Sacrilege in the sanctuary

 

John 2v 12-17  Scene       the temple in Jerusalem

His Divine passion for His Father’s house

We come now to a very different situation…the scene is now the temple in Jerusalem.  In the first cameo we saw Him at the wedding to assist the families in their want.  Here He uses His authority to condemn the sharp practices in the sacred precincts.  We now witness His anger as His Father’s house is being violated.   To understand this portion we must take account of two terms...The Jews Passover, and the Father’s house.

Spirituality in Israel was in decline.  The Passover was a Divinely instituted feast, and was known as “The Lord’s Passover”—Exodus 12v11,v27, v48; Leviticus 23v5; Numbers 28v16; Deuteronomy 16v1; 2^nd Kings 23v21.  It was the Passover of the Lord, and the Passover unto the Lord, yet it is now “the Jews Passover”.  What was a sacred Divine institution has been hijacked by men who seek influence through it, for many follow it.  They had turned it into a place of business where visiting strangers were being robbed.  How much is a similar decline true of many churches today, which have become a paradise for men to rule the minds of people, and robbing God of His true worship, as well as His people who are denied proper instruction?  A beautiful sacred worship had become a meaningless ritual with thieving intent.  In less than a century the church at Ephesus had become a fallen church, unable to bear true testimony.  The Protestant movement has decayed to various levels of compromise. The evangelical live revival of the 19th century, has descended into rank sectarianism.  What began as the bride of Christ in Acts 2 will give rise to the whore of Revelation 17.  When men take control of a Divine institution, it very rapidly declines.  We have to ask ourselves, is Christ truly the head of the church?;  is the Holy Spirit in control of the distribution of the gifts? Or are we heaping up for ourselves teachers, having itching years, deciding to listen only to what we want to hear?  When men takeover the House of God, it becomes nothing more than a social club devoid of spiritual life.

Jesus called the temple His Father’s house.  In Matthew 23, v38, at the end of His public ministry, He had to say, concerning it, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”  In the end, He disowned it.  Desolation is all that is left when God removes His presence.  John chapter 2 it is called a “house of merchandise”; in Matthew, Mark and Luke, it is said to be a “den of thieves.”  

Secularism had become extortion in the name of God.  The moneychangers were short-changing the many visitors who came for the Passover.  According to Josephus, the Jewish historian, they were selling nickel doves for $4.  They were cashing in on people’s need to worship, and fixing the exchange rates. The extent of this. was horrifying, because it is thought around 2.7 million could have been present in Jerusalem at this time.  God does not want His house to be used either for secular gain or extortion.  Behold the power of Deity as he moves among them swiftly, clears the temple of cattle, sheep and people, overturning the tables of the moneychangers.  This was nothing short of  sacrilege in the House of God, which is not for secular use, even under the guise of attracting people in.  It is a House of prayer, and meditation, a House for instruction and worship, and should remain so.  His disciples remembered it was written-Psalm 69v9,  ”…the zeal of Thine House hath eaten me up.”  With what power and speed He acted to preserve the honour of His Father!