August 27, 2022

And [Jesus] found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” John 2:14-17 (reference to Psalm 69:9)

This event, often referred to as “the cleansing of the temple” marked the beginning days of the earthly ministry of Jesus. This decisive action made it clear to all that Jesus was grieved to find such chaos within the temple courts. In addition to the odors and cacophony of animal sounds was the yelling of buyers and sellers, haggling over prices.

The end of Jesus’ earthly ministry was again marked by such an event. Jesus had wept over the city of Jerusalem because the vast majority of His own people had failed to recognize their long-awaited Messiah.

Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” Luke 19:45-46

Recall the original purpose of such a place:

“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8

But the purpose of the temple had been hijacked and perverted by the very ones in possession of the divine instructions for leading sinners to the forgiveness and cleansing that God offers. Their corrupt behavior and cooperation with sellers and money-changers was oppressive to the sincere worshipers who had traveled, many a long distance, to make offerings to the Lord. The unwillingness of the trained religious leaders to acknowledge their Messiah caused this sad declaration to fall from the lips of Him who had earlier referred to the temple as “My Father’s house” and “My house”:

“See! Your house is left to you desolate.” Matthew 23:38

The temple uninhabited by the Lord is desolate. Centuries earlier, Daniel foretold of another time that the temple would be defiled and made desolate. Again its purpose would be hijacked and perverted as God’s truth would be distorted and His sincere followers cruelly oppressed. Once again, Jesus would cleanse His sanctuary . . .

Then I [Daniel] heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily . . . and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot? And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” Daniel 8:13-14

to be continued…