Have you ever been betrayed by someone close to you? A spouse? A parent? A child? A best friend? A business partner? A co-worker?

Or have you ever felt like the whole world was against you?

That is how King David felt, when he wrote Psalm 3. David was heartbroken. His son, Absalom, betrayed him by attempting to take the throne from him. Not only had his own flesh and blood turned against him, but many of David’s friends had joined forces with Absalom. David had to flee Jerusalem, his capital city.

Certainly, David’s situation is unique. But the feelings David had are not unique.

No matter the circumstances that make us feel betrayed or abandoned, David’s words ring true. More importantly, they can comfort us. The centuries between David and our present lives melt away as we read his words. We can learn a lot about handling devastating times from David.

In Psalm 3, he describes who God is and what God does for His children. Notice David tells God that many of those he loved are now his enemies. BUT then, David remembers who God is and what He does for David even during the darkest days.

I have been betrayed and maybe you have too. The same God that comforted David will comfort us. No matter what challenges you are facing, let this Psalm speak to you.

The Lord is your shield. The Lord will lift your head. The Lord will sustain you when you struggle to sleep. The Lord will take away your fear of the future.

O Lord, how my adversaries have increased!

Many are rising up against me.

Many are saying of my soul,

“There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah.

But You, O Lord, are a shield about me,

My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

I was crying to the Lord with my voice,

And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.

I lay down and slept;

I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.

I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people

Who have set themselves against me round about

Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God!

For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek;

You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongs to the Lord;

Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.

Psalm 3

My church choir sings a powerful song, “Thou, O Lord”, based on Psalm 3 that is always a blessing to my soul. Here is the link to the Prestonwood choir and orchestra (not my choir) singing it:

Carla Killough McClafferty

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Verses in scripture reach through the ages. Our lives have little in common with ancient Judah as described in the book of Isaiah. Yet, the feelings and emotions of people are the same today as they were then-even though the circumstances are very different.

In Isaiah, God gives many powerful descriptions about Himself and how He will support His people. During times of grief and trouble in my life, His words comfort me.

Here are some of them:

‘Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Isaiah 41:10

But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel,

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

Nor will the flame burn you.

“For I am the Lord your God,

The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

Isaiah 43:1-3a

“I am the Lord, your Holy One,

The Creator of Israel, your King.”

Isaiah 43:15

“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:

‘I am the first and I am the last,

And there is no God besides Me.

Isaiah 44:6

Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;

For I am God, and there is no other.

“I have sworn by Myself,

The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness

And will not turn back,

That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.

“They will say of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’

Men will come to Him,

And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.

“In the Lord all the offspring of Israel

Will be justified and will glory.”

Isaiah 45:22-25

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit,

Who leads you in the way you should go.”

Isaiah 48:17

But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,

And the Lord has forgotten me.”

“Can a woman forget her nursing child

And have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

“Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;

Isaiah 49:14-16a

The words of our Lord spoken thousands of years ago still bring comfort to His people today.

He is still giving us strength. He is still holding us up with HIS righteous right hand.

We might wonder what God’s words to ancient Judah has to do with our lives today.

When we study the book of Isaiah, we need to keep in mind that God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants which will never be broken. That covenant continues today and into the future. Today the vast majority of those who put their faith in Jesus as their Savior are not from the physical line of Abraham. But we are from the SPIRITUAL LINE of Abraham. Gentile believers are adopted into the faith family of Abraham and count him as our Spiritual father. All people-Jew and Gentile-who put their trust in God are one people.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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People can convince themselves that no one will find out about their sinful deeds and thoughts. Sometimes they seem to get away with committing crimes and sinful acts. But God knows every thought and every action of every person. And He knows the motives behind them. Absolutely nothing escapes the knowledge of the LORD.

Isaiah chapter 40 describes God’s power of creation and control over the world He created. This is the context for another well-known and well-loved section of scripture from Isaiah:

Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord,

And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”?

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth

Does not become weary or tired.

His understanding is inscrutable.

He gives strength to the weary,

And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Though youths grow weary and tired,

And vigorous young men stumble badly,

Yet those who wait for the Lord

Will gain new strength;

They will mount up with wings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired,

They will walk and not become weary.

Isaiah 40:27-31.

The prophet Isaiah had been warning the people to turn from idolatry. Some thought God didn’t see or wouldn’t judge their sin. These verses remind all people that God knows everything.

The next section of verses describe who God is and what God does. God describes Himself as everlasting-no beginning and no end. He is the creator of all. He can never be tired, or weary. Humans can never understand His ways.

The next section is often quoted:

He gives strength to the weary,

And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Though youths grow weary and tired,

And vigorous young men stumble badly,

Yet those who wait for the Lord

Will gain new strength;

They will mount up with wings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired,

They will walk and not become weary.

I think these verses compare physical strength to spiritual strength. Our human, physical strength, even that of the most fit young men, grows weary. By contrast, the Spiritual strength for “those who wait for the Lord” never diminishes.

Who are those who wait for the Lord? Souls who trust God and have patient expectation that the LORD will do what only He can do. Our Spiritual strength comes from the LORD and it can grow even as our physical strength weakens.

Because we wait (trust) for the Lord:

In our Spiritual lives, we can soar like an eagle.

We can run a Spiritual marathon and not be tired.

We can walk through the valleys of life and not be weary.

God described Himself as the Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He wants His people to walk and run and soar Spiritually.

And He alone has the power that will allow you to do just that.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9.

This is a well-known, and well-loved passage. It has brought peace to the hearts of countless struggling people through the ages.

These words have an even deeper meaning when you see the context of God’s words to His covenant people. The book of Isaiah covers a time when most people had turned their backs on the Lord, and worshipped idols of wood and metal. Through the prophet Isaiah, God pled with His people to repent and turn away from their sin of idolatry. God pled with His people to turn back to Him.

Our holy God could not allow His people to continue in idolatry. God warned them over and over again that if they did not turn away from idolatry, He would bring judgement.

When most in Judah did not turn from idolatry, God brought judgement in the form of the Babylonian captivity. In their suffering, God offered them mercy and compassion. (There is always a godly remnant who worshipped the LORD. For example, during the captivity Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.)

The book of Isaiah shows two sides of the same coin: God’s judgement and God’s mercy. On one side of the coin, the book of Isaiah relates God’s warning for His covenant people to turn away from idolatry and back to Him. On the other side of the coin, the book of Isaiah relates God’s mercy and compassion for His covenant people when they suffered because of their sin.

The verses in Isaiah 55 illustrate this point. To those mixed up in idolatry, verses 6-7 say (paraphrasing here) seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him. Wicked people forsake your ways and thoughts. Return to the LORD and He will have compassion on you. God will pardon you. Then the comes verses 8-9:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9.

On the surface it seems our world is far different from the days of Isaiah. But is it really? Maybe fewer people bow down to worship and idol by hands. But an idol can be anything that people place above the one true, living God.

Our holy God is still pleading with people to turn from idolatry in all of its forms and turn to Him.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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One of the stars shining in the night sky is “officially” named after my youngest son.

But that is not the original name of that star. . .

To celebrate the birth of my youngest son, Corey, a relative gave him a gift that bought the privilege to have a star named for him. One specific star in the great expanse of space is officially titled Corey Andrew McClafferty. But long before Corey’s life and death, God created that star and named it. God created each and every star and knows each one by name. Even in the far reaches of space far beyond where our most sophisticated equipment can see-God knows the name of each star.

How do I know God already named that star eons before Corey’s birth? Isaiah told me.

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,

And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,

Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain

And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

He it is who reduces rulers to nothing,

Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

Scarcely have they been planted,

Scarcely have they been sown,

Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,

But He merely blows on them, and they wither,

And the storm carries them away like stubble.

“To whom then will you liken Me

That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes on high

And see who has created these stars,

The One who leads forth their host by number,

He calls them all by name;

Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,

Not one of them is missing.

Isaiah 40:21-26

Another thing I love about this section of Isaiah 40 is that God sits above the circle above the earth. He stretched out the endless blanket of stars in space. Nothing happens in God’s creation without His knowledge and permission.

As we continue searching descriptions of God in the book of Isaiah, we find many beautiful and powerful descriptions of the Lord. We can use these passages to help us in our lives today.

Do you need to know what to do in your life?

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit,

Who leads you in the way you should go.

Isaiah 48:17

Do you long for the Lord’s compassion?

Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you,

And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.

For the Lord is a God of justice;

How blessed are all those who long for Him.

Isaiah 30:18

Oh, how blessed are all those who long for HIM!

Carla Killough McClafferty

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The book of Isaiah is a powerful one. It contains prophecy about the birth of Jesus, the Messiah. And it has many passages that describe God.

When studying Isaiah, keep in mind it was written during a time when most of Judah (the southern kingdom) had turned away from God, and worshipped idols. God sent the prophet Isaiah to Judah, to warn them to turn back to the Lord. God gave them time to repent. But God warned them that if they did not turn back to worship Him, judgement would come.

Most of the people continued to drift farther and farther from the Lord and continued their idol worship. The LORD, the one true God, pleaded with them to repent and offered them forgiveness if they returned to Him. God warned them that if they didn’t turn back to Him, He would allow their enemies to overtake Judah.

Most of the people of Judah would not, and did not, return to God. Most continued their sinful worship of manmade idols.

The book of Isaiah contains some of the most tender descriptions of how God extended compassion and mercy to His children who went astray.

“’Come now, and let us reason together’, says the Lord, ‘though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool, if you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword’, Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 1:18-20.

“. . .In spite of all this His anger does not turn away, and His hand is still stretched out. Yet the people do not turn back to Him who struck them, nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.” Isaiah 9:12a-13

“For every one of them is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth is speaking foolishness. Is spite of all this His anger does not turn away, and His hand is still stretched out.” Isaiah 9:17b.

“In spite of all this His anger does not turn away, and His hand is still stretched out.” Isaiah 9:21b.

These verses show the tender heart and character of the LORD. He wanted His people to turn back to Him. He wanted to bless them. He wanted good for them in the land.

But our merciful, holy God could not allow their sin of idolatry to continue unchecked. God sent His prophets to warn them what would happen: If they continued in idolatry, God would allow Babylon to capture them.

Most of them didn’t listen. They continued to do what they wanted to do-regardless of what God taught them. God allowed the Babylonians to defeat them and take them away as captives for seventy years.

How can we apply this to our lives today?

Today we might not bow down to worship an idol figure made of metal, wood, or clay. But we still have idols, and maybe modern idols are even more devious. In our world of freedom, our idols could be work, money, power, prestige, depression, grief, fear, worry, illness, spouse, children, grandchildren, or social causes. Our idols can be anything that is more important to us than serving the LORD.

The Lord wants His people to turn back to Him.

His hand is reaching out.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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Perhaps the most powerful description of God is in the book of Isaiah. Not only does it give us a visual of God Himself-but also a snapshot of heaven.

God called Isaiah to be a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah. They were turning away from the Lord and worshipping idols. Isaiah was sent to warn the people of Judah to repent and turn back to the Lord.

Assyria, the world power at the time, was a serious threat to Judah and to Israel. These were the days of the divided kingdom. Judah was the southern two tribes; Israel was the northern ten tribes. Ultimately Israel (northern ten tribes) did not turn from idolatry and were taken into Assyrian captivity - never to return.

It was during these days of rampant idolatry that God called the prophet Isaiah. It was the year 740 BC, the year Judah’s King Uzziah died. God gave Isaiah a vision of heaven. The book of Isaiah records this amazing description of God:

“In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said,

‘Holy, Holy, Holy’, is the Lord of hosts,

The whole earth is full of His glory.”

Isaiah 6:1-3

God gave Isaiah a vision of Himself in a way the prophet could understand. Isaiah described the indescribable glory of God in the best way he could. He understood symbols of human kingship like sitting on a throne wearing fine clothes with a long train. Isaiah knew the temple in Jerusalem and understood the presence of the Lord resided in the Holy of Holies. In this vision, perhaps God showed Isaiah that He was far above any earthly king. The Lord showed Isaiah a tiny glimpse of His glory, majesty and power. Isaiah understood he was seeing THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY on His throne. The King of kings and Lord of lords was high and lifted up. The train of His robe was so long it filled the temple.

Near the throne of God, seraphim worshipped the LORD. This is the only place in the Bible that mentions seraphim. Isaiah doesn’t describe exactly what these heavenly beings looked like, but the word has the meaning of “burning ones.” Each seraph had six wings.

With two of their wings, they covered their faces. Not even these heavenly beings could look into the face of the Lord.

With two of their wings, they covered their feet. These heavenly beings showed their humility to the Lord by covering their feet.

With two of their wings, they flew. These heavenly beings were ready to fly away to do God’s will.

And with their mouths, the seraphim proclaimed to each other:

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,

The whole earth is full of His glory.”

Everything about the seraphim show they worship our Holy LORD.

Holy means perfection, flawlessness, and purity. Holy describes everything about the Lord.

Holy is the best description of who God is.

Holy is the best description of God’s character.

Holy is the best description of what God does.

In Scripture, to say something twice was to bring special attention to what is said. Like Jesus saying, “Truly, Truly, I say to you…”

Here the word holy is said three times. Saying holy three times means utmost intensity and completeness.

Of all the descriptions of God in Scripture, holy is the only word used three times. “Holy, holy, holy” appears twice in the Bible. Here in Isaiah 6:3, and in another vision of heaven described in Revelation 4:8. In Revelation, living creatures say “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”

In our world, we tend to put God away in a corner of our lives —unless we are in trouble and need His help. We tend to ignore God’s direction in our lives –then blame Him when everything falls apart. We tend to live like we are the center of the universe –and ignore the One who created it.

Maybe we need to remember that God is God –and we are not.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts.

How do these verses relate to Jesus, the Messiah?

God is a trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God is three in one. Jesus came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem, but God the Son (we call Jesus) was always there. How does this fit with Isaiah’s vision of heaven?

Jesus Himself explained the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in His day because most of the Jewish people would not see and understand. Matthew 13:13-16.

The apostle John teaches the words of Isaiah’s vision of heaven is about the glory of Jesus. John 12:37-41.

Paul connects Jesus to the prophecy of Isaiah. In Rome, Paul taught how Jesus was all throughout the Law of Moses and the prophets. And many he taught would not believe, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah. Acts 28:23-28.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. . . ” 2 Chronicles 16:9 a.

What a comfort. God is scanning the world to check on those whose hearts are completely (whole, intact, sound, at peace) His. No matter where they live, from the busiest city to the most remote places on earth-the Lord knows who has given their hearts to Him in belief. And He wants to empower them, give them strength, and direct their paths.

The Lord sees His children and stands ready to help.

But His children don’t always seek Him first for help.

Notice at the beginning of this blog I’ve posted the first half of 2 Chronicles 16:9. Before we add the second half of this verse, we need to understand what was happening.

This verse in 2 Chronicles comes from the days of King Asa, one of the kings of Judah. King Asa reigned for forty-one years. He was a good king and was devoted to the Lord (I Kings 15:14). He made many religious reforms including the destruction of idolatrous images his evil mother and father had made.

The first military problem King Asa faced was when the Ethiopian army came against them. Judah was greatly outnumbered and Asa called out to the Lord for help. King Asa trusted God to help them and He did. Judah won a decisive victory over a much larger army.

After this miraculous victory from the Lord, Asa led his country to a new level of devotion to God. There was peace in the land until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

These were the days of the divided kingdom, when ten northern tribes were called Israel, and the southern two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) were called Judah. King Baasha was an evil king who ruled over Israel. Baasha came against Judah.

What did King Asa do? Did he immediately seek help from the Lord as he had done years before when they were threatened by Ethiopia?

No.

Instead of turning to the Lord, Asa gathered silver and gold from the treasury. He sent this to Syria to BUY help from their idolatrous king.

Let’s take a moment to let that sink in. King Asa bought help from foreign idol worshipers. He did not seek help from the Lord.

Syria, the mercenary army Asa hired from Syria, attacked Israel’s King Baasha. The result was that King Baasha had to defend his own country, so he left Judah in peace.

That sounds like success, doesn’t it? Perhaps Asa congratulated himself that he handled the situation so well.

Until Hanani arrived.

God sent Hanani to King Asa with a message. To paraphrase the message, God said: You relied on Syria and you did NOT rely on the LORD your God. Years ago the Ethiopians had a huge army, but because you relied on the LORD I gave you victory.

The next thing Hanani said is our verse this week. It is another place in scripture that describes what God does:

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” 2 Chronicles 16:9.

Good King Asa had a heart that was completely God’s. But later in life Asa failed to seek the Lord. Because of this, Asa would be faced with wars for the rest of his reign.

How did Asa react to God’s message? Did he fall on his face and ask forgiveness for his failure to seek the Lord his God?

No.

He was angry at the man of God and put him in prison. He even oppressed some of his own people.

Four years later, Asa developed a severe disease in his feet. But even then, he did not seek the Lord. He only sought help from physicians. (Seeking help from physicians wasn’t the problem, nor it is wrong-the problem was that Asa didn’t seek help from the Lord first.) Two years later King Asa died.

Asa’s life is a cautionary tale for us. Asa started out with full devotion to the Lord. But somewhere along the way of life he drifted away from His Lord. Scripture doesn’t tell us why this happened. Perhaps Asa’s life and ours is not so different. We too can drift away from the Lord. Like us, did Asa get too busy for the Lord? Or did he (we) allow grief, depression, disappointment, trouble, temptation, exhaustion, anger or something else to come between him (us) and the Lord we love?

Every single day of our lives we make a choice about how we will live. Every person whose heart belongs to the Lord WILL chose one of these two paths EVERY DAY.

Today I will serve the Lord and seek His help with everything I face.

OR

Today I will do my own thing, make my own decisions, and do what I want to do regardless of what the Lord directs me to do.

Which choice will you make today, tomorrow, next week, and next year?

Carla Killough McClafferty

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We sometimes think the men and women of the Bible may have had easier, smoother, or less complicated lives than we do today. But I don’t think that is true. Scripture is full of God’s people with serious problems who cried out to the Lord for help.

When our hearts are heavy, we are sometimes tempted to turn away from God or blame Him for our troubles. When life gets us down, that is when scriptures that describe God or describe what God does can help us.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations. He was in great mourning after the army of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. As judgement for Israel’s sin of idolatry, God allowed their enemy to destroy the holy city and take most of the inhabitants into captivity.

Jeremiah cried out to God in desperation. Even in the midst of turmoil, grief and a broken heart, Jeremiah stops and remembers who God is and what God does.

In chapter 3 of Lamentations, Jeremiah wrote:

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I have hope in Him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the person who seeks Him.

Lamentations 3:22-25

This passage in Lamentations is the basis for the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”

Through the centuries Jeremiah’s words describing God have given hope and strength to suffering souls. The next time you hear these words of Jeremiah, remember that his praise was written when he was witnessing Jerusalem in rubble, the people starving, and most of the people taken away as captives to a foreign land.

Our struggles are not the same as Jeremiah’s. Regardless of our problems, we must hang on to the knowledge that God’s lovingkindness never ends.

His compassion never fails.

His faithfulness is forever.

The Lord is good.

And our hope is in Him.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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The Bible speaks a lot about wisdom. How critical wisdom is. How valuable wisdom is. And where to find wisdom.

In chapter 28, Job speaks about God’s wisdom:

“God understands its way, and He knows its place.

For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

When He imparted weight to the wind and meted out the waters by measure.

When He set a limit for the rain and a course for the thunderbolt,

Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out.

And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

And to depart from evil is understanding.’”

Job 28:23-28

This beautiful passage is a glimpse into creation and the power of God. He is wisdom and sees everything. He is the creator who made the wind and rain. He sets how much it rains and directs the course of lightening through the sky.

The God who created and controls the wind, water, and lightening sees and knows all things. God is complete wisdom and He searches for wisdom in mankind. Human wisdom is not the same as human knowledge. Many people are “book smart” and have great knowledge of facts-but don’t have God’s wisdom.

True wisdom is one of the characteristics of God. Wisdom is moral truth that has practical application, skills, and discernment. True wisdom is not separate from the Laws of God. True wisdom is revealed in God’s Word. God makes His wisdom available to all who seek it.

Where does wisdom begin? God tells us:

The fear of the Lord is wisdom.

Fear of the Lord does not mean we cower in fear of a vengeful God. Fear means “awe, respect, reverence”. Fear of the Lord is understanding who God is and giving Him the reverence He deserves. To be in awe of God, the creator of all, is wisdom.

On one side of the coin is wisdom, and on the other side is understanding. The Lord who looks over His creation and sees everything, wants us to have wisdom and use it to understand the right choices in our lives. This means that when we have wisdom from God, understanding is ours for the taking. With the wisdom of God, we can look at our lives and weigh, consider, and make right choices.

Do you need God’s wisdom in your life?

Carla Killough McClafferty

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As Job continues to talk with his friends it gets more and more tense. They continue to scold Job as if he is hiding sin in his life.

Although Job is deep in grief, and deep in physical pain-he still knows God. Below you will see how Job describes God by what God DOES.

“He stretches out the north over empty space

And hangs the earth on nothing.

He wraps up the waters in His clouds,

And the cloud does not burst under them.

He obscures the face of the full moon

And spreads His cloud over it.

He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters

At the boundary of light and darkness.”

Job 26:7-10

Job knows God and understands He is the creator of all. Centuries before science studied space, planets, and weather patterns, Job saw it and recognized God’s hand.

When Job looked up at the vast night sky, he understood God stretched out the vastness of space. Job understood God created the earth and hung it on nothing but empty space.

When Job looked at the rain clouds, he marveled how God filled them with water but they never burst open.

Verse 9 is interesting, some Bible translations say He obscures the face of the full moon, while others say He obscures the face of His throne. The word used here is Strong’s number 3678 which means throne or seat. Perhaps Job meant that he knew God the creator and king was somewhere on His throne, yet God on His throne couldn’t be seen. Like clouds that cover the moon-even though he couldn’t see the moon-it was there.

When Job looked out and saw the sunset over the water, he knew it was the Lord who placed the circle of the sun there. At the horizon where darkness meets the light, the setting sun could be seen along with its reflection on the water. Job saw the hand of the Lord in the beautiful sight.

Job may have been consumed with grief, but he understood that God created all he saw. Job never doubted who God is.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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Most people know the story of Job.

The first chapter in the book of Job shows us a glimpse into the throne room of God Almighty. It tells us that the “sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them”. (Job 1:6)

The next exchange between God and the fallen angel, Satan, tells us a lot about how Satan works.

The Lord asks Satan, “From where do you come?”

“From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it,” answered Satan.

The Lord said, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Satan already knows Job. Satan claimed Job only honored the Lord because God had richly blessed and protected him. Satan claimed that if all his blessings were taken away, Job would curse God to His face.

God allowed Satan take Job’s blessings away-one by one. Notice this: God ALLOWED Satan.

Job lost all his possessions. Job lost all ten of his children. Then Job was covered in painful, oozing boils from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. Everything he had, except for his wife, was gone.

Three of Job’s friends heard about his troubles and came to comfort him. When they saw Job from a distance, they didn’t recognize him. They wept and tore their clothes in grief. They understood Job’s grief was deep, so they sat in silence with their friend for seven days and seven nights.

Every time I study this, I’m moved by this week of silent grief. As a mother who has lost one of my three children in death, I’ve learned grief can sometimes be so deep there are no more tears, and no more words.

I wish Job’s friends had continued in silence. But they didn’t.

In light of the many problems that had befallen him, his friends came to the conclusion that Job must have hidden sin in his life. They reasoned that the tragedies that befell Job were punishment.

Much of this book details the conversations Job had with his three friends. Within these discussions, we can learn a lot about God from Job. He describes God in incredible ways.

Here is one of them:

“With Him are wisdom and might;

To Him belong counsel and understanding.

Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt;

He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

Behold, He restrains the waters, and they dry up;

And He sends them out, and they inundate the earth.

With Him are strength and sound wisdom,

The misled and the misleader belong to Him.”

(Job 12:13-16)

I especially like verse 13, “To Him belong counsel and understanding.” But what does that mean?

Counsel means: advice, plan, purpose, deliberation, strategy, design.

Understanding means: perception that sees beneath the surface-a true understanding of all things.

We live in a mixed-up world. Sometimes we have mixed-up lives. Often, we don’t know what to do. Job shared with us that the Lord has perfect counsel and perfect understanding. God understands it all and He has a plan for it all. God wants us to come to Him for wisdom, strength, counsel and understanding.

We need God’s counsel and understanding. He wants us to have it.

All we have to do is ask.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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After David’s death, his son became king. King Solomon used the supplies gathered by his father to build a magnificent temple to the Lord in Jerusalem.

The location of the temple in Jerusalem is important. It was built on top of Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1). This is the same location where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22:2). This is the same place King David prayed that God would stop the pestilence (brought on by his sin), then he bought the threshing floor on Mount Moriah (2 Samuel 24:18-25).

(Today the Islamic shrine, The Dome of the Rock, occupies the spot where the temple stood.)

When the Holy Temple was complete, Solomon dedicated it with a prayer. Solomon understood that the presence of God would dwell in the temple’s Holy of Holies, as He had in the tabernacle.

Solomon prayed:

“But will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built.”

2 Chronicles 6:18.

Solomon recognized that even the magnificent temple was nothing compared to the Lord. Then Solomon gives a simple but powerful description of God, starting with “behold”. (Anytime you see the word “behold” it is used to draw attention to the importance, urgency or surprise to what comes next. When I see the word “behold” in scripture, I think Look! Wow! or Shazam!) Solomon says that even though God’s presence would dwell in the beautiful temple . . . God who created all things was far above anything man could build. Wow, God is so magnificent that even the heavens and universe can’t contain Him.

I looked up the Hebrew word that is translated “heaven” in 2 Chronicles 6:18. Amazingly, this verse uses the word for heaven three times in a row. So, in the original Hebrew, it would be:

Behold the heavens, and the heaven of heavens do not contain You.

Our eyes can only see a tiny portion of God’s creation in the night sky. What seems endless to us, is just a speck compared to the greatness of God.

Amazing. Our God is infinite, yet He knows each and every heart of each and every person.

Behold!

Carla Killough McClafferty

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Although God would not allow David to build the temple, The Lord gave David the understanding of His plans for it. King David shared with his son Solomon all the details of each building, courtyard, utensil, and article within the temple. Solomon would build the temple when he took the throne as King of Israel. God allowed David to gather materials for them temple including gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, precious stones, and alabaster. The people of Israel wanted to help build the temple and any who possessed precious stones donated them. They rejoiced to give willingly to the Lord with their whole hearts. (I Chronicles 29:9) Once King David finished gathering all the supplies needed, his work was done.

David was nearing the end of his life. When he was king, David had some great failures. But he was also a man of great faith. God described David as “a man after His own heart”. (I Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22) Once all the temple supplies were ready, King David gathered the people.

David blessed the Lord. Then he prayed. I’m thankful God saw fit to include David’s prayer in the Bible. He allows us to listen in on the actual words of this prayer as if we were standing in the crowd that day. David has been a shepherd, warrior, and king. David knew God through each stage of his life and in this prayer, he described who God is and what God does.

Let’s consider King David’s prayer…

“Thine, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Thine is the dominion, O LORD, and Thou dost exalt Thyself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou dost rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone.”

I Chronicles 29:11-12.

David’s prayer more than three thousand years ago, gives us a powerful description of God.

The Lord IS all the greatness, power, glory, victory, majesty in the heavens and earth.

The Lord has dominion (sovereign rule and ownership) over all.

Riches and honor come from God.

God rules over everything with His power and might. It is in His hand to make great and strengthen everyone.

After this prayer, the people blessed and worshiped the Lord, and honored King David.

In our busy world, we sometimes forget who the LORD is and what He does. David reminds us that the LORD is greatness, power, glory, victory, majesty, and might.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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A few years ago, I set out to find verses that describe God. I was shocked at how many descriptions of God there are in the Bible. I wrote verses I found in a notebook. I didn’t categorize them in any way, I just recorded verses that describe who God is, what God does, and how God works. In many verses, God describes Himself.

I want to revisit these verses and share them here. Just like in my notebook, I’ll jump around all over the Bible in no particular order. Let’s start where my notebook starts, in I Chronicles. This book tells the story of David’s years as King of Israel. David wanted to build the temple, but God would not allow it because David had been a man of war. (I Chronicles 28:3) God chose David’s son, Solomon, to build the temple but allowed David to gather materials for it. Near the end of David’s life, he made it clear that Solomon would be the next king of Israel.

David said to Solomon:

“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.”

I Chronicles 28:9.

David encourages his son to know God and serve Him with his whole heart and willing mind. To know God does not mean just know that there is a God. To KNOW God is to experience God, to have a heart knowledge of God rather than head knowledge of God. David tells Solomon to serve God with all his heart and mind. When we know God - know His character - it should make us want to serve him with everything with our whole heart and willing mind.

The next thing David says describes what God does. He searches every heart of every person. He understands every thought in the heart of every person. I find that to be comforting. The people in our lives may never understand our feelings, thoughts, or motives-but God does. In each heart, God sees every worry, every fear, every burden, every pain, every unshed tear, and every belief. He knows the truth of every intent and every emotion we have.

David continues to teach Solomon, but what he says applies to every person who will ever live.

If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.”

Anyone who seeks God will find Him.

Anyone who forsakes (abandon, let go) God in this life, will be forsaken by God in eternal life.

There is no fooling God. He searches each heart and understands each thought. He knows which hearts have true belief. And He knows which hearts have unbelief.

The time to find God is now.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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Just a few hours before His arrest, Jesus told the apostles, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’” (Matthew 26:31) He was quoting a verse from Zechariah 13:7.

Peter and the ten other apostles answered that they would never fall away (stumble). And at that moment, they never dreamed they would. And they certainly didn’t think they would scatter like sheep. In a few hours everything would change.

Jesus led them into the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas was not there because he was busy finalizing the details of his betrayal. Jesus told his eleven apostles, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:40) Jesus knew what was ahead, but they didn’t. Scripture tells us Jesus was grieved and distressed. Yet He was still thinking of His men.

Jesus asked His disciples to wait while He prayed. Then He took the three men closest to Him, Peter, James and John, farther into the garden and asked them to keep watch. Jesus went farther into the garden alone. He fell to the ground and began to pray. He took all His distress and grief and sorrow to His father.

He came back to the three and found them sleeping.

“Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus asked. (Mark 14:38)

Jesus knew that in a few hours, Simon Peter would deny knowing Him three times.

Jesus returned again and again to His father in prayer. He knew crucifixion was ahead of Him. He knew that soon the weight of every sin for all humanity would be on Him. He knew one of His own was betraying Him even then. Jesus was distressed, troubled, grieved, and sorrowful. He was in agony and prayed so fervently that sweat like drops of blood fell to the ground. His struggle so deep that an angel came to Jesus to give strength.

As Jesus was praying this way, what were His apostles doing? Three times Jesus found them sleeping. Not watching. Not praying. Sleeping. As the Savior of the world prayed to line up His will with the will of the Father, those closest to Him were sleeping. Still His thoughts were for what lay ahead for His sleeping friends. He wanted them to pray they would not be enticed to sin. Again, Jesus said, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:46)

But this time, even as Jesus was speaking, an armed multitude came into the garden. Leading the mob was Judas Iscariot.

When Jesus was arrested. Fear must have overtaken His apostles. They all ran away leaving Jesus in the hands of His enemies. They did exactly as Jesus said they would do just a few hours before, which fulfilled the words of the prophet Zechariah.

“You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’” (Zechariah 13:7)

Carla Killough McClafferty

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Last week I wrote about “Doubting Thomas”, the apostle who was absent when Jesus first appeared to His men after the resurrection. On the surface, this event from John 20:24-29 shows “Doubting Thomas” in a negative light. But why did God inspire John to include this in his gospel account? Jesus could have waited to appear to them when Thomas was there. But He didn’t. There must be things we need to learn from this exchange.

It struck me that in this passage, scripture does not use the word “doubt” at all.

When I study, I use reference books to look up what words were used in the original language-then look up the meanings of those words. For me at least, it makes each verse deeper and more meaningful. The word usually translated as doubt is Strong’s number 1252. Like most Greek words, this word has several different meanings. It could mean: distinguish, discern, judge, doubt, or disputed. Jesus uses this word meaning doubt in other places, such as in Matthew 21:21. But Jesus does not use this word when speaking to Thomas.

Let’s look at these verses again:

“Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.’ Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.’” (John 20:27-29)

Jesus does not tell Thomas not to doubt. Jesus tells Thomas to stop “unbelieving.” It doesn’t mean Thomas hadn’t trusted Jesus as his savior. The word used here means: incredible, incredulous, not convinced, unfaithful. (This same Greek word is translated “incredible” in Acts 26:8: “Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?”)

After he tells Thomas not to find His resurrection incredible (be not unbelieving), He tells him to be believing. This means trusting, easily persuaded, steadfast reliability, personal faith in Messiah’s trustworthiness.

So perhaps the meaning here is that Jesus tells Thomas not to find His resurrection incredible-but to trust the reliability of the Son of God.

What was Thomas’s reaction? I don’t think Thomas put his hands in Jesus’s nail holes or side. I believe it hit him like a ton of bricks that every single thing Jesus had taught them was true and that Jesus had risen from the dead. From the bottom of his soul, Thomas said:

“My Lord and my God!”

In verse 29, Jesus responded, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see and yet believed.”

The original Greek word translated as “believed” here is not the same word He used in verse 27. The word Jesus uses in verse 29 is Strong’s number 4100. This word means to believe, to have faith, to trust. This is the word most often used to indicate complete trust in the Lord, faith in Jesus as the Messiah (what we call salvation). It is the same word Jesus used in John 3:16 when He said, “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Thomas put his faith in Jesus. He saw Jesus during His earthly life and also after His resurrection. But most people through the ages will not see Jesus during His earthly life or see Him after His resurrection. For the majority of people who place their trust in Jesus, they see Jesus with their soul - not their eyes.

Don’t miss what Jesus said about those who believe in Him even though they haven’t seen Him with their eyes. That includes those of us today who have placed our trust in Him and claim Jesus as “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus says we are BLESSED.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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The last apostle to discuss is Thomas. In some ways he is the most famous apostle because he’s been given a tag line that has followed him through the centuries: Doubting Thomas.

We do know a few more details about Thomas than some of the others. Three times in the book of John, Thomas was called Didymus-which is the Greek word for twin. He must have had a twin but we don’t know anything more about it.

Thomas is mentioned in every list of apostles. Like the others he had been sent out to share the gospel and given the same power for miracles as the others.

The first time we hear something specific about Thomas is in the last part of Jesus’s ministry. The religious leaders wanted to seize Jesus and they all knew it. The last time Jesus had a run in with them, the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him. To be in the area around Jerusalem was dangerous. Then Jesus got the message that His friend Lazarus was sick. Jesus knew the miracle He planned to do with Lazarus, but His apostle didn’t. Jesus stayed where He was two more days. Then Jesus told them they were going to Lazarus in Judea (the area where Jerusalem and Bethany are located).

The apostles were shocked. They said, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?” (John 11:8)

Jesus told them Lazarus was dead. The apostles did not know what was ahead for Lazarus. What they did know is that the village of Bethany where Lazarus lived was only two miles from Jerusalem. Very close to those who wanted to kill Jesus.

In this moment, it is Thomas that speaks up. He says to the other eleven disciples:

“Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” (John 11:16)

It is interesting that scripture tells us Thomas says this not to Jesus, but to the other apostles. I think we can infer from that the apostles discussed it among themselves. But we are only told what Thomas said.

I believe here we have a great statement of faith from Thomas. He understands the very real danger Jesus was in-and the danger they were in as His apostles. I don’t think at this point Thomas, nor the other apostles, understood what was ahead for Jesus. But they knew it was dangerous. Here Thomas has counted the cost of following Jesus, and is willing to give his life if necessary.

At the Last Supper, Jesus tells the apostles that the time has come and He is going away. They are confused and don’t understand at all.

Though I’ve studied this many times, this time I realize that some of Jesus’s most often quoted verses are sandwiched around the words of Thomas! (John 14:1-6)

Some of Jesus’s most comforting words spoken at funerals prompted Thomas’s question.

“Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a placed for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.”

“Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?’”

Some of the clearest words about how to get to heaven are those used when Jesus answered Thomas’s question.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’” (John 14:6)

Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. On the day Jesus rose from the grave, some of the apostles were gathered together with the door shut tight because they were fearful of the leaders who had Jesus killed. John and Peter saw for themselves that the tomb of Jesus was empty. Mary Magdalene said she had seen and talked to Jesus. They must have been confused and unsure about what to do.

Suddenly the resurrected Jesus stood in the room. He showed them His hands and side. The apostles rejoiced. It was true, Jesus rose from the dead. He was alive!

But Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared.

When Thomas returned and they told him Jesus was alive and had come to them. Thomas couldn’t believe it. He said, “Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

This is why he is called Doubting Thomas, because he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

For eight days, Thomas must have wrestled with all he had seen and heard.

Then suddenly Jesus appeared again to the apostles. This time Thomas was there. Jesus spoke to Thomas:

“Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into my side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.”

Notice that Jesus does NOT condemn Thomas for his unbelief. Instead, Jesus deals with Thomas about it.

The confusion and doubts that had weighed Thomas down suddenly vanished.

“Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”

Doubting Thomas became Confident Thomas.

Have you ever wondered why these “doubting” conversations with Thomas were included in God’s inspired Word? There is no doubt that Thomas had previously put his faith in Jesus-so I don’t think Thomas was doubting that Jesus was the Messiah and his Savior.

Perhaps God saw fit to include this because He knew that all of His children would go through life experiences they don’t understand. Perhaps God knew that the lives of His children would have twists and turns that are sometimes tragic, difficult, and sad. Perhaps God knew His children would go through valleys of doubt.

Jesus is telling Thomas-and every child of God, that when life tempts us to doubt God’s plan, God’s timing, or even God’s love. . .

choose to believe.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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Betrayed with a kiss

Judas went out into the darkness. He left the Passover seder. He left the eleven men he had traveled with for almost three years.

And he left Jesus.

Judas made his way through the dark streets to meet with the chief priests. In exchange for thirty pieces of silver, he would tell them where they could arrest Jesus. Judas told them Jesus would be in the Garden of Gethsemane later that night. In order to know which man was Jesus in the shadowy Garden, Judas told them, “Whomever I shall kiss, He is the one; seize Him, and lead Him away under guard.” (Mark 14:44, Matthew 26:48)

After they left His last supper, Jesus had spent most of the night alone in agonizing prayer. Jesus knew the time had come for His arrest and crucifixion. He could see the group approaching in the darkness with their lanterns and torches blazing. A large company of Roman soldiers and temple guards sent by the chief priests, scribes, and elders approached. They were led there by Judas Iscariot.

It was late but Judas knew exactly where Jesus would be in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had been there many times with Jesus and the other eleven apostles. Many in the mob carried swords and clubs as they came to arrest the Prince of Peace.

“Whom do you seek?” asked Jesus as He met them.

“Jesus the Nazarene,” they answered.

“I am,” Jesus declared.

Jesus not only answered “I am” to let them know that he was the one they came to arrest. But He also meant that He was “I AM.” As in the great I AM, the complete essence of God. In Exodus 3:14 Moses asked God what name for HIM to give to the Egyptians. “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM,’ and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.’”

There in the Garden, when Jesus stood facing the mob who came to arrest Him and said “I AM” the crowd drew back and fell to the ground. As if the power of His words overpowered them. When they scrambled up, Jesus asked them again who they sought and they again said Jesus the Nazarene. Jesus told them to let His followers go.

Then Judas stepped up to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!”

Then Judas kissed Jesus. This was the prearranged sign to let the guards know which man was actually Jesus.

“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” asked Jesus. (Luke 22:48)

“Friend, do what you have come for,” continued Jesus. (Matthew 26:50)

Peter prepared for a fight. He drew his sword and swung it. Peter cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest whose name was Malchus.

“Stop, no more of this,” Jesus cautioned Peter.

Then Jesus performed the last physical miracle of His earthly ministry. Jesus went to Malchus and touched his ear. It was immediately healed. (A relative of Malchus was also in the Garden that night. This person confronts Peter about being a disciple in the garden with Jesus. Peter denies it-which is one of the three denials before the cock crowed. John 18:25-27)

The armed guards seized Jesus, and bound Him.

When the disciples realized what was happening, they all ran away.

With Jesus in custody, the mob walked Him through the darkness of the night back to the city of Jerusalem.

The time had come. Jesus was ready to go to the cross.

The next morning, Jesus was condemned to die. No one can know what Judas thought might happen. But scripture tells us that when Judas realized Jesus would be crucified, he regretted what he had done. Judas went to the chief priests to return the thirty pieces of silver they had paid him.

“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” said Judas.

“What is that to us? See to that yourself,” they replied. They were done with Judas and had no concern for his regrets.

Judas threw the silver into the temple. He could not live with himself after what he had done. Judas hanged himself.

The chief priests decided they could not put “blood money” back into the temple treasury. So, they used it to purchase some land for a cemetery where they could bury strangers. They called it Potter’s Field.

It is believed that this Potter’s Field is located in Jerusalem’s Hinnom Valley. Today a monastery stands there called Akeldama-Field of Blood. (Also see Acts 1:15-19)

Judas Iscariot was once known as an apostle of Jesus.

Now known as the betrayer of Jesus.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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Last week we looked at the choices and plans Judas Iscariot made to betray Jesus. He had been one of the twelve apostles who followed Jesus for nearly three years. Judas made a decision from his own free will to turn Jesus over to His enemies. Judas knew it was a death sentence for Jesus.

Judas went to the chief priests and made a deal to turn Jesus over to them for the price of thirty pieces of silver. This amount was not insignificant, but it wasn’t a huge fortune either. According to Jewish law, this is the amount an owner must pay if their ox gored someone else’s slave Exodus 21:32. Let that sink in. The Messiah was betrayed for the price paid for the life of an enslaved person who was killed by an ox.

After making the deal, Judas returned to Jesus and the eleven apostles as if nothing had changed. But everything had changed.

Judas betrayed Jesus for money.

He needed a plan about when, where, and how to deliver Jesus to the chief priests. Judas waited and watched and listened as he considered the best time and place for the arrest of Jesus. When he heard they would stay overnight in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Passover meal, Judas knew that would be the best opportunity. Because of the crowds in the city for Passover it would be the only time Jesus would not be surrounded by people. Of course, his eleven fellow apostles would be with Jesus-but that wouldn’t matter against many armed guards.

Now all Judas had to do was find a chance to slip away and tell the chief priests the plan. And collect his silver.

As Jesus and His apostles gathered for the Passover seder meal, Judas must have thought he was the only one who knew his plans.

But Jesus knew.

When Jesus began washing the feet of the His apostles, even Judas must have been shocked. It was the lowliest job for the lowliest servant. When Jesus got to Peter, he resisted this act of service. Jesus said:

“He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’ For he knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’” John 13:10-11.

Jesus bent down in front of Judas and began washing his feet. No one will ever know what thoughts were going through Judas’s mind at that moment. What sort of king would do such a thing? Jesus, the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah, washed the dirty feet of the man who betrayed Him.

During the meal, Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him. At that moment, none of the apostles could imagine who among them would do such a thing. Even then it wasn’t too late for Judas-but the point of no return was fast approaching. Was Jesus giving Judas another chance to change his mind, to confess and repent?

Judas didn’t change his mind. Judas didn’t confess. Judas didn’t repent.

During the meal, when Jesus gave Judas the morsel of bread, John 13:27 tells us:

“Satan then entered into him. Jesus therefore said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly.”

Suddenly, Judas left the room. The other eleven disciples didn’t know why, but assumed Jesus sent him on an errand. Even then they didn’t suspect Judas was the one who would betray Jesus.

Judas went out into the night.

Carla Killough McClafferty

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