Luke 22:1–6 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
How God brought redemption to the world amazes me. For thousands of years the world had been living in the hope of God's Promise. Now that Promise, Jesus Christ the Messiah of God, had come to take away the sins of the world.
It was not chance. It was not coincidence. It was a sovereign act of God in His providence that made this moment happen.
The Passover was the celebration the reminded the Israelites how God had saved them from Egypt. A lamb was slain and the blood covered the people from death. It was God's plan to make Jesus the lamb the takes away the sin of the world.
Then when I think about the religious system that would allow Jesus to be sentenced to death and the Roman rule that would make the crucifiction possible, I am overwhelmed. God planned this.
The ultimate point of amazement is Judas. This man was chosen for a purpose. He saw the miracles and the love and the living Truth and yet, Judas chose to betray God in flesh to His penal substitutionary death. Judas made the choice, but it was God's plan from the beginning. How did God do that?
He is sovereign. He is amazing. He loves us so much.
We can know if God can do this, He has a plan for everything we are facing and will ever face. He is the sovereign God of heaven and earth that rules and accomplishes His will.
Psalm 135:5–6 "I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. 6 The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths."
2 comments:
So perhaps you can answer a question I have always had about this. Since this was prophecy, and since Satan entered Judas to carry out the betrayal, did Judas "choose" to betray Jesus and was Judas at fault for his actions?
That's what is amazing... Yes, Judas chose and was responsible, but God was sovereign in it all.
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