Based on John 2:13-25 (New King James Version)
“Now the Passover 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!’ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.’ So the Jews answered and said to Him, ‘What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ Then the Jews said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”
Even though all sin is unrighteousness, the Bible teaches us that there are certain things that simply can neither exist in the physical temple where believers come together, nor even less, inside our hearts. And as we read today, the Lord could not tolerate the issue of the love of money in the temple. How can we draw a line from selling in the temple to the love of money?
The issue, as the Lord Himself explained it, was that the temple was made for prayer, as a place to speak to God, to look for God; not to conduct business. What was happening was that the priests would allow for the things of the Lord to be commercialized, with the goal to make money. Back then, animal sacrifices were still in effect for the atonement of sins (which God changed forever through the Holy sacrifice of His Son on the cross, offering Himself as an eternal sacrifice for the sins of men). And what was happening was that when people would come to the temple to present their sacrifices, the priests had to inspect what they were bringing. And the Law of Moses taught that everything that was to be presented to the Lord as a sacrifice had to be pure, without blemish, and of the firstlings. And of course, in order to profit from this, they would inspect what was brought and they almost always conveniently found something wrong. And for people’s convenience, they would sell them what they had, because what they sold was of course acceptable. What was also probably happening was that people were not bringing anything either, thereby coming empty-handed, and they would come to the temple with the idea to conveniently buy something there. In the end, everything was turned into a filthy business, concentrating more on money than on what it was all really about: in coming to the House of the Lord to look for His presence, and for the priests to help people have an encounter with their God.
The same commercialization exists today with the things of God. Many preachers, pastors, leaders, etc. profit with the Gospel. Everything is centered more on money and in taking advantage of others instead of doing what God desires and commands. The ministry is more of a way to subsist; a vehicle to make money. People profit with other’s souls. In many places, just as it used to be during the Lord’s time, everything is centered on making money, on materialism. Money is loved more than God. The love of money takes the Lord’s place unfortunately.
What’s the problem with this, with the love of money? The first problem is that it turns into an idol, into a god. And God is very clear with this issue, for it is written: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3. Absolutely nothing can take the place of God. He must be first. The Bible also teaches this: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10. So then, it’s not that money within itself is bad. The problem is when you love money.
The practical problem that the love of money has (per se) is that when money is loved, then what is truly valuable is traded for something that is only an illusion. Money in all reality is an illusion; it’s a reflection of the material world in which we live in. Both money and what it can buy will all go away someday. And when you die (because that day will come for everyone), it will be of no good to you. You can’t take it with you. And, how logical is it to turn something that is an illusion into the center of a person’s life? The love of money and the material world (because that is what it represents) is passing. And for the love of money, in order to obtain things, people do unspeakable things. Nothing is sacred, and what is valuable is tossed away.
And finally, the Bible teaches us that when God comes to live in our lives, we become His temples. For it is written: “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” 2 Corinthians 6:16. The temple that God is more interested in is our temple. And of course, if He hated what was happening in the physical temple which is passing, how much more do you believe it will displease Him if this evil is in our hearts? God will neither tolerate it in the place where His people come together, and even less, in the heart of man. God knows everything that is inside a human being, for it is written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10.
So then, are you allowing the Lord to clean the temple of your heart so that it can become the place He desires for it to be, for your own good? Lord bless! John