70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
He had intimately conversed with Jesus; he had walked with Him and been taught by Him; he had fellowshipped with Him and broke bread with Him; he had been privy to Jesus’ healings – observing with his own eyes as our Lord brought the dead back to life as well as miracle upon miracle; and he had even been given authority to drive out all demons, to cure diseases, to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick yet Judas Iscariot’s heart remained unchanged.
“It would be impossible to imagine a more favourable position for a man’s soul. Yet if anyone ever fell hopelessly into hell, and made shipwreck at last for eternity, that man was Judas Iscariot.” J.C. Ryle
Amazing is it not? I have a feeling that perhaps even Judas himself was just as amazed over his betraying actions. Matthew intimates this in his gospel:
1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. 3 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. 4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. Matt 27:1-5 (NIV)
Broken, Judas confesses his sin to the wrong audience. Their response, though harsh, was correct – it was Judas’ responsibility. Despondent, he throws his treasure at their feet departing their unhelpful presence and hang’s himself. He was acutely aware of the responsibility of his own poor choice. Truly he did not know the Savior. Our Lord is so merciful that had even Judas approached Him with a contrite heart in brokenness certainly Jesus would have restored him – just as He does for all who truly believe in Him. Who of us is not responsible for nailing Him to the cross?
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6 (NIV)
What can we learn from this? Where had Judas gone wrong? Only God knows the heart of man - who are truly His or who are merely professing hypocrites. Some love the Lord their God with wholehearted devotion and a willing mind, others are divided in heart loving God and loving their delight and some simply wear masks feigning sincerity to the world. Perhaps they themselves even believe their pretense yet when push comes to shove they fall back to the delight of their eyes. What choices had Judas made to open himself up for the entrance of Satan? Scripture tells us:
27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, 28 but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. John 13:27-28 (NIV)
Like Samson. Judas had had a Delilah yet it was not the love of a woman rather the love of money. When we allow our hearts to be divided we are on unsure footings and we are sure to fall. Jesus tells us:
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. Matt 12:25 (NIV)
As believers we must think of our hearts as a kingdom over which Christ is King – we are not, money is not, relationships are not, prestige is not, things are not – nothing or no one is to be King but Jesus. When our love is divided we set ourselves up for ruin – either we were never saved or if saved, we suffer loss both here and eternally. Scripture proves this out over and over again. When are hearts are divided we have chinks in our “city walls” of self control and where there is a chink in the wall you can be sure Satan’s fiery arrows can enter. While a believer cannot be possessed as they are sealed with the Holy Spirit, they can be so oppressed that it feels like possessed! Judas’ chink was the love of money making him easy prey for Satan’s wiles. Scripture tells us the following regarding him:
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. John 12:4-6 (NIV)
It is no wonder that King David who himself fell, repented and was restored fervently prayed for his son Solomon to serve the Lord with wholehearted devotion and a willing mind for it is in this way that we prevent such downfalls and thus shipwreck our faith.
9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work." 1 Chron 28:9-10 (NIV)
Each believer has been chosen to build their temples as a sanctuary for the Lord – be strong now and do the work.