Mark 11:15-24 Jesus Drives Money Changers from the Temple

Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. When evening came, they would go out of the city. As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

Jesus quotes Isaiah when He says that his house will be called a house of prayer. This is because it is holy. How do you think God feels about those among us who enter His church toting bottles of water and the like? This too, is an affront to holiness. The cleansing of the temple is a signal that a new Temple leadership is surely coming. The coming temple is our body and will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit when the work of Jesus is complete. Previously Jesus cursed the fig tree (Temple Leaders) and today we learn that they have withered. No longer will God administer His program through these blind guides, but the Holy Spirit Himself will be our Guide.

Daily Prayer: Father, let me make a special effort to have a holy temple which is my body. Let me not have to be overthrown to have the awareness to have an acceptable vessel of worship, but instead let me be sanctified for Your worship. In Jesus name I pray Amen.