The Temple

They came to Jerusalem, and He went into to temple complex and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers tables and the chairs of those selling doves, and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex. 

Then He began to teach them: "Is it not written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!'" Then the chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching. Mark 11:15-18

The money changers and sellers of goods had set up shop in the cour of the Gentiles. Seekers from 'all nations' came looking for God but the atmosphere was now like a street stall.

Jesus said that it should have been a house of prayer for all nations. He had a heart for all lost whereas the Scribes and Pharisees did not. It was convenient to allow money changers to be able to provide the Gentiles with a means of exchanging foreign coins for suitable local coinage to pay temple tax. Local people who came and needed to buy an animal to sacrifice could conveniently buy their animal in the court of the Gentiles.

Jesus zeros in on the truth. What was the temple for? What was really important?

We, as Christians become the temple of the Holy Spirt. Has His preference changed? How do I keep my temple as a house of prayer for all nations? Do I allow business, Facebook, Twitter etc intrude into my times of worship and church attendance?

Our God is a jealous God. He is pure in His desire and we cannot view Him as a spoiling parent who allows us to walk in error. He corrects us and purifies us, calling us to be transformed into the image of His Son. Amen!