During the time of Passover, the Israelites were supposed to rid themselves and their houses of anything containing leaven, this is because leaven was symbolic of sin and Passover was symbolic of their deliverance from sin.
This is what makes the story of Jesus driving the money changers out of the temple so interesting. He cleanses the temple of the sinful practices going on within it.
This story can be found in all four gospels, but the one I was reading this morning is John 2:13-22.
Here we see Jesus in an unusual state, when he sees the marketplace in the temple, he is essentially seeing indulgences being sold, many of the animals were not fit to sacrifice.
On top of this, it was commanded by God through Moses that the people must raise the sacrifice as a pet to ensure there was an emotional bonding to the lamb, thus illustrating more keenly the pain of transgression when the lamb was slain.
When Jesus sees this abomination taking place, he erupts into righteous indignation and drives them all out of the temple in a rather dramatic scene wielding a make-shift whip and turning over tables.
This got me thinking about us, when we first accept Jesus, we usually have plenty of money-changers and illegal commerce going on in our hearts too. This is where he starts his work, just like when he delivered them from Egypt they purged the leaven from their homes, so too, when he delivers us from sin, he purges sin from our heart.
Just like Jesus cleansing the temple, It can be a painful process, but it is a liberating one for all who accept it.
To strengthen this link even further, it is important to recognise that the Bible states that our bodies are the temple of hype Holy Spirit.
Let us ask Jesus today to enter into our temple and evict any remnants of our old life that may be there.
Really like this one Luke. I think I need to go on a cleanse. So with diet I’d have maybe some organic Juice, only pure foods? So I should work to have only pure, from a Godly perspective, things go into my system. Through the ears, they eyes, the mouth in the mind. Have Jesus and all that is off Jesus enter my temple only hey. That is what I think I need to do. God Bless!
Praise God! Glad you enjoyed it, I think you nailed the point, protecting the avenues of the mind will lead us to become more like what we are admitting into our ‘temple’.
By beholding we become changed!
Oh good brother!
“By beholding we become changed!” This is an incredibly valuable “idea” to subscribe to for a Christian. It would not surprise me if we surveyed the worlds elite and most successful and the subscribed to the same!
Thanks again for your encouragement mate!