DEN OF THIEVES

I recently got a new perspective on the following Scripture:

Matthew 21: 12-13
12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

There are two phrases in this Scripture passage that I’ve never heard anyone address: “…and cast out ALL them that sold and BOUGHT in the temple” and “…YE have made it a DEN OF THIEVES”.

Why those who BOUGHT in the temple? I’m thinking Christ was disgusted with those who were lazy worshipers. By the Law of Moses (given by God) and tradition, they were expected to BRING a sacrifice TO the temple to have the priest make a sacrifice for their sins. Instead of making preparation and bringing God their best, they were settling for whatever was available at the last minute. They weren’t taking this seriously. It was very “routine” for them. They weren’t prepared in their hearts for true repentance. They weren’t prepared to worship Him as a Holy God deserved. They were ROBBING God of His deserved honor and worship…therein, the “den of thieves”. They were disrespecting His provision for them…forgiveness of sin…and so much more.

When you honor someone else in this life, don’t you shop for just the right card? Don’t you shop for just the right gift? Don’t you make effort to think and prepare to do something to honor them, to bless them? The Bible tells us “to give honor to whom honor” is due (Romans 13:7). When someone has been a great blessing in many lives, don’t they hold big celebrations of honor? Doesn’t God deserve our honor more than any man? When we gather together, isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Isn’t that what “church” is about?...to bring God honor as His Body…to celebrate Him…to offer Him our sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15) and worship?

Romans 12:1 – “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Since we no longer bring animals for sacrifice, because Jesus was the Ultimate Sacrifice, we are instructed to be LIVING SACRIFICES. Since we no longer need an earthly priest to stand between us and God, because Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 3-7) and Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), don’t we need to prepare our hearts? Everything in the Old Testament was a shadow of things to come. Didn’t the priests of old have a high price to pay for not preparing as instructed? Their lives were required of them when they did not prepare and honor God as instructed. We are priests and kings in His Kingdom here on earth. Much is required of us as well. This has been very sobering to me.

I’m thinking He’s not very happy with lazy worshippers. And, I’m thinking there is a price to pay for not preparing our hearts and worshiping Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).