How the Tables Are Turned

By Danny Saavedra

“Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer,” but you are making it “a den of robbers.”—Matthew 21:12–13 (NIV)

As Jesus’ final week began, His issues with the established religious order escalated, starting when He rode into Jerusalem. Things heated up even more the following day as Jesus walked into the temple and saw those He referred to as “robbers” taking advantage of God’s people.

Naturally, Jesus, being filled with zeal for God’s house and God’s children, took action. He “entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” You see, Jesus wouldn’t stand for such abuse upon those who sought to be closer to God. These were men and women coming to the temple in order to be right with God, and they were being taken advantage of.

In doing so, Jesus once again showed Himself to be the voice of the voiceless and the defender of the defenseless. But He also disrupted the business of religion, which drew the anger of the religious leaders who’d already decided to have Jesus killed.

There’s something powerful you need to see here. Did you know this wasn’t the first time He did this? In John 2:13–25, we’re told that toward the beginning of His ministry, three years earlier, He did the very same thing! So, if you think about it, He pretty much bookended His public ministry with the same action: clearing the temple.

Why is this important? Because it’s exactly what He does in us! When we first come to Jesus, He comes into our hearts and lives and cleanses our temples so the Holy Spirit may dwell in us. He turns over the tables of our old self. He drives out the thief who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy our souls (John 10:10) and takes up residence in our temples. He who made His dwelling among us (John 1:14) now makes His dwelling within us (Romans 8:10).

But thank the Lord that’s not the end of it . . . how so? Because just as He returned to Jerusalem and turned the tables over again, every once in a while, our hearts require the tables to be turned over again! From time to time, sometimes from minute to minute, we need the Lord to turn over tables of idolatry, strongholds, secret sin, and bitterness we’ve allowed to slip in and set up camp. We need Him to drive out the things that have set up residence in our hearts that are not of Him. And the beautiful thing about it is that He never loses His zeal, passion, fire, or fervor for us! His love never needs rekindling. He’s eternally zealous for us, and He never gives up on us.

Friends, isn’t it amazing and comforting that we don’t have to do it on our own? We don’t need to do the work of clearing out our temples for the Lord to dwell in us. He does all the work inside of us, and through His sacrifice on the cross, He makes us right with God and acceptable in His sight!

Today, press into Him. Ask Him to search your heart to “point out anything in [you] that offends [Him], and lead [you] along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:24 NLT) and trust that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NIV).

Pause: The dictionary defines zeal as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.” Some related words include passion, vigor, intensity, devotion, fervor, and fire. What does it mean to you that Jesus is zealous for you . . . for your heart and mind and soul and life?!

Practice: Find a time this week for reflection and meditation. Ask the Lord to search your heart and reveal anything that has set up camp in the temple court of your soul that shouldn’t be there, that isn’t from Him, and that’s impacting your relationship with Him.

Pray: Jesus, what a friend I have in You, the One who bore all my sins and griefs. What a privilege to carry everything to You, my Lord, in prayer! Today, I’m grateful for You, who so zealously loves and pursues and protects me. Thank You for clearing out the deadness and the unrighteousness from me when I first received You. Because of this, You have made me acceptable in the sight of the Father and given me the identity of child and heir of God. I ask that today and every day, You would, by the Holy Spirit, cleanse and purify every area of my heart and mind. In Your mighty name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.