The Israelites had been at war for a long time. They realised that they had abandoned the Lord's ways when they had accepted the ways of the Gentiles. Finally, they successfully defeated the enemy troops, and the first thing on their agenda was to clean up the sanctuary and the altar that had been desecrated. Then, they offered a sacrifice and dedicated the rebuilt altar.

The Israelites had returned to their faith in the Lord, and they rejoiced. At times, we may stray from our faith, but there is always a way to return to the Lord.

Jesus had been travelling to Jerusalem and had wept over the city because the people had not recognised "the time of [their] visitation from God." When He entered the temple, Jesus drove out the merchants because the temple was to be a house of prayer, not a den of robbers. Jesus did not back away from delivering His message as He taught daily in the temple. As the opposition of the temple authorities grew, so did His popularity with the people. We must also be bold in sharing and living the message of the Gospel.