Psalm 45; Deut. 9:4-12; Heb. 3:1-11; John 2:13-22
Moses is a bit cynical about the people he has led these forty years and who can blame him? He reminds them it is not because of their righteousness that the Lord is about to bless them and drive out the nations who have occupied this land. It is because of two things that the Lord will do this. First, the wickedness of these nations is so great the Lord can no longer allow them to be there, and second because He is righteous and has made a promise to their fathers to give them this land. Moses can’t leave it there though. He reminds them that for the past forty years they have been a stubborn, disobedient, and unfaithful people to the Lord who has delivered them from their enemies and kept them in the wilderness safe from harm and provided for their needs. They need to remember these things about themselves lest they be tempted to pride. We need to remember them about ourselves as well.
Jesus comes to Jerusalem during the Passover and is enraged by what He sees. They have focused themselves on ways of profiteering from religion rather than worshipping. The temple is overrun by these activities and not available for its intended purposes, prayer and worship and teaching. Religion has overtaken relationship, barriers exist to getting to God. The temple is there to allow people to deal with sins, to be reconciled to the Lord, to offer Him thanks and praise, to learn more of Him, and instead they have made it a religious market. It is a sure sign that those who are there have forgotten Him and forgotten the purpose of the place. They ask for a sign when they should be repenting of what they have done.
We are God’s house. Paul says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. When we think of these metaphors we should also recall this Gospel scene and ask the question, “What would Jesus say of the temple of my heart and mind?” Would He react as He does here in this Gospel lesson? There are many things in my life that detract from my ability to truly and fully worship Him and there are likewise many things that prevent the world from access to Him through me. I need Him to come and reveal those things to me where I have bought into religion and where I am more worldly than godly. If I would truly find rest for my weary soul then I need Him to show me where I am still seeking rest anywhere other than in Him.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
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