BEWARE OF THE DEVIL’S SCHEMES
BEWARE OF THE DEVIL’S SCHEMES
During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him… —John 13:2
For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” —John 13:11
But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ —John 13:18
Jesus knew who would betray Him. He knew it when He chose the Twelve as mentioned in John 6:70-71— “Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) This also was a fulfillment of God’s prophetic Word spoken in Psalm 41:9— “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.”
“Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 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. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.” —Luke 22:1-6
Judas “as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6). This is what Satan used to “put it into the heart of Judas” to betray Jesus— money. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (I Timothy 6:10). Satan is a user… he will use people to accomplish his will and Judas was in “the trap of the devil, who has taken (him) captive to do his will” (II Timothy 2:26). Satan does not care about people. He hates people and seeks to destroy them and do it with those he is working through. In this case, the chief priests and elders—
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver 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.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.” —Matthew 27:3-5
Satan’s deed was done— betray Jesus… use the love of money to encourage Juda to betray Jesus… use the chief priests and elders to give the money to Judas to betray Jesus and then have Judas kill himself. Brothers and sisters, fellow followers of Jesus, let us beware “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (II Corinthians 2:11). Please, Dear Father, give us the discernment to know the devil’s schemes. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Please, may it be so! https://youtu.be/wY8hhoYeVTw?t=140