The Temple

John 2:¹⁶ “Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here…” (emphasis added)

Yesterday, we saw Jesus doing some very unconventional things. Jesus did not only hand make a whip, He used it on people. This is not the picture of Jesus a lot of Christians want to see. Jesus is one hundred percent grace (100%) and one hundred percent truth (100%). However, in today’s scripture reference we see that Jesus, with a whip in hand, got to a certain group of people and chose to speak to them instead of whooping them. Why didn’t He flog them? After all, He had been flogging others before them. Why didn’t He scatter their tables and set the doves free? It is because doves were the sacrifices provided for the poor people.

Jesus’ parents were poor; when they took Jesus to the temple, they could only afford doves for the sacrifice for Him. Luke 2:²⁴ “So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” When He got to the table of the dove sellers, He remembered and instead told them to move away. Similarly, there some people that even when you are angry and you are flogging everyone, when you get to them you take one look at them and you tell them to just go. This jumped out at me; Jesus did not flog these merchants because they were catering to the poor. The prophecy of how the temple was going to be cleansed was given in Zech. 14:²¹ “In fact, every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. All who come to worship will be free to use any of these pots to boil their sacrifices. And on that day there will no longer be traders in the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” The priests were profiteering from the people.

John 2:¹⁶ “…Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” If you are reading this and the best way to describe your temple [your body, your mind] is like it is a marketplace for unclean spirits – they come in and go out. Today, that is going to come to an end in the Name of Jesus. Jesus wants to and will set you free. God is speaking to someone, please yield to Him, cry out to Him and Jesus will step in and cleanse your temple, in Jesus Mighty Name. However, the question is, how have you seen God’s house turned into a marketplace today? There are places that when they have special services, like a God Will Do It Again Service, you cannot bring your own anointing oil. You have to buy the one being sold there, or the anointing will not flow in that oil. That is so wrong but sadly it is being done today.

I have heard of places where while you are waiting to see the Pastor, someone will come around to collect what you have brought. And if it is not enough, you would be told to come back another time. It sounds funny but it is sad. God will help us not to turn His house into a marketplace in the Name of Jesus. The truth is the concept of profiteering should not be in the church because what do we have that has not been given to us from above?

Prayer: Holy Spirit, sanctify my temple and make it fit for God’s home, in Jesus Name. Amen!