Monday
MONDAY
SCRIPTURE | Mark 11:12-19
12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 And when evening came they went out of the city.
TODAY’S THOUGHT | Jesus, King of All Nations
In the Old Testament (Hosea 9:10, Micah 4:4, Jeremiah 24; 8:13), the nation of Israel is described as a fruitful fig tree. While fig trees would not normally be fruiting during Passover, this fig tree was “in leaf,” meaning it had the appearance of bearing fruit but when Jesus approached, it was barren. This is a physical picture of the spiritual reality Jesus saw on the Temple Mount the day before and would directly confront in just a few moments.
The Temple was to be a place of prayer for all nations. It was a place for worship of the one true God and it too was “in leaf,” meaning it had the appearance of being spiritually fruitful. Yet, in reality, there was no spiritual fruit – the worship at the temple wasn’t only empty but it was a hinderance for all nationalities to worship the one true God because the Jews set-up shop in the exact place where non-Jews were invited to worship. They cared more about appearing spiritual than actually being spiritual.
Jesus assumes authority over the Temple and the Jewish people by confronting the false worship and confirming God is King and true for all peoples.
PRAY
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and exposes where you may care more about appearing spiritual to others, rather than than being truly surrendered to Jesus.