FRIDAY September 2, 2022 

The Price of Betrayal 

[Peter] ...said, “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.” Acts 1:15-16

The Apostle Peter spoke of Judas, Jesus’ betrayer. Can you imagine having this awful testimony? Judas obtained a part in the ministry; he walked closely with Jesus and witnessed the miracles and wonders He did among the people. Yet in Jesus’ prayer to His Father, found in John 17:12, he became known as the Son of Perdition: 

“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

 Imagine, Judas received the same title as the Antichrist, the man of sin, when he is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). In the Old Testament, we find an interesting prophecy concerning Judas’ betrayal and his ultimate end. It is found in Zechariah 11:12-13: 

“If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter. 

Satan entered Judas (John 13:27). He went to the chief priests and betrayed Jesus for a miserable amount of money––thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16). It is written: the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil... (1Timothy 6:10). Judas’ betrayal must have burned somewhat on his conscience, because he gave back the money to the priests and, unrepentant, went and hung himself (Matthew 27:3-8; Acts 1:18). 

Judas threw up a rope, and as he was hanging, the rope broke. He fell and landed on the ground below. The impact caused his stomach to burst open, and his entrails gushed out. Jesus’ betrayer had a terrible death. 

Judas Iscariot was not a greatly wicked person, just a common money-lover, and like most money-lovers, he did not understand Christ. ~A.W. Tozer~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!