Tehillah Generation Chapel
Daily Manna | Friday, April 20, 2018 | Reading: Exodus 33:1-11, Exodus 4, Gen 3:1-21
Topic: The Tabernacle of God 413
Scripture: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say not of this building. (Heb 9:11)
Note: Matt 16:18, “And I say also to you, You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Deteriorating relationship as a result of pretense, conflicting interest and trying very hard to put on a façade to hide his real intent, all due to increasing disagreement with his Master concerning the political direction of what was originally a promising and viable movement under the unparalleled and powerful leadership of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, combined to turn Judas Iscariot into one of the most monstrous and hideous traitors in history.
Judas Iscariot isn’t alone in this kind of misguided ungratefulness. His example as a key member among the disciples of Jesus, illustrates the depth of fall to which the believer can find himself or herself in, given similar situation. Relationships, whether in the Church or outside, will always continue to have differences, so long as people remain human. Yet the relationships that involve people who individually have sound personal relationship with Jesus, have always had the advantage of the guiding wisdom of God’s word, the grace of God and the strength that comes from the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, to be able to negotiate their way through difficult curves and terrain in their relationships.
Judas continues to mirror a lot of examples of betrayal in the Church. The seed of Judas thrives on mistrust, growing separation from the main tree and the evil desire to profit from other close relations no matter the consequences. It’s a greedy spirit that is dedicated to the success of a personal empire to the detriment of others. It lacks moral ethics, and its aggressive pursuit in fulfilment of an evil desire will sooner or later consume its owner and bring the perpetrator to destruction.
Judas was redeemable at any point in time in the course of his walk with Jesus. Yet, his own lack of faith in Jesus as God and being the One who is the fulfilment of the expected Messiah, must have heavily undermined such possible comeback. It was a classic case of an abiding grace that has freely been offered to all men, and yet, it is unwittingly rejected by many people. Rejection of God’s grace and His provision for the redemption of mankind with the offering of His only Son to the world, had always meant the same thing for everyone concerned; which is death and destruction, just like the miserable way in which Judas perished.
Food for thought: God’s desire for all men is redemption and reconciliation. Yet, some men’s propensity has been the choice of rejection which leads to eternal death.
Declaration: There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12
©Author: Rev Fred Aboe
