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2. Jesus Cleanses the Temple

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  1. IF ONLY…
    Jesus laments over Jerusalem: “If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes.” (Luke 19:42)

    How many times did God say this to His chosen people Israel? How many times did they refuse to listen to Him? How patient and longsuffering is He with a stubborn people?
    We see in history how He chastised them, and then they would call out to Him to save them, and He would forgive them, only for them to go back and do the same thing again. And we find God lamenting over His people:
    “IF ONLY they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever.”
    (Deuteronomy 5:29 BSB)
    “Israel is a nation devoid of counsel, with no understanding among them. IF ONLY they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.”
    (Deuteronomy 32:28-29 BSB)
    “IF ONLY My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways, how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!”
    (Psalms 81:13-14 BSB)
    Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who directs you in the way you should go. IF ONLY you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand, and your offspring as numerous as its grains; their name would never be cut off or eliminated from My presence.”
    (Isaiah 48:17-19 BSB)

    And now we find Jesus lamenting if only they had seen that their redemption that led to their peace was among them. Their Messiah whom they were waiting for!! But they missed it, and their stubbornness had blinded them.

    Oh, may His church take a lesson from this. Sadly, we see many religious people who bear the name of Jesus externally, but do not know Him in their hearts. Does Jesus lament for us too?

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