Judas is an example of what happens to those who put themselves on the throne of their own lives. This man spent a few years walking with Jesus, but that did not make him faithful or a true worshipper. He was in it for what he could get for himself, particularly money.
Mary therefore took a pound of expensive
ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet
with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But
Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said,
“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the
poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a
thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was
put into it. (John 12:3–6)
Whatever he stole out of the moneybag
wasn’t enough. As the priests grew in antagonism toward Jesus, Judas saw
another opportunity for personal gain.
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas
Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I
deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from
that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14–16)
The betrayal was also filled with
hypocrisy. As if walking with Jesus to have access to money was not bad enough,
his signal to identify Jesus to the arresting soldiers was a greeting of
affection, a kiss.
While he was still speaking, there came a
crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew
near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the
Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:47–48)
With self on the throne, Judas did the
unthinkable, but he realized his sin. As recorded in yesterday’s post, Paul points
out that idols and demons are partners. This is shown in Judas. Not only had the
idol of self taken possession of him, but this idolatry opened the door to far
worse . . .
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near,
which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were
seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered
into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away
and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to
them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and
sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. (Luke
22:1–6)
Years ago in a class on missions, one of
the students asked if Christians could be demon possessed. The experienced
missionary who taught the class said that if a Christian sins, we can confess
our sin and escape the power of evil forces. However, if we keep sinning there
is a point where we lose control and need help to be rid of such evil
influences.
For Judas, Satan had entered him. Some say
he was not a Christian in the first place, and he likely wasn’t, but he wound
up with no power to rid himself of the idolatry that had taken control of his
life.
Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that
Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of
silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying
innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And
throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went
and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3–5)
The self that he had idolized was so
demanding that it became impossible to deny. He could not live with the monster
that he had nurtured so he hanged the self that he had put up on a terrible pedestal,
dying without true repentance.
This is a huge warning to me or anyone
who puts themselves first instead of serving others. Without repentance, the enemy,
who is a liar and a destroyer, eventually could make this idol become an uncontrollable
force that self-destructs.