Cleaning Out the Temple

What’s the Sabbath day all about? In one simple word, it’s “rest.” But the concept is seen throughout the story of the Israelites as a kind of renewal. Ultimately, rest is a rejuvenating activity, but we also see a rejuvenating activity in things like the Flood, Jubilee, and a host of other God-directed events. Sometimes to get to the point of rest, you have to do a little spring cleaning.

 
Early in Jesus’ ministry, a significant event demonstrated God’s “cleansing” of the place that was supposed to be a place of refreshment – the temple (John 2). Because of the activities going on in the temple, the words of David in Psalm 65:4 said didn't seem to be true, “...We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple.”

This place needed to see the light that the temple was intended to shine into the world around it. Jesus would soon reveal that He was the light of the temple. John began His gospel with a prologue that included these powerful words, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:4), but as John would continue in John 1:9-12, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

Jesus was telling those with impure motives in their trade within the temple walls to GET OUT, just like He had done to Satan around the same time frame (Matthew 4, Luke 4). Jesus was confronting darkness with a message that cleaned house and set free.

 
Jesus’ temple cleaning can easily be seen as an important metaphor in our own lives. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” It’s THAT temple that we need to make sure stays free from corruption and evil intentions. It’s good to stop and consider what needs to be cleaned out of my life.

 
John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

After Baptism

Baptism. Romans 6:2-4 reminds us that in our baptism we made a declaration to die to sin. And when we “were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death” which resulted in a new way of living! Dying to sin doesn’t mean dying to temptation. As good as that would be, that’s not how the spiritual realm works. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the “powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Jesus didn’t consider being equal with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself just a servant, in human likeness…[so] “He humbled himself by becoming obedient, even to death…” (Phillipians 2:6-8).

After Jesus’ baptism, He encountered three different temptations (tests) from Satan. Jesus had the same kinds of temptations that we have to deal with, and by doing that, He had to trust in God’s power just like we have to. 

First, Satan tempted Him with food. It’s kind of interesting that it was food that the serpent used as bait for Eve with the first temptation (Genesis 3)! But Jesus depended on the words of God rather than justification or human logic. “‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (A reference to Deuteronomy 8:3).

Next, Satan tempted Him with an opportunity to show off His power by throwing Himself off the cliff and letting the angels rescue Him. Satan quotes Psalms 91:11-12. (ironically, the very next verse is referring to Satan’s demise, “You will tread (and trample] on the great lion and the serpent” Genesis 3:15; 1 Peter 5:8). Again, Jesus responds with Scripture; this time Deuteronomy 6:16.

Finally, Satan tempts Him with the opportunity for the whole world to no longer endure temptation by the “Father of Lies,” if Jesus would acknowledge Satan as a genuine authority. But Jesus demonstrates what Eve failed to do—and every bit of human will has failed to do as well—trust in the guidance of God’s word completely throughout our lives! Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only!” This happened to be the first commandment given to the Israelites after leaving Egyptian bondage (Exodus 20:3). 

Hebrews 4:15-16, “[Jesus was] tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. [So] approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, [reaching for His] mercy and find [that] grace to help us in our time of need.” 

Praise the Lord for giving us the template to endure temptation! Trust in God’s word!

It Starts with God's Word

When do we start planning for retirement, a career, a family? Or being active in our faith? People appreciate being able to see the beginning of a story, of a project, of a relationship, etc. The origins help us appreciate and understand the motive of something better; knowing the origins even helps us feel more confident in the outcome. 

That’s true for products and services, and it's true for the message of the gospel. 2 Peter 1:16, “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 

There was a point when Jesus would officially begin His ministry to reveal the kingdom of God. John’s disciples had come asking if He was the one and if this was the time. He answered them with the words of Isaiah, “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of Me” (Matthew 11:5 referencing Isaiah 35). 

Miracles would end up being a key sign that Jesus was the Messiah, serving as proof of His power and authenticity. The miracle at Cana (John 2), turning the water into wine, was His “first of the signs through which He revealed His glory.” 

However, Jesus had been revealing His unique life even from his birth. We also see Him as a 12-year-old boy displaying a foundation that would set all believers on a course of trusting in God’s words, faithfully listening and meditating on them, and “growing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52) as He sat at the feet of the religious leaders discussing the Law. 

Jesus depended on the words of God to guide Him into action, and even to defend against threats to His mission (Luke 4, Matthew 4). He modeled what God told Joshua to do in Joshua 1:7-8, “Be careful to obey all the law My servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” 

Those words would comfort Him along every step of His journey, including the cross (Psalm 22). It’s true for us as well. God’s word reveals our role in the kingdom of God, and it gives us the strength we need to carry out God’s will. 

The longest chapter in the Bible is focused on the beauty of God’s laws and how they protect us against enemies, guide us in our life, and ultimately give us hope. Jesus was the essence of all these, “the Word that became flesh.” Think on Psalm 119:28, “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.” What a wonderful promise and great example for us!

Recognizing Jesus

How do you handle problems? Ultimately, God’s word directs us in a way that helps us to utilize God’s wisdom and power to help overcome the problems we face (Psalm 119, Proverbs 2, Joshua 1:8). That doesn’t mean that all problems are avoidable, but how we react to the problem is within our control.

For the Israelites living under Roman control, they saw their situation as a problem. But what was the solution? God was revealing His ancient plan before their very eyes, starting with the message of John the Baptist in the wilderness, followed by the teachings, the signs, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. However, the religious leaders didn’t see John or Jesus as a solution to their problem. In fact, these leaders set out to stop their message.

Cna uoy raed htis vrey wlel? Sometimes we only see what we want to see! The religious leaders (and others) had a different picture in their minds of what the Messiah would be like. They failed to 5ee 7he B16 picture because of their lack of faith in the signs that had been there all along.

To recognize something for what it is should be considered a wonderful gift. In time, everything that Jesus taught to them would be recognizable to the Apostles, and those they taught, as the words of God. In Luke 24:44-45, Jesus told His disciples, “‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.’ Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Also, in Revelations 1:3, “…blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it…” 

Jesus often said, “He who has an ear to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 13:9; Mark 4:23). This was said to those willing to “see and hear” what the Scriptures had been revealing about Christ and God’s will.

We are blessed to have a more complete picture of the Messiah than those who stood on the banks of the river Jordan, or the people who first met Jesus. However, we can be just as blind as they were. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

It should be our aim to understand His will, rather than being foolish (Ephesians 5:17). But that takes diligently studying and meditating on God’s inspired word. Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Let us “fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2).