Find Your Corner

You and I are about to take a journey but before we do please allow me to "set the stage" for one of the most talked about expressions of anger ever recorded in the Bible; Jesus and His encounter with the temple money changers. This temple was intended by God to be a place of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. This was Gods way of reaching man in spite of our sinfulness and on account of His holiness. He had always planned for whoever desired forgiveness have access to receive forgiveness, as was demonstrated in the layout of His temple.

The Jewish temple was divided into 3 parts. Moving from the center most part of the temple, there was the Holy of Holies where only the high priest could enter on the Day of Atonement once a year, next was the inner court for only Jews who were "clean" (meaning healthy and "ceremonially pure") and finally there was the outer court which anyone could enter whether Jew or Gentile. By incorporating the outer court into the temple's design God also incorporated all peoples, from any part of the world, the ability to learn of Him and find His mercy. This outer court is where Jesus confronted the money changers and overturned their tables. Being from an entirely different time and culture I can only try to understand what must have been going through the mind of Jesus as He faced off with those who had turned His Father's house into a "den of thieves", essentially hindering all but the most fortunate access to God. I can only imagine what those who witnessed this spectacle saw and felt.

So, lets you and I imagine for a moment...

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Our families are traveling together this year to celebrate God, His goodness and His provision for us to be forgiven of our sins. A feast is held annually in Jerusalem's temple which is rooted in the rich tradition of our forefathers and led by those in spiritual authority who can go to God on our behalf. We know there will be confessions and offerings presented at our request for forgiveness, restoration and new beginnings. We certainly need those things as this year has been filled with illness, seemingly unending mishaps and even a few family quarrels.

Although you have somewhat recovered from a recent injury your open wound is still healing so you will have to remain in the outer court with our women; however I am planning on moving forward with your offerings and requests as I present mine as well. Once we get to the outer court you will be able to relay the needed information to the proper leaders and wait as I continue on into the inner court. The women are anxious to arrive. They will find a quiet place for us to discuss our needs with each other and secure the proper offerings for our presentations.

I actually made sure to have the correct currency the week before making the trek here. Last year trying to make the exchange was such a hassle I thought I would have to add another confession to my list before it could be presented to the priest! During the past couple of festivals the outer court has become more and more crowded. I'm sure there are those who, for whatever reason, are unable to enter the inner court but this year seems especially chaotic. It could be more Gentiles are converting as they currently seem to be overrunning this area; or perhaps it's because a man who was unknown just a couple of years ago is becoming quite popular due to his bold teachings and the miracles he reportedly preforms. I'm assuming he will be here at some point to participate in the feasts and observe Atonement Day. Who knows, we may catch a glimpse of him or hear one of his teachings before the week is over.

As we try to stay together while tediously moving to a small vacant area across the room I'm confounded by the crowds, the noise and the continual shopping being done for needed sacrifices. I suppose I'm just getting cranky as I age but, for the life of me, I can't recall in my 60 years of attending feasts this much activity on the floor and now even lining the steps on the way to the inner court. Old or not, this is absolute chaos! I'm glad to find the small area still vacant as we drop our bags and staffs and squeeze into an out of the crowd corner that will become the space to gather our thoughts and prayers for a bit. Yes, for some reason I feel much safer here.

I glance over to you hoping you're still doing well after bustling through the mass of people but you are not looking my way. In fact, your focus has been drawn to the center of the crowd for some reason. The look of confusion on your face makes it obvious your prayers and confessions have been thrust to the back of your mind. Just as I'm about to remind you of your need to focus on the reason we are here I see the commotion you have been fixated on. Suddenly the noise of the crowd intensifies and moves from the merchants arguments to something deeper...something much more pressing.

Then I see him. As the money and tables become airborne I hear the distinct crack of a whip, then another and another! What was once a crowded area resembling the marketplace has now become a sea of turbans, kippahs and various head coverings all moving toward one place...the exit (but only after being scooped up from the floor)! Through the angry shouts of the merchants and fearful cries of the women one voice of authority booms about the area and bounces off the walls of our little corner. "It is written my house will be called a house of prayer but you are making it a den of robbers!" I'm not sure who this man is but he put into words the very thoughts that had been running through my head since entering the outer court earlier today. All of the things I saw, all of the bartering I heard and all of the frustration I felt was captured in his one sentence. This was what I remembered from my studies of the prophet Isaiah and Jeremiah. This was what had so troubled my spirit and even carried over from the last festival I attended here. Yes! This man knew the prophets and their writings. He seemed to know the very heart of God. How could this be?

As the sudden and scathing reprimand ended I saw the prideful along with the humbled quickly moving to gather their things and leave the area. All among the crowd I heard whispers of a name that ignited a fire deep within me and I knew it would not soon be extinguished. The name was Jesus. Somehow my heart felt this man would become a life-changer for not only me but my family as well. My focus, like yours my friend, had changed completely. I had to find him! I had to know more!

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Have you been "confounded" not only by chaos in the world but also in religious establishments as of late? Does something deep within you still resonate with the name Jesus even though the church has been out of your thoughts for quite a while now? Do you feel the world is somehow waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop?

If you're like me there seems to be a stirring in the air much like what may have been felt as Jesus entered the temple...something unsettling that raises questions in your mind about exactly what is right and what is wrong, what is true and what is just pretense. Find Jesus and allow Him to clear the chaos for you.

Or better yet find your corner and call for Him. He will find you.

(For context see Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19 & John 2. Also read Isaiah 56:7 & Jeremiah 7:9-10)

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