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JESUS THE REFINER’S FIRE
FRIDAY, APRIL 25
John 2:13-22

Malachi 3:2-3

 

“…The zeal of thine house

hath eaten me up"

 

JESUS THE REFINER’S FIRE
 
Jesus, in cleansing the temple with intense zeal, fulfilled 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.” What Jesus did in the temple was already predicted in Malachi 3:2-3, “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.”
 
Only the Messiah had the authority to override the authority of the high priest, and set the temple in order. The Jews thus demanded a sign from Jesus to authenticate His Messiahship. They were asking for a miraculous act. No sign was given to these unbelieving men, but the sign of the resurrection, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up… But he spake of the temple of his body.” His bodily resurrection would be the surest sign that He is the Messiah.
 
Jesus at this time kept the Passover, an important national religious feast of the Jewish people. Jehovah commanded the Israelites to remember the great Egyptian Exodus by observing the Passover on a yearly basis (Exod 12). The Passover was kept on the 14th day of the month of Nisan. Every male Jew twelve years old and above was expected to participate in this memorial festival in Jersualem. We have seen how Jesus had taken part in the Passover since He turned twelve. He did not fail to keep it even during His public ministry, a most hectic period of His life. This He did in order to fulfil all righteousness, to keep every aspect of the ceremonial law for our salvation.
 
THOUGHT: Is there such a thing as righteous anger? See Ephesians 4:26.
PRAYER: “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.” (Ps 139:21-22)

 

 

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