June 25, 2022

Now the Passover [feast] of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He 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!” John 2:13-16

Jesus enacted a cleansing of the temple at Jerusalem at the start of His earthly ministry. It must have taken them by surprise as they scrambled about! Business as usual had definitely been upended. His manner of authority had them scattered and running… But over the course of His earthly ministry, much of which was in the Galilean countryside, the buying and selling in the temple at Jerusalem had resumed. Another cleansing of the temple ensued toward the end of His earthly ministry.

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” 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 19:41, 42, 45,46

At the beginning of earth’s history, we saw that the LORD enacted a cleansing of Paradise (a walled garden) whence Adam and Eve were driven after sinning. In our day—during the time of the end of earth’s history—the second antitypical cleansing of the temple is underway. This second cleansing parallels the second temple cleansing of His earthly ministry. He is graciously allowing time for the presentation of Biblical truth to drive out the false teachings that have made their way into the hearts and minds of His people: His temple! This cleansing, along with awareness of the judgement hour or antitypical Day of Atonement, commenced at the end of the two thousand three hundred days (quoted in yesterday’s opening passage).

Both Ezekiel and Peter highlight that judgement begins at the house of God (Ezekiel 9:6; 1 Peter 4:17). We are counseled not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:10, Ephesians 4:30). Grief is a love-word that implies separation. Whenever we are favored with God’s counsel—and we are highly favored by being in possession of His word!—we are held to the standard that it brings to our attention. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had the word in their possession, yet they rejected its Author. To reject truth not only stifles growth, but it paves the way for error to take a seat—and truth will be hidden from your eyes. Beloved, make sure you are allowing Jesus to cleanse you from the inside out. Only He can.

Grace to you and peace… from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:4b-6