Wells

Amazing things happen at wells in scripture. I think a great deal of that is because of the spiritual meaning of wells. In fact, when the enemy comes in, the first thing he might do is to violently take (consume, spoil, rob, tear away, plunder) or fill in the wells. Abraham confronted two strongmen after the well that he had dug was violently taken by their servants (subjects, worshippers). The strongmen were Abimelech, "My father is king/royal", and Philchol, "mouth of all ruling that shatters in pieces the whole". After he rebuked them, Abraham got the two strongmen to admit that the well had been dug by him. To settle the issue, and to end the contention over the well, a covenant was made with sheep, oxen, and seven additional ewe lambs. Abraham then called the place "the well of the seven-fold oath", or Beersheba. Yes, Abraham gave up animals to secure a well that already belonged to him! But covenant is created through sacrifice, and Abraham was establishing a covenant not just to benefit himself, but for future generations also (Gen. 21:23). Abraham then planted a grove, which is provision for the future, at this place, and called upon the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God, Jehovah El-Olam (Gen. 21:25-34). Abraham took back or restored through covenant what had been violently taken from him. He recognized it as an everlasting work.
After the death of Abraham, the Philistines (strangers, to roll in or wallow in ashes as an act of mourning) had stopped up (shut up, obstruct in order to keep hidden or secret) the wells that Abraham had dug. They filled the wells with earth (ashes, rubbish, dust, to be dust). Isaac ("he laughs", to make sport of, to make a toy of) dug (to dig, search for, search out, to delve) again (bring back, recover, restore, refresh) the wells that his father had established, and named them again by the names which Abraham had called (preach, proclaim, utter a loud sound, cry out) them. The son of laughter and joy had overcome the strangers of mourning. Like His prophetic type in Isaac, Jesus restored the spiritual wells that His Father had established for His people.
Not only did Isaac restore the wells of Abraham, but he also dug new wells (Gen. 26:15-22). Two of the new wells were also attacked. Because of that, Isaac named them Esek (contention, strife, quarrel, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, get deceitfully) , and Sitnah (strife, accusation, enmity, root: satan-adversary, resist, oppose, lie in wait). Isaac removes himself from this place of contention. Finally, Isaac established a well that did not provoke quarrels. This well, he called (preach, proclaim, etc.) Rehoboth (wide place, to grow wide, to be enlarged). Isaac declared that he would be fruitful, or multiplied in this land, therefore giving the prophetic name to the well of "a wide place". The enemy uses contention, strife, and accusation to disrupt the wells, yet God causes another well to flourish, bringing multiplication and fruitfulness. It was all about those wells! All of these wells were dug in the territory claimed and inhabited by the Philistines.  After these events, Isaac journeyed back to his father's covenant well, Beersheba. There, the LORD appeared to him, and gave Isaac the same covenant promises that He had given to Abraham.
Why are wells, natural and spiritual, such objects of contention? Wells are the provision that makes the difference between life and death, starving and abundance, and as the beginning of this entry states- amazing things happen at wells! Isaac's future bride, Rebecca (beauty that captures men), was revealed by God at a well (Gen. 24:16). Hagar, and her son, Ishmael ("God will hear"-to hear, listen to, obey, to hear with attention and interest), were saved from death when God opened her eyes, and an angel revealed a well to her (Gen. 21:17-20). Moses met his bride, and the family with whom he would find refuge from Pharaoh (great house), at a well in Midian (strife, contention, brawling, discord, that which is contended for) (Ex. 2:15-16). God set the well of provision and refuge for Moses, even in the face of Pharaoh, and in the midst of Midian. Jacob found his mother's family, who were his refuge from his brother's anger and threats, and his future bride, Rachel (ewe, female lamb) coming with her sheep, at a well in Haran (Gen. 29:1-6). Jesus sat Himself at the well of Jacob in Samaria (keep, guard, protect, treasure up, save life, keep Sabbath or covenant commands, watchman, shepherd) in order to reveal His identity, His truth, and His salvation to an unlikely woman (Jn. 4:6-7). We even call this special event "The Woman at the Well".
The meaning of the word, "well", also gives us important information. The Hebrew word means a pit, a well, a spring, but the root meaning is "to make plain, distinct, to make clear, to declare, letters on a tablet, to engrave (with letters on a stone)".
God's people carve, or engrave those spiritual wells into the earth, even in enemy territory, by their trust in, and obedience to God. Those wells not only provide for today, but they are eternal wells that provide for future generations. Sometimes there are battles involved in the establishing of these wells, because they are everlasting works. There is a place where God's people established a well by singing, "Spring up O well!" to it (Num. 21:16-18). As the people sang, princes and nobles, either in the natural meaning, or perhaps angelic, dug that well with their staves (support, maintenance, protection of sustenance, trust in God, rest upon, rely, lean upon). The well established that day was by the by direction of the "lawgiver" (decree, law, engrave, cut in, cut out, inscribe, printed, hack, strike with a sword, to stamp violently, encounter violently, carve out a sepulcher in a rock). Jesus is also a well that was dug with violence, and established by His reliance upon, trust in, and the rest found in His Father's will and plan.
We partake of the eternal wells already established and named after our Father, and we dig new ones in His name, as well. The wells that we establish in the earth are established because God has also dug a well of living water in us, which is His Son, Jesus. Where we are, there a well is established. Look, here come the little ewe lambs now. Here come the flocks of sheep, so many as far as the eye can see! Here comes the Bride to the wells.
The prophet Isaiah (12:2-3) declared, "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He has also become my salvation." Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation..."

Our Father has called His people to engrave His spiritual wells into the earth.

"In The River"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvCQozJQZLc

Robed

We have two images in our minds of two different types of kings.
The monarchs of the world wear the finery of their rank. Often the royal regalia of crown, robe, scepter and orb are made of the finest silks and velvets, the rarest furs, the most precious gold, silver, and platinum, and the largest and most costly gems. The finery is to represent the monarch's governmental authority, and the authority to reign given to them by God. All of these royal garments are quite magnificent, of course. Great royal pageantry accompanies the monarch on special occasions.
In contrast with earthly kings, the Kingship of Christ was not brought about with fanfare, heraldry and pomp, but with death...and not a glorified, heroic death in the eyes of the world that would be accompanied by the admiration and praises of men. It was a humiliating death, a death deemed fit by the world for the undesirables, the insurgents, the criminals, and for those whom the world and religion labeled as blasphemers.
The greatest King of all, portrayed above, wore a robe and crown of a far different nature than those worn by earthly kings. He wore a robe and crown of torn flesh, pierced flesh, beaten flesh, bleeding flesh. He was crowned and covered in this robe of crucified flesh from head to toe. However, it is this very robe that this King agreed to wear, that elevated Him to the highest realms of majesty:
"...(He/Jesus) made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."   Phil. 2:7-11
We are also called to be kings before God. The robes, royal crown and symbols of authority of the kingship to which we are called, are not made from precious furs, metals and gems, shining in earthly brilliance, drawing ooh's and ahh's from the attending crowds as we pass. Jesus calls us to wear the same robe that He wore: to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him (Mt. 16:24, Mk. 8:34, Mk. 10:21, Lk. 9:23, Gal. 2:20, Gal. 6:17). We are to wear His robe, and come in the name that God has given Him, the name above all other names.The Apostle Paul also said:
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us...always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you."  2 Cor.4:7-12
The principle here in the words of Paul carries great power, but what does it require in our lives?
The verses from Philippians are prefaced with the command from Paul, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus...", and Paul concludes these thoughts saying, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed...work out your own salvation in fear and trembling;"
When considering our roles as kings and priests, our concept of kingship is influenced by the worldly image. When we think of ourselves in our role as king/priest, we might be likely to picture ourselves more after the magnificent image and finery of the earthly king. When we hear about the "authority of the believer" connected to our roles as kings and priests, we might be tempted to puff up a little in our spiritual self-importance, not understanding the nature of the well from which the authority of the believer must be drawn. We are seated with Christ, as we identify with Him, with His death, burial, and resurrection, serving as He served, giving His life as a ransom for many, making and being intercession for many. 
We proclaim righteousness. We see the sin, and warn of the consequences. Our hearts are heavy and burdened as we continually desire to proclaim the Word, and bring the delivering truth. However, rather than bringing to the birth, we often feel that we bring forth wind instead (Isa. 26:17-18), meaning an abortive effort. As kings and priests of the kingdom of God, we are called to an earth shaking, and earth transforming ministry, but we need to keep in mind that the robe and crown with which we are to be clothed makes all the difference in our effectiveness in this. The words we are bringing must be accompanied by the robes of the office- in this case, the pierced flesh and the blood, showing that the working of that Word has started in us first. When the words we speak are accompanied with the robe of Christ, which is crucified flesh, we become a confirming sign to the Word which we bring. An evil, perverse generation demands of us, "Show us a sign!", and we can say, "Yes, I will show you one sign- the sign of Jonah, and the sign of Christ: dead and risen again" (Lk. 11:29-30). As we follow Christ, we must also be His same sign to our generation. Those to whom we bring the Word of salvation can discern whether we come to them wearing that robe of Christ, or not. For me, it is not an easy robe to wear.
The Book of revelation teaches about overcoming the devil that deceives the whole world:
"So the great dragon (fabulous serpent that when looked upon, causes fascination) was cast out, that serpent (emblem of cunning and ungodly wisdom, artful and malicious, causing to gaze at something remarkable) of old, called the Devil (false accuser, slanderer, opposing the cause of God, to throw over) and Satan (adversary, prince of evil spirits, inciting apostasy from God and to sin, one who withstands, resists, opposes, to lie in wait), who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."  Rev. 12:9-11
I see the connection to wearing that robe of Christ here in these verses from Revelation. This is what victory and deliverance looks like, isn't it? It looks like the ghastly, but majestic robe of Christ. The enemy, by the meaning of his names, wants to capture our eyes, and hold them on his manifestations. When we come in the robe of Christ, we focus all eyes upon that robe, the manifestation of crucifixion, instead.
Christ, also in the Book of Revelation, exhorts His churches to "overcome" the evil that has penetrated, or challenged them. Along with delivering the truth of the Word of salvation, the church is also to "overcome" the enemy within. The manner of overcoming, according to the verses above, has everything to do with the witness of crucifixion, Christ's, and even our own dying in spirit, if not always in the natural. We need to understand that crucifixion is not the same as persecution. We suffer persecution from outside, but we offer ourselves, by our own obedience and free will, to crucifixion from the inside. Christ surrendered Himself to crucifixion: His life was not taken from Him. He offered it of Himself. His crucifixion transformed billions of souls, and will continue to do so. Our crucifixion also has this far reaching effect. How do we apply this principle of overcoming that is founded in the death of Christ and self? I would like to work with the following example:
Romans Chapter 1 lists many manifestations of sinful behavior that we are seeing all around us today to such a great degree. Like all of the works of Satan, our eyes are drawn to,  fixed upon, appalled by, the various behavioral or outward manifestations. Every time we listen to the news, our eyes are drawn in heartbreak to all of the manifestations of evil, being broadcast for the very purpose of drawing the eye. All of those manifestations, according to Romans 1, have a common root. The single root of the manifestations listed in that chapter is in those who have been shown the truth, but have chosen to suppress (hold down) the knowledge of the truth. They suppress it within themselves, and they try to suppress it in others. They know God, but they don't glorify God, and are thankless towards Him. Their eyes and efforts are fixated upon the creature and the creation, rather than the Creator. How does our wearing of the kingly robe of Christ overcome this root, and the manifestations that follow? 
Although the root cause in Romans 1 describes a deep apostasy, hasn't each one of us, believers to whom God has revealed Himself, also been guilty to some degree of refusing the truth at some level? Maybe we have judged the truth to be "error", because it seemed to conflict with what we already believed, maybe even judged it to be heresy. Maybe the truth was, to quote Al Gore, "inconvenient" for us. Maybe the truth conflicted with our will, and our flesh, and we refused it. Maybe we didn't "approve" of the one who was bringing the truth. Maybe we ran away from the Word of truth because of the battle that it brings with it. Maybe the truth hurt our feelings. Maybe we got offended. We are each guilty of this, aren't we? For whatever reason, we have all had instances when we rejected the truth being brought to us.
Each one of us, though believers, have also been thankless and ungrateful to some degree, caught up in our circumstances, or our hurt, or our resentment, or disappointment, and have not given God the glory and the thanks to which He is entitled "in all things". It is easy to neglect this, isn't it?
Each one of us must have had instances when the creature, or the creation drew us, drew our eyes, our desires, even covetousness, drew our thoughts, plans, finances and efforts, more than  should have been allowed by us, perhaps, displacing, even if for a short time, our commitment of heart, soul, mind, and strength to God, creating idols in so doing.
This is where we face it, admit it, repent of it, and offer ourselves to crucifixion for the shame connected to it, and understand what our role has been in the root cause of the various manifestations that afflict greater and greater numbers. Are we willing to put on the robe of Christ for ourselves and unknown others as we come against this root to "overcome" it? This is the very thing for which Jesus has provided to us His robe. We see the root in ourselves, even if just a hint of it, and we apply crucifixion to it. I recognize that the root cause also dwells in me, just as it dwells in others whom my eyes have become fixed upon. This is where the kingly and priestly deliverance of our calling can begin-when we put on the robe of Christ, coming in His highly exalted name, and the Word of His name, understanding what the Father has called us to do. As I try to understand more about it, perhaps I will have more success living it.  While the robe overcomes the root cause in me, because I serve as a priest and a king, it also overcomes for many others at the same moment. We all repent for ourselves, but perhaps my wearing the robe of Christ opens the spiritual door of grace for others to repent as well. A heart's desire to repent, and the opportunity to repent, is given by the grace of God (Heb. 12:16-17), and that grace came through Jesus (Jn. 1:16), and it flowed to us through the cross. Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more (Rom. 5:20). Let us cause grace to abound.
Jesus promised that all men would be drawn to Him as He was crucified (Jn. 12:32-33). Let us also draw men to Him by wearing the robe of Christ. As we enter into our "overcoming" spiritual warfare, we are told that we punish all disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled (2 Cor. 10:6). Wearing the robe of Christ causes us to fulfill that obedience, as Christ wore it to fulfill His obedience before His Father. It is the Lamb slain who sits upon the throne (Rev. 5:6, 12).
We need to know and walk these truths now, because the stakes will get even higher and tougher in the times ahead. Satan wants the world's eyes focused on the manifestations of his works, but Jesus has called us to wear that robe of greater glory, given for capturing the eyes of men, for the drawing and freeing of ourselves and others.

Our Father has given us a kingly robe to wear.


"Watch the Lamb"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw8cSvJxStQ

"Crown Him"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqy-gob13kA

Hakal-HaShem

  
The Antichrist Seated in the Temple of God

This is part 2 of the discussion that we began in the last entry. In the previous post, we looked at the house of God, built by the Son of David, Jesus, which is a house, or temple, for the Father's name, Hakal HaShem. It is a place of miraculous, delivering, restoring, overcoming prayer for all nations. We are that living house, built out of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Jn. 2:18-22). This spiritual and living house, which we are, is built after the same prophetic pattern of the natural temple built by David's son, King Solomon (1 Kings 8). We should understand what scripture has said about that house, as we become built into the spiritual house after the pattern, so please read the previous entry. Jesus has great, even violent zeal for this house built from His blood and body (Mt. 21, Mk. 11, Lk. 19, Jn. 2). This living house worships God in Spirit and in Truth. This place for the Father's name, both in the earth, in the Spirit, and as we will see, in heaven, will become the focal point in the showdown between the holiness of God, and the eternal evil of Satan.
Both a natural temple, the spiritual temple, and the heavenly temple of the name of God, have important roles in the End Times, leading up to the return of Christ. We are living in that time, and we must become aware of our vital, spiritual role.
The Apostle Paul described the events that must take place before the day of Christ's return, and our gathering together to Him:
"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin (lawlessness) is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God....And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders..."   2 Thess. 2:3-9 (excerpt)
The goal of the one we know as the Antichrist, empowered by Satan, is to inhabit the physical temple of God, as God. Although sometimes we don't recognize the importance of the place of God's name, the Antichrist evidently will know and understand it, and desire it above all things. He reflects Satan's covetous desire in this (Isa. 14:12-15). This spirit of lawlessness is already at work in the earth (2 Thess. 2:7), as we can also plainly see as we look at the events of today. "Lawlessness" describes our times perfectly.
Those who are deceived by the antichrist succumb to that condition because they have chosen to turn away from the truth of God: "...because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (v. 10).
We may say that though the antichrist may seat himself in the earthly temple of God yet to be built, he will not be able to inhabit us, the living, spiritual temple of Christ. Actually, Jesus warns that the spiritual temple is in danger as well:
"Then if anyone says to you, "Look, here is the Christ!", or "There!" do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect (eklektos: picked out, chosen by God to obtain salvation; choose out for one's self as Christ chose the disciples). See, I have told you before hand."  
                                                                                                      Mt. 24:23-25
As we, the chosen for salvation, turn further and further from the truth of God, as we are currently doing, we become very vulnerable to all spiritual lies and deceptions, and particularly this deception. Yes, it is very possible that the antichrist may try to inhabit even this living temple of God's name. If he cannot inhabit it by our permission, he is not averse to inhabiting it by force. We must be prepared against that. Paul exhorts the church in 2 Thess. 2 to "stand fast" and hold to what we have been taught (v. 13-15). If we doubt the elect's vulnerability, we can see it in the pitiful question that Jesus asked: "Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Lk. 18:8
The Book of Revelation, chapter 13, describes the antichrist as a "beast" (dangerous, venomous, wild animal, preparing destruction, and hunting for men as prey). Also said of the beast:
"Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme (speaking evil, slanderous, railing, abusively) His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven." v.6
He is allowed to make war on the saints, and to overcome them. Authority is given to him over every tribe, tongue and nation (v. 7).
What is the living tabernacle of God, the place of His name, to be doing in all this? I can tell you that the heavenly tabernacle is singing to the Lamb, Jesus, and declaring with all of their might:
"You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth...Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"  Rev. 5:9-12
This is what the heavenly temple of God is saying. This is to be our song and declaration as God's spiritual temple, as well. Like the heavenly temple, this living spiritual temple within us is the place where the Lamb of God is enthroned. Within this spiritual temple, miraculous intercessory prayer takes place, by which the Father sends the answer of all-powerful deliverance.
After the proclamation in the heavenly temple, all creation, every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea, also begins to proclaim the eternal rulership of Christ. And the judgment seals begin to be opened by Him.
As the persecution of the people of God becomes intense, as they are being chased down to be devoured (Rev. 12), again, we see the worship and praise in the heavenly temple calling forth the destruction of those who destroy the earth (Rev. 11:16-18). And then intercession of the temple of God:
"Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail."
                                                                                                            Rev. 11:19
God's people are miraculously delivered from the flood of destruction (Rev. 12:14-16).
Are we getting a picture of the enormous importance of the temple of God in all of these events?
Before the destruction of the beast, and the bloody system of wealth called Babylon, that sits upon him, the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the wrath of God, the seven last plagues that complete the wrath of God, are released. Yes, these angels are released by the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb (Saved Israel and the Church together) that come froth out of the temple of God (Rev. 15:1-4).
"And after these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened....The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed."  Rev. 15:5, 8
The innermost Holy of Holies of the temple of God is opened to be seen by all.
Can we see the importance of our role as the living, spiritual temple, the place for God's name, hakal HaShem, built by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, cleansed by His zeal for His Father's name, the place where the Lamb of God is enthroned, the place filled with His Spirit and with His glory, with the Father's power of prayer, especially for the very days in which we live now, and will soon see? Can we understand how important it is for us to "stand fast" in the truth that we have been taught, as Paul instructed us to do? A great deal depends upon it.
This topic is huge, but alas, my space here is not! I have learned much in this sturdy, and I hope I have been able to share some of it with you in these last two posts.

Our Father has a living temple, on earth, in heaven, in us, built by His Son. AMEN!

"Bow Down and Worship Him"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ks05wY8m0s

"Worthy Is The Lamb"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAplJ0_jDFc

"I Bowed on My Knees"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc2xGXONv4I


 

House

There is an event recorded in all four gospels, which most indicate occurred during the week that Jesus was crucified. During that week of Passover, Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem. He tore the place up. He even used a whip of cords to drive out the religious exploiters, and their animals, as well. In short, He went on a rampage during the most crowded and busiest time of the year for temple activity. People from all over the world would have come to the temple in Jerusalem for the Passover. It is thought that this cleansing took place in the outer most court of the temple grounds, the court of the Gentiles, which is logical, but scripture does not specify this.
Jesus never minced words when dealing with the religious and their total and deliberate misunderstanding of the kingdom of God. They also taught this same misunderstanding to others:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."
                                                                                                              Mt. 23:15
However, His actions on this day rose to a whole different level. I have often wondered why Jesus became so violent about the situation, and I thought I must be missing something deeper in these accounts. I can start my search by looking at an amalgamation of this event from the four gospels:
"Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables (meaning banquet, feast, place for consecrated loaves) of the money changers and the seats (meaning exalted seat of rank for teachers and judges) of those who sold oxen and sheep and doves. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen. And He would not allow anyone to carry (move) wares (vessels) through the temple. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise." And He said to them, "It is Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations (see also Isa. 56:7), but you have made it a den of thieves (see also Jer. 7:9-11)."  Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him but were unable to do anything, because all the people were astonished at His teaching, were very attentive to hear Him."
                                                Mt. 21:12-14, Mk. 11:15-18, Lk. 19:45-48, Jn. 2:13-16*
His actions fulfilled several prophetic scriptures (Ps. 69:9, Jer. 7:9-11, Isa. 56:7).  In the one gospel account in Matthew, children began to sing and declare that Jesus was the one who comes in the name of the LORD, which also angered the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus' identity of Messiah was revealed through His action. He also took the occasion to declare that if they destroy this temple, in three days He would raise it up again. After He was raised from the dead, Christ's disciples remembered Him saying this and concluded that He was referring to His own resurrection (Jn. 2:18-19, 22). These are all important points. To me there is yet even more to the story.
If we go back and look at the beginning of the temple, we can learn more. The house of God originated in a covenant promise made to King David:
"When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows (stripes, to smite, to strike) of the sons of men."   2 Sam. 7:12-14
The purpose of building the temple was to house the name of God. Both the Hebrew word for house, and the second letter of the Hebrew aleph-beth which also means "house", not only mean a physical building, but a "name". It is a place to be "within", and to abide. It incorporates all of the generations of a family that came before, and all of the generations that will come in the future. We know that David's son, Solomon, actually built the physical temple, which fulfills this prophecy in part, but the Son of David who really builds the house for His Father's name, is King forever. This would refer to the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus. Though Jesus did not commit iniquity, as mentioned here, He was made to be sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21), and He was indeed stricken, and striped by the whip as a result. So we can understand that Jesus established a temple for His Father's name. To me, His statement "Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up", not only referred to the raising of His physical body, but He was also declaring that His resurrection would establish a spiritual temple for His Father's name. We are that living temple. When He was raised, we were raised with Him (Col. 2:12). As we know, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are that temple that was established and raised up by Jesus after three days. Even as the Spirit and the glory of God filled the natural temple so that the priests could not enter or stand to minister, we, as the temple of God's name, also have been filled with that same Holy Spirit and glory (Jn. 17:5, 22, 24, 1 Cor. 3:16).
This temple that the son/Son of David would build for the Name of God, would be a very special place: both the natural temple, and the spiritual temple, which we are. Part of the prayer of Solomon upon the dedication of the newly built temple was the following:
"Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place. Now, therefore, arise, O LORD God to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your saints rejoice in goodness."   2 Chron. 6:41, 1 Ki. 8:29
The prayers that would be said toward and in the temple of the Name of God, would be miraculous prayers. These prayers and supplications would result in forgiveness and restoration, teaching and rain (including spiritual rain) in times of drought, deliverance from famine, pestilence, plague, sickness, victory against the enemy, forgiveness of the sin that has led to captivity, and favor and mercy from captors, repentance that restores the soul and body (1 Ki. 8:30, 33, 34,35-36, 37, 44,46-47). Even the prayers and supplications of foreigners and strangers who are not Israel can be heard by God in this temple (v. 41-43). The Hebrew root word for "temple" means to prevail, overcome, endure, have power/ability, to gain or accomplish, to attain.
One gospel account of the cleansing of the temple said that immediately afterwards, Jesus did miraculous healings in the temple. Jesus cleansed the natural temple, and the spiritual temple, which is us. He violently drove out those things and beings that defiled the holy temple to His Father's Name. He drove out the sitting (immovable, a place occupied, a fixed abode) money changers (to cut into small pieces, to sheer a sheep), those who bartered and sold oxen (to feed, Christian teachers promoting the spiritual welfare of the members of the church, to seek, to enquire, to consider, to reflect, to make search), sheep (flocks, multitudes, to walk forward, ago, prior before, extreme age: eternal things), and doves (gentle, effervescent wine: Holy Spirit). He drove out the defilers that sought to be seated in, to possess, and to buy and sell, to trade the precious things of God, and the precious people of God. He also drove out those who had been dedicated to God, but had allowed themselves to be bartered, bought, sold, and traded by men, and by the wrathful (root-given up to the love of money: see Rev. 12:17)) powers of  the world.
No wonder Jesus became so violent in His zeal for His Father's house. We are His Father's living house, the house of the Father's Name: Yeshua, God of salvation, and the Name of His Son, Jesus, Who has been given a Name that is higher than any name. We are the house that the Son of David built out of His death and resurrection. We are the house of the Holy Spirit and the glory of God, the house of miraculous, life-changing prayers
of supernatural deliverance in the Names of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
"...Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom all the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."   Eph. 2:20-22
 We need to understand the importance of this. The world needs the cleansed, living, praying temple of God now more than ever.

Our Father has built a house for His Name, hakal HaShem.

*The account of the cleansing of the temple in Jn. 2 does not specify that it occurred during the week of crucifixion.

"PRAY!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC4kbteMLCg&sns=em