“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
“In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:14-17
Jesus is a gentle and loving God Who will not ‘prowl’ for souls but make no mistake, He is a jealous God Who will fight and defend what is His. This is a Lion Who will fight for your soul regardless of the ‘odds’ – the King, the Lion of Judah.
Look at the cross to see how far He will take the battle for your soul. When someone says that Jesus was a nice guy, so gentle and loving, remember this scene in the temple and the scene on Calvary.
Upon the cross at Calvary, Jesus took the fight to the enemy and totally destroyed him. What Jesus did in His life and passion reminds me of a quote Herb Brooks said to the USA hockey team before the game with the USSR, “walked up to the tiger and spit in his eye” Strange connection maybe, but like a great soldier, Jesus took the high (on Calvary) and turned the tables on the enemy.
At the market, Jesus saw how the world was making a mockery at the Temple. At the cross, He lashed out at the mockery the enemy was making of the temples that are what we’ve been created to be. In a sense today, the battle at the Temple is still engaged, the evil lion now wants to devour our souls through worldly, materialistic, consumer, “me/mine” culture. Like at the market, the enemy fills the place that should be reserved to hear God’s voice with so much noise as to drown Him out. He overwhelms our spirits with a culture of abortion, pornography, fake news, social media and anger to harden our hearts to the love and mercy of God.
But, Jesus has fought this fight and has emerged victorious. Make no mistake in thinking our God is a meek, powerless little lamb. No! As we see in the Temple and on the Cross,Lion of Judah bares His teeth and drives out the ruler of this world that we may raise up to live life in the fullest and in God’s love, mercy and power join the fight!
Arise church militant! Arise and follow our Lord into Victory!
Your paragraph about the jealousy of God has given me more clarity for the song You Won’t Relent. I still struggle with the depth of those words which makes it difficult for the words to sink into the heart. This will help immensely for this song! Thank you!