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Temple Cleansed Again
353
Says the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.”...
“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.”
Isaiah 1:11, 16
[273]
He who had given these prophecies Himself now repeated the
warning for the last time. In fulfillment of prophecy the people had
proclaimed Jesus king of Israel. He had received their homage and
accepted the office of king. He must now act like the king He was.
He knew that His efforts to reform a corrupt priesthood would be
futile. Even so, He must give an unbelieving people the evidence of
His divine mission.
Again the piercing look of Jesus swept over the profaned court
of the temple. All eyes turned toward Him. Divinity flashed through
His humanity, filling Christ with a dignity and glory He had never
manifested before. Those nearest Him moved as far away as the
crowd would permit. Except for a few of His disciples, the Savior
stood alone. The deep silence seemed unbearable. Christ spoke with
a power that shook the people like a mighty storm: “‘It is written,
“My house is a house of prayer,” but you have made it a ‘den of
thieves.’” His voice rang like a trumpet through the temple. “Take
these things away!”
John 2:16
.
Three years before, the rulers of the temple had been ashamed of
having fled before the command of Jesus. They had felt it impossible
that they would ever repeat their undignified surrender. Yet they were
now more terrified than before and in a greater hurry to obey His
command. Priests and traders fled, driving their cattle ahead of them.
On the way from the temple, they were met by a crowd who
came with their sick, inquiring for the Great Healer. The report that
the fleeing people gave made some of these turn back, but a large
number pushed on through the crowd, eager to reach Him. Again
the sick and the dying filled the temple court, and once more Jesus
ministered to them.