Today we continue to explore Judas’ final days on earth. This is a story based on the little we know about Judas and how satan works to tempt.
The story began two posts ago.
When Judas left the table, he did not feel possessed. He felt energized to complete his mission.
He felt an odd sense of urgency. He knew Jesus had to be arrested that night. He contacted the authorities to meet him at the garden.
When Judas got there, he found his friends sleeping. Jesus had gone apart to pray. Judas rolled his eyes. Jesus was always praying.
Judas edged in closer to Jesus. He heard His Prayer. In the quiet of that night, Judas felt totally connected as he heard Jesus say,
“I have revealed You to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed your word.
Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You. For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they are Yours.”
John 17:6-10
Judas felt overjoyed. Yes, Jesus was praying for him!
Jesus said,
“All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine. And glory has come to Me through them.”
John 17:10
Judas thought, “Yes, Glory will come through me!”
Jesus then asked that they be protected. But His next Words sent chills up and down Judas’ spine.
“While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.”
John 17:12
Judas had a moment where he froze and asked himself the question he had asked Jesus earlier.
“Is it me?”
But before he could answer himself, the soldiers were there. They were in a hurry. They just wanted to get their man.
“Which one is he?” The commander asked.
Almost as if in a dream, Judas heard himself say, “The One to whom I give a kiss.”
Judas would replay that kiss over and over again in the hours that followed. He was close to Jesus, heart to heart, his lips against the cheek of The King of The Universe.
He could smell the oil a woman had used days earlier to anoint Jesus. That had seemed such a waste to him. All that expensive perfume wasted when it could have been sold to get money for the poor.
Now the smell would be with him forever.
But it wasn’t just the feel and smell of being close to Jesus. It was the look of pure Love Judas saw in His Eyes when Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Luke 22:48
The way Jesus said his name was personal, cutting Judas to the core. For the first time, Judas fully realized he was the betrayer. It was him.
Judas would have done anything at that moment to rewind everything and make other choices. He stepped back and opened his mouth to try to explain, but it was too late.
The soldiers were there.
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
“I AM He!” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
When Jesus said, “I AM He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
John 17:4-6
Judas lay there for a moment and then struggled to his feet. This was The Power of God he had anticipated, but not at all as he expected.
Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”
Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.
Matthew 26:50
In spite of everything, Jesus called Judas a friend. Judas no longer wanted to do what he came to do. But it was too late.
What happened next was all a blur to Judas. He just knew he was left standing in the dark alone. Jesus was gone. His friends were gone.
There was only the smell of perfume on his body to remind him of how close he had been to Jesus.
Tomorrow we will explore the final choices Judas made. He could have had Life, but instead he chose death.
“I have set before you Life and death, Blessings and curses. Now choose Life, so that you and your children may live!”Deuteronomy 30:19
