In our daily meditations, we have been reflecting on the events leading up to Christ’s crucifixion.
1Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present (Luke 22:1-6).
The climax of the crucifixion week was nearing. The ruling religious leaders harbored hatred toward Christ. To most people, these men seemed righteous and respected, but in God's eyes, they were bound by invisible chains. Jesus called them out as servants of Satan, saying to them:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
The enemy of our souls may seem to be gaining ground in the world, but we must remember that, behind the scenes, God is sovereign over everything, and His plan for the earth will come to pass. The enemy could do nothing to the Lord Jesus until God’s plan permitted it. Later, just before His crucifixion, the Jewish leaders brought Christ before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate:
Pilate said, "‘Where do you come from?' he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10‘Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said. ‘Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’ 11Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above’” (John 19:9-11).
The enemy might think he's in control, but only because God has given him enough rope to hang himself. God is entirely in control of all the drama, and He still is today. Christ would only be crucified at the right time, not in Satan's timing but in God's perfect plan, which was precisely when the sacrificial lambs were being slaughtered for Passover in the temple.
The Lord spoke about the right time three years earlier, when Christ’s mother told Him about the embarrassing situation of no wine left at a wedding they were attending. He said to His mother, “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). There was a specific time ahead for Him — not a chronological hour, but an opportune moment when He would greatly glorify the Father by paying the sin debt for all who trust Him. Only when that time was near would Jesus say, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (John 12:23). When they arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, He told His captors, “Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns” (Luke 22:53).
Only when God's timing arrived was Satan given the opportunity to oppose Jesus. Darkness could fall, but everything that happened was under God's sovereignty. For example, consider the trouble that also came to Job. Satan could exercise power over Job only to the extent God allowed (Job 1:12; 2:6). Even in the face of evil, God remains in control, working all things together for His purposes. God's people are called to overcome darkness and not be afraid. Just as in the dark hours before Jesus’ arrest, God brought His plan to fruition. He can do the same for you, too, if you're a believer, and if you are, He watches over you carefully. Keith Thomas
Taken from the series on the Gospel of Luke. Click on Study 58. The Betrayal of Jesus.