He is my Delight

Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Mark 13:1-2

The disciple admires the building. What a great achievement of man. Look Jesus. Look how beautiful the thing that we have built for God.

Jesus’ response to the disciple begins “Do you see”? Do you really see this building for what it is?

The temple represented the presence of God on earth among His people. It was where sacrifice was made and where worship was intended to ascend continually. But the religious system of Jesus’ day had turned the temple into a marketplace. A place of corruption cloaked in spirituality.

The disciple admired the stones. But if he had really seen these buildings (and what they had now come to represent) through the eyes of Jesus, he would have wept with shame. For the very ones who had been given places of solemn honor and responsibility in the temple were the ones who were seeking to put to death the Son of God.

Jesus is not impressed with our religion, our pomp, or the quality of our workmanship. These are the things that draw the applause of men. Jesus is interested in worshippers.

The first person recorded to have a desire to build a temple, a house for God, was King David, a man after God’s own heart. But not all religious men are such a man. And God may stand by for a season as we dishonor His house, but eventually He will tear it down rather than have His name profaned in it.