by David Scott Robertson
“When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
"I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." (Mat 27:3-4 NIV)
Judas Iscariot, the disciple of Jesus Christ.
One of the Twelve.
A follower of the Messiah of Israel.
A man privileged to hear words directly from the lips of the Master Himself.
Words that prophets long dead yearned to hear in person.
Judas witnessed first-hand
What tens of millions of Christians today would have loved to have seen with their own eyes.
Judas was there, real-time, on-site, up-close-and-personal with the only begotten Son of God.
Could it be possible that Judas Iscariot,
In the early days of following Jesus of Nazareth,
Was out there destroying the works of the devil?
One thing we know for sure,
Somewhere along the way Judas left a door open to his heart.
He allowed a window to remain open just a crack.
Satan didn’t need a mile-wide channel to enter --
Just an inch…
A tiny lowering of the barrier of Judas’ free will
To gain legal access and control.
Judas began his descent into compromise little by little.
He began to the downward spiral subtlety.
He helped himself to a portion of the offering plate.
He allowed greet, the love of money, to take a toe-hold.
On God the Father knows all the moral violations that Judas permitted
To seep into his soul and the degree to which corruption had its work in him.
Judas began practicing betraying Christ is a dozen discrete ways.
He became good at it.
He became proficient at suppressing his guilty conscience,
Ignoring profound truth spoken in his hearing by Jesus.
“Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, ‘Rabbi, is it I?’ He said to him, ‘You have said it.’” (Matthew 26:25 NKJV – emphasis mine.)
The word “betraying” here indicates that it wasn’t a future event.
You see, Judas had been practicing.
As I read along in the biblical account of this tragedy,
I observe that the thing that really seemed to push Judas over the edge,
As I read it “the straw that broke the camel’s back,”
Was when the woman broke the alabaster box of perfume over Jesus’ feet,
Prophetically anointing Him for burial (Matthew 26:6-7).
(Mat 26:13 NIV) I [Jesus] tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
(Mat 26:14 NIV) Then one of the Twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests
(Mat 26:15 NIV) and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.
(Mat 26:16 NIV) From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” (emphasis mine).
Bible history tells the sorrowful story of how Judas Iscariot
(Who has rightly become the icon of betrayal)
Opened himself up for the devil personally to enter him
(Note that Satan didn’t delegate this important assignment to a subordinate demon).
Under the influence of the Prince of Darkness,
The pawn Judas played his part to betray Jesus of Nazareth to be condemned to death,
Yes, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8).
Jesus commented on this earlier at His last meal with His disciples:
(Mat 26:24 NIV) The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
Now I want you to notice something:
Even at the intense climax of the betrayal,
The very moment before Judas is about to “officially” betray him “into the hands of sinners”
By the ironic signal of a kiss,
Jesus reaches out to Judas in a staggering show of love and mercy:
“But Jesus said to him, ‘Friend, why have you come?” (Matthew 26:50 NKJV)
Judas should have broke right then and there.
He could have stopped his part of the betrayal transaction.
He could have fallen at Jesus’ feet and said:
“Lord, I can’t go through with it! I just can’t betray you!”
I personally believe that even if Judas had a sudden burst of repentance before the Christ,
The momentum of the evil forces behind the chief priests and elders
Would have proceeded with the plot and plan
To murder Jesus with or without Judas.
It was past the point of no return.
Had Judas allowed his heart to be melted instead of hardened,
We might be reading today in scripture
Of one of God’s most massive objects of grace.
Some of us Christians may have even identified with Judas
Since we have all betrayed the Son of God to one extent on another.
Judas’ personal history and eternal destination,
In this one climactic moment,
Might (it was possible) have been altered forever in this,
His very last chance,
To gain an audience with the King of the Jews.
(Talk about your divine appointments!)
But he didn’t.
In a flash of time,
A moment of visitation in the very presence of God,
Choices were offered and available to Judas Iscariot:
To betray or not betray?
To repent or not repent?
Heaven or hell?
Join the ranks of one more repentant sinner who has come home or become the eternal betrayer?
Without “inquiring of the Lord” Judas made his split-second decision
In response to Jesus’ incredible question: “‘Friend, why have you come?’” (Matthew 26:50 NKJV)
Judas didn’t seal Jesus’ fate with a kiss but he did seal his own.
(Mat 26:50b KJV) “…Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.”
Now the horror story of Judas’ downward spiral begins to close.
(Mat 27:1 NIV) Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death.
(Mat 27:2 NIV) They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
(Mat 27:3 NIV) When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
(Mat 27:4 NIV) "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."
Apparently, at some incredible moment during the night,
Judas had experienced an exorcism!
It seems apparent that a mighty deliverance had taken place in his life
And the Demon of all demons – Lucifer, Satan, vacated Judas’ body.
(John 13:27 NIV) As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him…”
The above scripture confirms that Judas had indeed been possessed of THE devil,
And now - consider the paradox – Judas is “seized with remorse”! (Matthew 27:3)
Do you really think if Judas was still possessed by Satan
That he would have any remorse?
I should think that Lucifer would have taken the opportunity
To manipulate his human host into boasting and bragging and parading around
In his trademark of pride and arrogance.
But no!
We see Judas remorseful!
Could it be that Judas is like so many unfortunate souls today
That are just worthless refuse to Satan
And the only reason the devil has anything dealing with them at all
Is for the purpose of manipulation, persuasion and intimidation?
He uses human puppets – like Judas - to do his bidding to hurt God the Father.
Once they have outlived their usefulness
They are good for nothing but self-destruction and death.
What about you?
Are you facing a moment of truth?
Have you “done messed up royally” and feel like it’s too late to change?
No! A thousand times no!
(Psa 2:11 NIV) Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
(Psa 2:12 NIV) Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
The kind of kiss that Jesus is looking for
Is a kiss of submission not a kiss of betrayal.
DSR
9/3/01