In Times Like These

Luke 19:45-48

IN TIMES LIKE THESE

April 3, 2022

Intro: Just the day before, Jesus had presented Himself to the people in Jerusalem, as their King and as their Messiah, in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. “Thy King is coming… riding on a donkey.” The people praised Jesus crying, “Hosanna… Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” but the religious leaders refused to honor Him as King, Luke 19:39. When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, He went to the Temple and looked around, Mark 11:11 and when Jesus visited the Temple the next day, He saw some things that He didn’t like. Lest any say that they were surprised by His visit, He had come by with a triumphal entry the day before! They knew Jesus was in town and it changed nothing!

I. THE TEMPLE - We are told that Jesus found people selling and buying goods in the Temple. He found others exchanging currency. And still others were walking through the Temple grounds on their way to other parts of the city. The Temple and its grounds were arranged to separate the people. The Temple complex sat on top of Mt. Zion. It covered an area of some 35 acres. The outer walls of the Temple grounds were over 1,000 feet in length. When a person entered the Temple grounds, they came first into the Court of the Gentiles. This area was open to all people, Jews and Gentiles, who wanted to worship God. Farther into the Temple grounds beyond a low wall was the Court of Women. On this wall were signs that warned Gentiles to stay out of this courtyard. Beyond that was the Court of the Israelites. Jewish men were allowed here at any time and women only with a sacrifice. Beyond that was the Court of the Priests. This was where the priests worked and ministered. Beyond that was the Temple itself with the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Inside Herod’s temple things were set up similarly to the tabernacle of Moses. Beyond the first veil within the Holy Place there was the golden altar of incense, the golden table of showbread, and the golden lampstand, but there was no Art of the Covenant within the Holy of Holies! For they had yet to learn that the Glory of God was walking among them!

All of the events we are talking about today took place in the Court of the Gentiles. The population of Jerusalem was usually around 80,000 people. During this time of the year, at Passover, the population swelled to over 2 million. These people came to Jerusalem to worship from all over the world. In those days, part of the Jewish worship involved the sacrifice of animals. These animals had to meet certain standards and had to be approved by the priest. Because there were animals being sold in the Temple, the pilgrims who came to town would not have to bring their own animals, nor would they take a chance that the animals they brought would be judged unclean by the priests. Other items used in Temple worship were also sold here. Items like wine, oil, flour, and salt, that had been pronounced clean, were also sold in the Temple. The money changers also provided a valuable service to Temple worshipers. Every Jewish male was required to pay at each census of Israel. This tax had to be paid in Jewish money. Other currencies were not accepted. The money changers seemed necessary because the pilgrims from around the world would be in possession of various currencies that would not be accepted in the Temple. Mark 11:16 even talks about those who were carrying “vessels through the Temple.” The Temple courtyard provided a quick path between the eastern part of the city of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. History teaches us that many people who were on business in the city would take this shortcut through the Court of the Gentiles. To most people the things that were taking place at the Temple were necessary and fine. Most people had no problem at all with the way things worked, but Jesus had a problem with what was going on at His House. In times like these many people don’t have a problem at all at what is happening in church, but I believe that He wouldn’t like all we have done for convenience.

II. THE TURNING - Jesus came to the Temple that Monday morning knowing exactly what He would find. He had not only been there the day before he had been there three years before and had seen what was happening. He comes back this morning to do the same thing He did before. The first time he drove them out during Passover is found only in John 2:19. It seems, however, that His efforts to reform the Temple had not lasted. The same things are still happening and Jesus once again comes to the Father’s House and seeks to restore it to a place of worship, holiness and spirituality. The Lord came to His Own house; and found it in total disarray. So, He turned some things upside down! Jesus entered the Temple and began to turn over tables, drive people away and refuse to allow some to pass through the Temple. Imagine people and animals are running around trying to get away from Jesus. Money is flying through the air. The Lord Jesus is turning stuff over and getting rid of the offenders. In verse 46 Jesus quotes two Old Testament passages. First, He quotes Isaiah 56:7, which says, in part, “…for mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.” Then, Jesus quotes Jeremiah 7:11, which says, “Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?” Like robbers, the High Priest and his followers had hidden themselves away in the Temple, seeking to hide their wickedness under a cloak of holiness. Like thieves, these men were waiting for the innocent to enter the Temple so they could take their money. You see, while the sale of the animals and other items used for worship seems harmless and even helpful, we need to understand that it was anything but innocent. A dove that cost, say $1.00 on the street might cost $25.00 inside the Temple. The people who came to worship were being charged grossly inflated prices. The money changers were just as guilty. They charged a 10-12 percent exchange rate. They were also guilty of extortion. On top of this, the High Priest and his family were paid a percentage of the profits, on top of the fee the sellers had to pay to gain permission to sell in the Temple. It was a big money racket that preyed on poor. The Temple was nothing but a “den of thieves.” It seems that the Jews had lost all respect for the holiness and sanctity of the Temple and treated its grounds like it was any other place.