Unless the Lord builds the House, the people labour in vain (Ps 27.1). Outside of the Lord, we can do nothing (John 15. 5).
The Marketer of Religion reads the literature, runs to and fro gathering knowledge. Eclectically, carefully, he assembles bits and pieces, formulas and words like ‘community.’ He admires the work – the work of his own hands. “He gives it human beauty and plants it in a little shrine.” He draws people to this little grotto. He plants the fruit of his head and hands. His heart is warmed by what he has done. Then he looks at it and makes himself a god to worship. He makes an idol and bows down in front of it (Isa 44.12-20). ‘I have made myself a god and this god has made me a name and a career.’
But he is encased in folly. He feeds on ashes and gives others ashes on which to feed. He trusts in something that cannot help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, ‘Is this thing that I have made a lie?’ (Isa 45.20).
To money-changers and marketers of religious merchandise, Jesus says, ‘Return to Me because I have paid the price to set you free. Feed yourself on Me and cease robbing Me and each other by worshiping yourselves and your current notions – the notions that have the current ring of fashion and the notions with which some of you have made a name. Feed on Me and come to life. Be filled with My Spirit and be a flame.
My House will be a house of prayer for all nations (Mk 11.15). Say to your heart, ‘Heart, eat the Lord. Sit at His Table and be filled so that you overflow with My life’ ( John 6.54).
‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty’ Haggai 2.9 NIV.