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A WELL-PLANNED RAID!
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything but, since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve . . .
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as He taught them, He said, ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it “a den of robbers”.’
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill Him, for they feared Him, because the whole crowd was amazed at His teaching. When evening came, Jesus and His disciples went out of the city (Mark 11: 11; 15-19).
Did you notice how Jesus had checked out the whole situation the evening before? When He rode into the city on the donkey, He was making a powerful prophetic statement.
Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Zech. 9: 9).
The crowd expected His to turn towards Pilate’s residence, to confront Pilate and throw down His challenge. But He didn’t. Instead, He headed for the temple and went inside. They crowd was puzzled. He was their king. He had fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy to the letter. Why did He go to the temple?
There was one thing they did not understand. In order to take His rightful place on the throne of the universe, there was an enemy far more sinister and powerful to conquer than Rome. Rome was only a puppet of this rival to the throne of God – Satan. The temple represented the presence of God among His people, but the usurper had invaded the hearts of those who had power over the temple – the religious leaders.
What Jesus saw in the temple was evidence of that invasion – evil and corruption going on inside the temple courts with the blessing and sanction of the religious hierarchy. They were the ones who should have disallowed anything contrary to the ways of Yahweh but instead, they were benefitting from the illegal trading and dishonesty which the merchants and money changers were perpetrating against His people.
Jesus’s anger festered all night, and with purposeful stride, He led His disciples back to Jerusalem and up the temple mount in the early morning. Was His little interlude with the fig tree also a prophetic visual aid for His disciples that Israel as it was under the leadership of a corrupt priesthood was also cursed and doomed to die, just as the fig tree, symbolic of God’s people, was about to wither and die at His word?
Jesus’ anger was not an outburst of uncontrolled emotion but a purposeful expression of His outrage against the wickedness of greedy men. And even worse, what they were doing was being carried out in the name of God! They were saying in effect, with the full sanction of the religious leaders, that God was like that – greedy and corrupt. What they were actually representing was the very reason why Jesus could not take His place as king to rule over His kingdom until He had dealt with the sin that ruled in men’s hearts.
Let’s examine the reasons for Jesus’ action in the temple. First of all, where was the trading going on? In the court of the Gentiles. This was the only place in the temple where Gentiles were permitted to go. It was intended to be a place of prayer for them, but how could anyone pray in the midst of a corrupt bazaar? Jesus made it clear that God had a place for Gentiles in His kingdom, but the Jews ignored, even despised God’s provision for them. ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’?
Secondly, what the merchants were doing was blatantly evil. The priests would examine for defects the lamb brought by a family of worshippers for their sacrifice. He would declare it unfit for sacrifice, sell them another lamb and then promptly sell their lamb to the following worshipping family. What a sly and lucrative way to conduct business – in the temple precincts! But you have made it “a den of robbers”.’
In his swift and decisive action, Jesus unmasked their thieving scheme and the religious hierarchy behind it – and they were not pleased. Unfortunately for them, they had no answer for His action. So what did they do?
Watch this space!
Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son - The Way to the Father's Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You'll love it!
Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.
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