How God deals with traitors in His Kingdom

It caused quite a stir when the New York Times published an anonymous letter indicating how people inside the administration work against Mr Trump.  How are leaders supposed to handle such things?  Does the Bible give us insight how the glorious eternal God, Ruler of the eternal Kingdom, will prevent something like that during His eternal reign? 

#  Jesus and the traitor in His midst

“Then of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?'” ¹  It was the time of the Passover and Jerusalem was filled with pilgrims.  Therefore it was difficult for the leaders to know exactly where Jesus would be in the evening, as they did not want to draw unnecessary attention to their scheme to get rid of Him.

#  Jesus’ grace towards Judas 

Jesus identified Judas as the traitor in front of the other disciples. ²  That was to give Judas the opportunity to reconsider.  Why did Judas not repent?  There is a twofold answer: 

• Judas loved money.  Lazarus and his sisters gave a dinner in Jesus’ honour.  Mary took some expensive perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet.  We read in John 12:1-6,  “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray Him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?  It was worth a year’s wages?’ 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.” 
• Satan entered Judas.  ‘The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.’  Jesus identified Judas, “‘[The one who will betray me] is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’  Then, dipping the piece of bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.  As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.” ³ 

#  God and traitors

• God uses this age to identify the rebels, ‘independents’ and traitors who belong to the devil.  They themselves make it very clear they are not in the least interested in God and don’t want to be associated with Him.  Logically they will not be with God in the age to come.
• Let’s compare God’s brilliance to Mr Trump’s dilemma.  He is the president, but he has no way to identify the secret traitors.  God’s advantage is that he knows all things.  Therefore He allows the traitors to expose themselves before the eternal Kingdom begins.  It is on this side of the grave that people pledge loyalty to God, through Jesus Christ. 

Conclusion

God’s called, chosen and faithful followers ⁴ will enjoy the privileges of the eternal reign of God.  What a precious reward for loyalty.  And Mr Trump?  As commanded in 1 Timothy 2:1-6, we are to pray for him as for other leaders.

References

1. Matthew 26:14-15  
2. Matthew 26:21-26  
3. John 13:21-27  
4. Revelation 17:14

Why is there confusion in our modern societies?

People are curious to know if the Bible is still relevant for today.  After all, wasn’t it written centuries ago?  Isn’t the Bible only for religious people who pray, go to church, give money, et cetera?  

Actually, no.  The Bible is universal because it reveals God’s plan for man.  That plan is to establish an eternal new country where He rules as the Head.  The citizens will be people who accepted God’s Lordship on this side of the grave and will therefore enjoy His benefits eternally. 

#  Yet we live in a time of opposition to the Bible and God.  

• For example, it is anathema to teach the Bible in schools; it is frowned on to talk about the Bible on campuses.  Free speech means about anything, except what God says in the Bible.  
• Politicians as well as social media giants like Facebook and Google, take exception to ‘hate mongering.’  That means people are uncomfortable when it comes to the message in the Bible that, ‘…God now commands all people everywhere to repent.’ ¹
• Psalm 2:1-2 says, ‘Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’  It is remarkable that we see this opposition all around us.  The Western World is very much engaged in getting rid of the God of the Bible.

#  There is an incident in Genesis 11:1-9 that clearly illustrates this. 

• The history of the Tower of Babel shows us what happens when nations, cities or societies write God out of the equation or embrace other standards.    
• Confusion was the result.  God confused their language so they could no longer understand each other.  As a result they were scattered all over the earth.  The tower of Babel explains the origin of different languages and cultures. 
• Even in the Church there is confusion.  Some say this, some claim that, and the debates almost never stop.  If it was only about ‘small’ things like wearing a hat to church, it would not have mattered.  
• But today many begin to question the Bible in the first chapter, at the creation.  They skirt around it and declare that it is some kind of metaphor.  They ask, was Jesus resurrected?  Is He the Son of God?  It is question upon question.

#  Confusion reigns in many modern Western countries.  

There is no consensus about what marriage is, whether a person is a male or a female, et cetera.  They have nice words for such confusion.  It is  ‘politically correct,’ ’gender fluidity,’ ‘diversity.’  It sounds wonderful, but it must be quite confusing when there is no authoritative guide and the only authoritative guide, the Bible, is either outright banned or frowned upon.   

Conclusion

There will be confusion in a society that rejects truth as expounded in the Bible:  

• Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. ²  
• The Word of God is Truth. ³ 
• The Holy Spirit teaches us about Truth (the Living Truth, Jesus) and truth (the written truth, the Word of God). ⁴  

References

• Acts 17:30b
• John 14:6 
• John 17:17
• John 16:13

Why all the violence in the Old Testament?

People often complain that the Old Testament is a book of violence and terror.  They give the wars king David fought, the Israelites’ battles with the Philistines and many other incidents, as examples.  They cannot understand why the Old Testament is so violent, while God is supposed to be a a God of love, peace and happiness.  So let’s consider some aspects of the Old Testament’s violence. 

#  Has the world ever known peace?  

There was a short period of peace for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in God’s presence.  Yet that peace was shattered when the evil one arrived.  By deceit he became the ruler of the world (Genesis 3).  Genesis 4 begins Satan’s violent reign when Cain murdered his brother, Abel.  That became the characteristic of this age: violence, murder, hatred and wars. 

#  Violence in history and the ‘modern’ world 

The Assyrians, Babylonians and the cruelty of tyrants through the ages are examples.  At present it is the violence in Iran, Iraq, Syria and other places, the destruction by ISIS and Boko Haram in Africa, the Rohingya persecution and others.  There is civil unrest in many countries, and that through the ages.  Why?  The answer is the character of the ruler of this world, Satan. 

#  What is Satan like?  

• In the New Testament, Jesus gave a clear answer, ‘He was a murderer from the beginning….’ ¹  Why is the devil so hateful and always tries to mess things up?  
• Remember he forfeited his eternal life in God’s presence when he rebelled against God’s authority. ²  For that result he hates the God of peace.  He is a vengeful, warring influence, always bent of destruction, whether of families, individuals or nations.

#  The Bible is a book about reality, not a religious book. 

• The Bible is not a fairy tale, it tells history as it happened.  Scripture explains the mess the world is in under the devil’s reign.  It contrasts it to the magnificent Redeemer, the Son of God who came to earth to crush the head of the devil. ³  
• Jesus came to change it all (whoever wants to, can call on God to translate them out of the devil’s kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light, through Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross ⁴).  When Jesus comes the second time He will inaugurate a new heaven and earth, the home of righteousness.  There will be no violence ever again on the new earth.  What a great future awaits those who make Jesus their Lord. 

Conclusion

God calls people in the midst of a fallen violent world, to become part of a nation under the headship of Jesus.  Then the new nation will get a new dwelling, a home of righteousness where Jesus will rule eternally. ⁵

References

1. John 8:44  
2. Mathew 25:41  
3. Genesis 3:15; 1 John 3:8  
4. Colossians 1:13  
5. 2 Peter 3:13