124
The Desire of Ages
of confusion. The presence of the Lord, that of old sanctified the
[159]
[160]
[161]
mount, has now made sacred the temple reared in His honor.
In the cleansing of the temple, Jesus was announcing His mission
as the Messiah, and entering upon His work. That temple, erected for
the abode of the divine Presence, was designed to be an object lesson
for Israel and for the world. From eternal ages it was God’s purpose
that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man,
should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator. Because of sin,
humanity ceased to be a temple for God. Darkened and defiled by evil,
the heart of man no longer revealed the glory of the Divine One. But
by the incarnation of the Son of God, the purpose of Heaven is fulfilled.
God dwells in humanity, and through saving grace the heart of man
becomes again His temple. God designed that the temple at Jerusalem
should be a continual witness to the high destiny open to every soul.
But the Jews had not understood the significance of the building they
regarded with so much pride. They did not yield themselves as holy
temples for the Divine Spirit. The courts of the temple at Jerusalem,
filled with the tumult of unholy traffic, represented all too truly the
temple of the heart, defiled by the presence of sensual passion and
unholy thoughts. In cleansing the temple from the world’s buyers
and sellers, Jesus announced His mission to cleanse the heart from
the defilement of sin,—from the earthly desires, the selfish lusts, the
evil habits, that corrupt the soul. “The Lord, whom ye seek, shall
suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant,
whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when
He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and
He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the
sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver.”
Malachi 3:1-3
.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall
God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
1
Corinthians 3:16, 17
. No man can of himself cast out the evil throng
that have taken possession of the heart. Only Christ can cleanse the
soul temple. But He will not force an entrance. He comes not into the
heart as to the temple of old; but He says, “Behold, I stand at the door,
and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come
in to him.”
Revelation 3:20
. He will come, not for one day merely;