There have been a lot of cover-ups throughout human history. It’s part of our fallen (and flawed) human nature. When caught doing wrong, our first instinct is to cover up our sin, deflect the blame to someone else, and justify ourselves. The Bible rings true when it simply states, “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” (Romans 3:23) By the way, that word “all” includes me and you. Welcome to the human race!
So, what would qualify as history’s greatest cover-up?
King David
This is a biggie. And for those who aren’t familiar with the Bible, it’s very surprising. After all, David did a lot of amazing things – he killed bears and lions as a young shepherd, he killed a giant as a young man (remember Goliath?), and he was successful militarily and politically as he united and expanded his kingdom during a long reign of several decades. He was even called “a man after God’s own heart”. Today’s flag of Israel has “the star of David” in the middle. But there is a very dark blot on his otherwise stellar career.
You can read about it in the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel, chapter 11. Even though he had his own wife, he lusts after another woman (sin #1). He not only thinks about it, but he commits adultery with her (sin #2). When he learns she’s pregnant, he calls her husband back from a war trying to cover up (sin #3). When that doesn’t work, he puts the husband on the front lines so he is killed (sin #4). Wow – lust, adultery, deception and murder! (four biggies). Just think of the headlines that would make today.
President Nixon
In recent history, the word “cover-up” is often linked with this former president. Many of you lived through this sad chapter of American politics. Nixon is running for a second term as president in the early 1970s. He has fostered a toxic climate of distrust in his inner circle toward the media and political opponents. Some over-zealous underlings plot a really stupid and clumsy break-in at the opposing party’s office in a hotel and office complex called the “Watergate”.
When the press starts probing, Nixon and his team resist instead of cooperating. Nixon was tricky but not stupid enough to authorize such a risky, illegal break-in. What eventually forced him to resign (and which sent some of his aides to jail) was obstruction of justice and attempts to cover-up when they learned what really happened.
King Jesus
Now we come to what I call “the greatest cover-up in world history”. You may wonder what in the world the sinless Son of God (and Savior of the world) has to do with such sordid matters. Well, if David’s cover-up was sexual, and Nixon’s cover-up was political, this one was spiritual.
The central message of the Bible is that we have a solution for our sin problem. That’s good news. But sin requires a penalty. That’s justice. On the Cross, Jesus provided the full payment for human sin. In that way, He fully “covered up” our sin with the sacrifice of his broken body and shed blood. He took the hit so we could walk free. That’s love and mercy.
Most cover-ups are bad, negative and sinful. What Jesus did for us was the opposite. The world’s greatest “cover up” was good, positive and life-giving.
Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
