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Daily Devotions

John

John 
Day 
Day 35

The conquering of the City of Jerusalem

Text: John 2:13-25

THE CONQUERING OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM

The conquest of the city of Jerusalem was one historical event that all Jews knew well. The Jebusites were the original inhabitants of the city. They were so confident that Jerusalem was impregnable, they said to David,

” ‘You shall not come in here;
but the blind and the lame will repel you,’
thinking, ‘David cannot come in here.’

Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion
(that is, the City of David).”
2 Samuel 5:6-7

THE SITE OF THE TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM

Solomon had carefully chosen the site to build the Temple of Jerusalem. This site was significant because the Lord had met with David there. Because of the humbling of the king of Israel, a plague that could have decimated the nation was curbed. On this historic site Solomon decided to build the Temple his father had envisioned.

“Now Solomon began to build the House of the Lord
at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord
had appeared to his father David,
at the place that David had prepared on the threshing
floor of Ornan the Jebusite.”
2 Chronicles 3:1; (2 Samuel 24)

THE BLESSING OF GOD ON THE TEMPLE

The Lord Himself appeared to Solomon one night, after the Dedication of the Temple and He said these words to him.

“I have heard your prayer,
and have chosen this place for Myself
as a house of sacrifice…

For now I have chosen and sanctified this House,
That My Name may be there forever;
And My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.”
2 Chronicles 7:12, 16

Given these Biblical and historical insights, all Jews were brought up to love Jerusalem and the Temple with the deepest sense of devotion. Many devout Jews would literally lay down their lives for their city and for their Temple. Was it this sense of love that drew Jesus to make the long journey from Capernaum to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover?

THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE

Nothing could have prepared the Disciples for what they were about to witness when their Teacher stepped into the Temple precincts.

“Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand,
and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
And He found in the Temple those who sold oxen
And sheep and doves, and the money changers
Doing business.
When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out
Of the Temple, with the sheep and the oxen,
And poured out the changers’ money
And overturned the tables.”
John 2:13-15

What was Jesus doing? What came over Him? Why did He do what He did? The people must have been surprised. The Disciples must have been speechless as they watched what their Master did!

No one could have blamed Him for feeling upset with the people who did business in the Temple. Many knew, but all were powerless to challenge the Temple authorities! Many knew that the people who bought the animals for sacrifice paid exorbitant prices! No one had dared to challenge the system, let alone do what Jesus did!

Jesus did not stop there. He went on to say something that must have curdled the blood of the hearers.

“Take these things away!
Do not make MY FATHER’S HOUSE
A house of merchandise.”
John 2:16

What did Jesus say? Did He actually refer to God as “My Father”? Did He say that the Temple was His “Father’s House”? What could these words mean?

THE ZEAL OF JESUS FOR HIS FATHER’S HOUSE

As the Disciples of Jesus tried to comprehend the scenario that erupted before their eyes, suddenly they remembered a word from the Scriptures, that seemed to describe so well what they saw in their newfound Rabbi.

“Zeal for Your House has eaten Me up.”
Psalm 69:9

The Master whom they had identified as The Messiah had been absolutely astonishing them every step of the way! What else would they discover about Him?