In a foregoing article I promised to depict some instances where modern day moneychangers may affect the house of God and God's people.
I hope that in my discussion of those who exploit the house of God no one draws the conclusion that I am writing about preachers. I suppose that it is possible for a preacher to be a moneychanger. And on occasion it does happen. But that is definately not the norm among God's servants. Many preachers are underpaid anyway. I would be the last to advocate that preachers and any other of God's servants who have given their lives to His service are in any way comparable to the moneychangers who take advantage of the kingdom and their position in it.
Exploitation of God's house and God's people is not new. It occured in the first century and Jesus knew what to do about it. Today there are money changers and Jesus is not here at this moment to prevent their exploitation. But Peter tells us that He still knows how to take care of this and will. Peter wrote that "...the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgement." (II Peter 2:9)
What then are some possible ways modern day moneychangers abuse the house of God?
(1) Men who are in authority and men of position are vulerable to the temptation of exploitation. Why? Because they simply can due to their statue and eminence. Their station in life can lend itself to that kind of behavior. Some can get so caught up in their on self- importance that God's will is dimished and their will becomes paramount in their dealings with other people. This condition seems to become so severe that some actually begin to think that their will is God's will. Whatever they do and whatever decision they make is God's will.
The Spirit of Christ does not allow high handed tactics in dealing with others, yet these money changers have no qualms about running over others. It is a fact that where the Spirit of Christ is, high handed tactics, egoism, and looking down the sanctimonious nose at others does not exist. Paul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is "...love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance..." (Galatians 5:22-23).
Scripture gives us two explicit examples of these high-minded men of high position. The first is a man named Diotrephes. John said in 3 John 9 "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us." This word "preeminence" literally means "loving to be first." Sounds like Diotrephes had a very high idea of himself. How did he exploit the church? John inferred that basically he ran things and was in the practice of disfellowshipping from the church apparently those he did not like. John doesn't say exactly how he was going to deal with this fellow, but he was going to deal with him, for he told the church that when he went to them "...I will call to mind his deeds which he does...." (3 John 10)
The other example of high handed exploitation of God's people is Herod. If ever there was an egotistical axe wielder he was. The people knew that . So they typically gave in to his coercion as people typically give in to all present day Herods. Sometimes it is a power thing or a money thing, or a position thing that causes people to aquisce, and sometimes it is just the blantant big headedness and bull headedness of these present day moneychangers who exploit the people of God.
Acts 12 records the complete story of Herod and his mean dealings with God's people. Verse one of Acts 12 defines his role as moneychanger. "now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harrass some from the church." The KJV says "...vex certain of the church..." the interlinear reads "...to harm some of the ones from the church...". The lexicons define the word for harm or vex as "ill -treat" "plague" "injure". And it can also mean according to Zodhiatas"to put one into a bad mood against another." The word is used in Acts 14:2 this way "But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethern.
Herod was the supreme example of one who could do all the above against someone because he was simply in a position to do so. How many Herod's do we have today among us?
He was a glory hog to the max. Acts 12:2 says"...he killed James the brother of John with the sword." Verse 3 says "and because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also ...". I must say I have seen men in my life who operated completely on the basis of what advantage they could claim for themselves with no consideration for the feelings of others. They might not go to the extremes Herod went and commit murder because it pleased others who would side with them and applaud them, but they certainly had no uneasiness or remose about character assassination.
Herod's demise is a lesson for all modern day moneychangers. The text says that "on a set day Herod , arrayed in royal apparel, set on his throne and gave an oration to them." "And the people kept shouting, the voice of a god and not of a man!" (Acts 12:21-22)
How he must have gloated. He had had his way with good people. He killed some. He imprisioned some. He worked his evil, he plagued folks with his behavior, he injured them, he ill treated them, he harmed them. And now he is being applauded. How good he must have felt. He might even have felt he was justified hurting others becuase he was being apploauded by some.
But out goes another moneychanger. Acts 12:23 says "then immediately an angel struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. "
Watch out moneychangers!
More to come....
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