Den of Thieves (2)

Introduction

Matthew 21:12–13 “And 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, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

The Temple of the Lord was a very special place. If we could go back in time, we would surely be left speechless by its wonder. The tabernacle was designed to be sacred and holy—a place filled with sacrifice, prayer, and worship. It served as the meeting point between God and His people, where they could have a relationship with the one true God.

After its conception, it quickly became the epicenter of the Jewish world. Jews from all over would come to offer their sacrifices to Jehovah in an effort to please Him. What would one day become a magnificent and permanent structure first began as a portable, yet divinely detailed, tabernacle that was assembled and taken down many times. The story of the Temple is remarkable—it began as the simple but sacred tabernacle and became a beautiful building constructed by King Solomon.

Exodus 25:8 “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”

God had a desire to have a place, an opportunity to dwell with His people. This was God’s plan, this was his way of providing a way for His children to have relationship with Him.

Whether is was the tabernacle in the wilderness or Solomon’s Temple, this was meant to be a place that was respected and held with much regard.

I believe it was God’s intention that His people would treat the temple with great honor. The fear of the Lord was to drive the people to understand the reality of what they had at their disposal. The temple housed and represented the people’s way to God. I hope you understand what I’m saying to you at the start of this message. The temple was important, it was holy, divine and sacred.

However, as we see in our opening text, something was lost along the way. The people of God lost their reverence for the temple. So much so that Jesus, quoting from the Old Testament, declared that they had turned the temple into a “den of thieves.” This was a recurring problem throughout Israel’s history. The temple was never meant to be a marketplace for buying and selling. It was not a place to hide sin behind the outward forms of religion. It was meant to be a place set apart for pure, righteous relationship with God.

The same can be said of the temple we have today. That temple looks very different since the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And as you look around at the building we’re blessed to gather in today, understand—this is not the temple I’m referring to. For the Scripture says in Acts 17, “The Lord does not dwell in temples made with hands.”

John 2:19–21 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.”

Matthew 27:51 “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”

The splitting of the veil was the representation that the spirit of God was no longer held within the realms of the physical tabernacle. Because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, we now have access to the presence of the Lord ourselves!

it is a privilege to have access to Jesus! we have done nothing to EARN it!

I am thankful for the presence of the LORD (expound)

Since the time of Jesus’ sacrifice, the temple has taken a new form!

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

You are meant to be the the temple of the Holy Ghost! Your life if meant to be a housing for the spirit of God! It is the temple! And that temple has to be kept in the right condition just like the physical one did!

There are many things in this world that want to attach themselves to your temple. Sellers and buyers of the spirit world. If they can find a place to reside, they will stay as long as you are buying .

Den

a lair of wild beasts ( Psalms 10:9 ; 104:22 ; Job 37:8 ); the hole of a venomous reptile ( Isaiah 11:8 ); a recess for secrecy "in dens and caves of the earth" ( Hebrews 11:38 ); a resort of thieves ( Matthew 21:13 ; Mark 11:17 ). Daniel was cast into "the den of lions" ( Daniel 6:16 Daniel 6:17 ). 

nothing good comes from a den

A den is a place for hiding, a place for escape from confrontation

it is human nature to hide in our shame! it was first shown in the garden!

Genesis 3:8–9 “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”

ADAM, WHERE ARE YOU? it was the call to a man who was hiding in his shame. Even in the midst of a perfect garden, he manage to build a den through the making of a apron to try to cover his shame.

We can be IN the garden, IN the temple, or IN the church and still be living in a dark den.

One of the biggest tactics of the enemy is that we might turn the temple into a den. Where on the outside, it looks like everything is okay. it has the look of the temple, but on the inside we have some things going on that we need help with

Don’t push yourself into obscurity when you need help from Jesus. Seek help from the Lord and he will help you get the temple back in shape!

YOU DONT GET GOOD SO THAT YOU CAN GET GOD! THERE IS NO GOOD THING IN YOU! YOU NEED HIM TO EVEN HAVE A CHANCE AT GETTING ANYTHING GOOD!!

Proverbs 28:13 “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

1 John 1:8–9 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

You are not the only one struggling with the things you are struggling with!! There are people who have testimonies of being delivered from the same problems!! AND JESUS CAN DO IT FOR YOU!!

REPENTANCE can change a heart from a den of Thieves to a house of prayer.

YOU can make the step to change your life.

Acts 2:40 “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.”

MAKE THE STEP TOWARD JESUS AND HE WILL HELP YOU DRIVE OUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE MADE YOUR HOUSE A DEN!!

I found it very interesting that this account in Matthew was not the first time Jesus had done this in the temple. It is apparent that the story that the gospel of John shares happened early in the ministry of Jesus.

John 2:13–17 “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

Psalm 69:9 “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; And the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.”

Zeal" is defined as "passion, energy, and devotion." Jesus' passion for the purity of the temple is clear.

I read a commentary that summarized Jesus’ actions as such, “Jesus' powerful act demonstrated his deep concern for the holiness of God's house of worship, showing that his love for God's honor had a "consuming" effect on him.

We have got to get a concern about the state of our TEMPLE

WE must learn to have a fear of the Lord, insomuch that we are always looking for ANYTHING that dishonors GOD

I AM MEANT TO BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER

1 Timothy 2:8 “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

Living for God is a BEAUTIFUL thing! IT IS LIBERTY!

Ephesians 2:19–22 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

we are all building something! and it’s either a den or a house!

1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

Acts 7:48–49 “Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?”