Jesus is Upset – Very Much

My House is a House of Prayer 

Our Bible Study centered around the story of Jesus upsetting the tables in the temple, but first we considered some words from Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 7:1-11.  God told the prophet to proclaim the Word of the Lord; “God says to repent, amend your ways; You steal, murder, commit adultery and then have the audacity to come and stand before me.  Don’t think you are free to do these abominations and get away with it.” 

In the Psalms, (69:9) David knew that those who opposed him actually opposed God.

Isaiah 56:7 Come to the mountain and worship and you shall be accepted.

Understand that today - - you are the temple.  I Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

With those verses as a foundation we return to John chapter 2.  

After the miracle of water turned into wine, Jesus came to Capernaum, with his mother, his disciples and remained there many days.  

The Jewish Passover was soon, so Jesus went down to Jerusalem.  

The Passover celebration was a time to sacrifice, and many traveled from long distances and planned to purchase a sacrifice once arriving there.  All nations came to worship and sacrifice, but the Gentiles were only allowed in the outside outer court.

Prices for sacrificial animals were inflated as the High Priest was behind all the overcharging.  This was a big money maker and quite a business.  Tables were set up inside the temple with animals available for sale.  The money exchange was also corrupt, with greed, racism; loss of dignity, stealing, deceitfulness reigning high.

Jesus came upon this scene and his anger fumed as He turned over tables and whipped and drove the animals out of the temple.  Jesus cried, “My house shall be called a house of prayer and worship, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

The Jews viewing this remembered the verse in Psalms 69:9  “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.”

Educated scholars knew prophetic words about the Messiah but their hearts were closed.  Instead the religious leaders criticized Jesus for his outburst and demanded a sign from him.  Jesus remarked, “Destroy this temple and in three days I shall rise again.”  

They immediately considered the building made of stone, but Jesus was speaking of his body being the temple of the Lord.  His disciples remembered this later when Jesus had risen from the dead.

Jesus began to do many miracles and a multitude of people believed on Him and followed him.  Jesus did not advertise himself, because he knew the fickleness of men and the issues of their hearts.

For us today, we must use wisdom to correct our selves when we are tempted to entertain sin in any of its various forms.  

You have a right to protect yourself even in the church if there is something wrong going on.  Use your spiritual eyes and ears to examine your own heart.  Be wise not to take part in wrong even if it is in the church.  Do not fear to speak up and perhaps walk out - - if it comes to that.

Our teacher shared a hand out about the secret place.  Where is the Secret Place?  It is a personal place where you meet with God.  There is only room for you and our Lord.  Where is the most holy place on this earth?  It is your own secret place where you can leave every thing behind and enter into His presence.