Whitewashed Tombs

Paint can do something amazing.  It can transform an item which shows years of wear and tear into something that appears new and clean.  Over the past few years the fence in the back yard had begun to show its years of standing out in the elements.  It could very easily have been painted over and made to look new, but a coat of paint would not change the fact that dry rot had set in and many of the boards and posts were broken.  No amount of paint would fix what was broken.

In Acts 23, Paul confronts the leaders of the Jewish council who desired to see him die.  After the High Priest orders Paul to be struck on the mouth for the things he was saying, Paul says directly to the High Priest, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!”  There is deep meaning within these words that not only conjures up the words of Christ but also the prophet Ezekiel.  There is no amount of “paint” that could be used to hide the defects in the hearts of the council.

What do Ezekiel and Jesus teach us about being whitewashed tombs?  How can we evaluate our own hearts in an honest way to see what “paint,” if any, we are using to cover up our true spiritual condition?  Are we wearing a mask which looks good on the outside but only covers the darkness and hypocrisy within?

May God use this passage to speak to us this week and may we be prayerfully prepared to heed the work of the Spirit of God within our own hearts.