As he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers. "
Mark 11:17

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"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day." Psalm 46:4-5

Jerusalem was the place all the world could see God's glory displayed. In a small room within the Temple, the Ark of the Covenant rested - a sign that Israel was God's chosen nation above all nations. But how sad that by the time Jesus rode a donkey through the eastern gate of the city and entered the temple court, the house where God's glory dwelled had become a shopping mall for merchants selling articles of worship.

Most people have the mistaken idea that Jesus was upset with what the merchants were doing. He was not. Instead he was upset that the religious leaders had promoted such sacrilege a few feet from the place where the Ark of God rested. He was upset that God's design for worship had become ritualistic and holiness set aside for the sake of conformity to rules.

The Holy of Holies was supposed to be a prayer room for the nations where those not under the covenant could be blessed by a holy people who served the most High God. How dare them twist God's design to the point His flock is openly fleeced by wicked shepherds who manage to look so religious while doing it!

I don't know about you, but I'm glad that doesn't happen any more, or does it? I wonder if Jesus would turn over our church buildings and programs speaking harshly to us should he walk into one of our worship services? Are we a house of prayer for the nations or have we become a house of preaching for Christians? One concept is God's, the other is man's.

If you're offended at my insinuation, I ask you to look honestly at what's happened on the watch of this current generation of believers. We've embraced pornography as a "right," approve abortion as "choice," practice or condone homosexuality as "liberty" and promote false religions to the level of God Almighty for the sake of "political correctness." And then there is reality TV, the most popular programming on television.

Regardless of how vile, we continue to watch television, supporting the sponsors of the program without giving it a second thought. Some may elect to change channels to a less pervasive one (compromise) for the sake of personal conviction (guilt). Finally, we can't believe a family can survive without a television in the house. We ridicule them as both ignorant and backward while wondering why our families are deteriorating before our eyes.

It says something about our generation that our morality approaches a homogeneous blending with that of the world. God, make us pray-ers, who at least spend as much time praying as we sit listening to good preaching.

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( Lv. 27:14-Nm. 1:54 Mk. 11:1-25 Ps. 46:1-11 Pr. 10:23 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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