DO NOT TURN THE HOUSE OF GOD TO BECOME A DEN OF THIEVES

Praise be to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you woke up safely this morning, it is something to be thankful to God for. I welcome you to meditate on the words of life from our Lord, which are the food for our souls.

The Word of God says:

Jeremiah 7:9
“Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods whom you have not known,
10 and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered’—only to go on doing all these abominations?
11 Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says the Lord.”

Matthew 21:13
He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.”

Have you ever wondered why the Lord used the phrase, “but you have made it a den of thieves”? Have you taken time to reflect on what a den of thieves truly means?

Thieves or criminals always have a hideout where they go to conceal themselves after committing their crimes. This place serves as their temporary refuge, a hiding spot, often located in a remote place, an incomplete building, or a dark cave. The purpose is simple: once they have stolen, they retreat to this place to hide until things calm down, only to return and commit more crimes. These hideouts are often places for illicit activities such as gambling, smoking, or engaging in illegal business, like selling drugs.

A modern example is of someone who commits adultery and then, on Sunday, goes to church. The same person will return to their sinful lifestyle during the week and once again appear in church the following Sunday. The church becomes a refuge for them to pretend they are righteous, to deceive themselves that they still love God, and to appear as though they are part of the community, when in reality, they have no intention of giving up their sinful behavior. It is as if the church becomes a temporary hiding place for their sins.

Similarly, a corrupt person or a scammer might attend church regularly, not to seek change, but to use the church as a cover-up, hiding their deceitful activities behind a facade of religious practice.

Let us remember the words of the Lord:
Matthew 21:13 – “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.”

We must not turn the house of God into a hideout for our sins. Instead, it should be a place of prayer, holiness, and spiritual nourishment for our souls. The house of God is not a place for revealing our physical bodies in an inappropriate way, wearing revealing clothing, or engaging in self-advertisement. It is a place of reverence and respect for the holiness of God.

If the Lord Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple, He will certainly not hesitate to overturn the business of selling our bodies and our sinfulness in His house. If you want to engage in the business of sin, there are many other “dens” in the world, but do not turn the house of God into one of them.

If you have not given your life to Christ, today is the day. Repent, and He will forgive you freely. Remember, Christ is coming back, and a time will come when you will no longer hear such messages as this one. The moment of the rapture will have passed, and you will not be disturbed by the preaching anymore. However, if you choose to repent today, Christ will accept you, as His Word promises: