The offerings of Judah and
Jerusalem have been less than pleasing and have wearied the Lord. Blind, lame
and sick animals are substituted for lambs without blemish and the Lord would
rather the temple doors be closed and locked than endure the stench of such
dishonest offerings. The priests participate and profit from the scheme while
the workers are oppressed, widows and orphans are not cared for and the alien
is thrust aside. Perhaps it was because God seemed distant and the rules and
regulations of the covenant relationship seemed arbitrary and economically
oppressive. What’s a blind lamb to an invisible God? And so corners are cut and
liberties taken and before you know it the relationship that enriched the
people and God has impoverished both. Therefore, God will pay a visit to the
temple and do some housecleaning. With overturned tables and coins of money
changers scattered the refining fire speaks the word of judgment, “It is
written, my house will be a house of prayer but you have made it a den of robbers!”
Not a week later the fullers’ soap speaks the cleansing word from a hill above
the temple, “It is finished.” We who are more like Judah and Jerusalem than we
care to admit need to hear the word of the refiner when our offerings are less
than the best and corners that count are cut. When we listen God will hear and the
offering of relationship restored will be pleasing to us and the Lord.
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