Overturning Tables

I look around outside and see the budding trees.
Everywhere I turn, new life is around me.
The pregnant pause of spring.
The anticipation of life ready to burst forth.

The grass that has been dormant for months is now a beginning to sprout.
Soon, we will be hearing lawn mowers and tractors in the background.
As I drive along the roads, a hint of green lightly colors the landscape.
Soon, very soon.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to find out if it had any fruit. When He reached it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And His disciples heard Him say it. (Mark 11:12-14)

Jesus, fully God and fully man, was hungry.
As He and His disciples walked along, Jesus saw a fig tree in leaf.
The fig tree looked good from the outside.
Upon closer inspection, the fig tree had no fruit.

Jesus’ remark appears arbitrary on the surface.
In reality, it was prophetic realism.
What happened to the tree would eventually happen to Jerusalem.
The fig tree was always a metaphor for Israel.

I will take away their harvest, declares the Lord. There will be no grapes on the vine, and their leaves will wither. What I have given them will be taken from them. (Jeremiah 8:13)

God’s people were not producing fruit.
Fruitlessness will result in judgment.

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as He taught them, He said, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of robbers.” But the chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill Him, for they feared Him, because the whole crowd was amazed at His teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city.
(Mark 11:15-19)

Jesus displayed righteous anger.
The temple, which He called My house, was being turned into a marketplace.
Dishonest business was being transacted there.
Pilgrims could purchase their sacrificial animals elsewhere at a cheaper price.

They were told that only the lambs purchased in the temple had the seal of approval.
The temple lambs were more expensive, costing the poor travelers more money.
The temple tax had to be paid in the Tyrian shekel.
They needed to exchange their currency for the acceptable Tyrian currency upon arrival.

What angered Jesus the most was the location of this business.
Everything was happening in the Court of the Gentiles.
This was the only place the Gentiles were able to go and pray.
True worship was being perverted.

Jesus drove out the buyers and the sellers.
Jesus overturned the tables of the moneychangers.
Jesus overturned the benches of those that were selling doves.
Jesus would not allow people to take a shortcut through the temple courts.

Jesus purged the trappings of the world from the temple.
The sacrificial system, that God established, pointed to Jesus.
Atonement for sin was needed; the shedding of blood was necessary for forgiveness.
Soon, the Perfect Sacrifice would be offered to appease the wrath of God.

Until then, sacrifices for sin would have to be made over and over again.
There was no surety in those repeated sacrifices.
There was no confidence that your sacrifice was really accepted.
There was no way of knowing.

What tables do we need to overturn?
What trappings of the world need to be purged from our lives?
Is our worship true, or is it perverted by the world?
Does Jesus have the authority to overturn the tables in our lives?

Jesus is the only One who can rightly purge what needs to be purged from our lives.

The seal of approval, the correct currency, and the shortcuts we may take are useless.
That our worship is acceptable to God is paramount!

Looking good on the outside is deceiving.
Upon closer inspection, we find that there is no fruit.

Fruitlessness in our lives and our worship will result in judgment.
Jesus alone has the authority to overturn the unacceptable things in our lives.
Oh, to have fruit in our lives and truth in our worship.

Lord Jesus, You alone have the authority to overturn the tables in our lives. Purge the world from our worship so that it is acceptable to You. Make our lives fruitful so the inside is as beautiful to You as the outside appears to others.