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Luke 19:45-46
In this passage Jesus cleanses the temple by driving out those who were set up to do business in exchanging money and then selling animals for use in the ceremonial sacrifice of the temple. When the people of the surrounding countryside brought their animals for sacrifice to Jerusalem, the temple priests would deem them unclean and require that the animals they (the temple priests) had were the only ones that were considered “clean,” forcing everyone to buy the sacrificial animals from them at an inflated price. However, before they could buy these “clean” animals for their sacrifice, they were required to exchange their money for temple money because only temple money was accepted at the temple. This exchange rate was also conducted at an enormous rate allowing the temple priests to make themselves rich from those who came to worship at the temple. This explains the statement that Jesus made as He drove the exchangers and sellers out of the temple, that in the Scriptures the temple is a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7), but they have made it a den of thieves (Jeremiah 7:11).
This is an example of those who were self-righteous following their own will in disobedience to God’s will.
This is an example of how Satan can infiltrate our minds and hearts to trick us into blindly believing that our self-centered actions are justifiable.
This is an example that Satan can and will blind anyone to following God’s will for them, even the temple priests.
I believe the temple priests began their ministries faithful to God and the duties that He required of them in being the temple priests. But this shows the importance of keeping our focus on God/Jesus and seeking His will for our lives. He will not guide us in a direction that is against His will for us. He will not guide us to doing or participating in things that are against what we know to be true of Him in Scripture. We know this because of that little voice we hear when we know we are about to do or say something that is not right in the eyes of God. That is God’s Holy Spirit giving us guidance; we can choose not to follow the guidance that He gives us, but if we make that choice we are losing focus on Jesus and allowing the temptation of Satan to infiltrate us and pull us away from God’s will for our lives. When we find ourselves in this position we must call on the name of Jesus to help us…He will, He always will!
Dear Lord,
Satan is always trying to find ways to make us think that we are doing the right thing even when we know that it is not. Please help us to grow in our relationships with You through salvation in Jesus that when temptation strikes, we will receive guidance from Your Holy Spirit and call on the name of Jesus to regain our focus and overcome temptation. Jesus is the way (John 14:6). Please put within our hearts to call on Him to save us from the temptations that Satan will throw at us each day, that we would become stronger and stronger in Christ Jesus each day through prayer, study of your Word, and fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters. In Jesus name I pray, amen.