYERS

[Jesus said], ”You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’" Matthew 15:7-9

Whenever Israel was in trouble they would cry, “Back to Egypt!” When they were hungry in the desert they grumbled that they wanted to go back to Egypt where they ate all the food they wanted (Exodus 16:3). When they were thirsty they wanted to go back to Egypt so they wouldn’t die of thirst (Exodus 17:3). When they got sick of manna, they wailed that they wanted to go back to Egypt (Numbers 11:4-6). When ten of the twelve spies that explored Canaan came back and reported that they looked like grasshoppers in comparison to that country’s giants the people cried out that they wanted to go back to Egypt rather than die in the desert (Numbers 14:1-5).

God heard their repeated complaints and warned them through Isaiah, Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD (Isaiah 31:1).

Understanding the Israelites cry for Egypt and God’s firm warning against it clearly points to their hypocrisy in Jeremiah 41-42. Johanan son of Kareah, the army officers, and Judah’s survivors were on their way to Egypt when they decided to swing by Jeremiah’s place with this prayer request: Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do (Isaiah 42:2-3).

What hypocritical prayers! It sounded so pious to ask for God’s guidance, but the truth of the matter is that they already set their hearts on disobedience. They’re on their way to Egypt!

Jeremiah acknowledges the hypocrisy. He said, “O remnant of Judah, the LORD has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be sure of this: I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, ‘Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the LORD your God in all he sent me to tell you” (Jeremiah 42:19-22).

If you’re asking God if you should forgive someone (Matthew 18:21-22), tell the truth (1 Peter 3:10), honor your parents (Ephesians 6:1-3), or some other clear command in Scripture, acknowledge your hypocrisy and obey God.

Prayer Step: Think about your prayer requests today. Are they hypocritical? If so, it’s time to honor Him with your lips and heart through total obedience.

Solemn prayers, rapturous devotions, are but repeated hypocrisies unless the heart and mind be conformable to them. William Law

Grace and peace,
Lenae