Jesus uses Judas to stick it in Satan's face

(new article tomorrow)

"One of the reasons Jesus would select Judas as an apostle was for a testimony against Satan. It's true that Judas is a type of Israel. He is a type of Jew; again, Judahites is where the term Jew comes from. And yes, there are some other things we can consider. Psalms talks about, 'Hey, I was betrayed by my own friend.'

"The Lord Jesus Christ strategically is selecting Judas, not so much as a testimony against Israel's unbelief, but as a testimony against this creature who thought he was wiser than Almighty God. I think it's just a powerful message to Satan himself by selecting Judas as an apostle," says Alex Kurz.

"Could Judas have resisted the devil? I say 'yes.' Did Judas have free will? Yes.

"If Jesus commissioned all 12 of them to go out there and preach the gospel of the kingdom and cast out devils and to heal the sick and so on, how could Judas have done that?

"Well, Jesus tells us there are unbelievers performing miracles. In fact, the Lord Jesus looks at the Pharisees and says, 'Wait a minute, how do your children perform these miracles and wonders?'

"Jesus says in Matthew 7, 'Listen, not everyone who says they've cast out devils in my name is part of the kingdom. They're frauds, charlatans, counterfeits.'

"No. 1, there's no record that Judas performed a miracle, but let's just argue that he did since he was authorized to do so by Jesus.

"For an unbeliever to perform a miracle is not unheard of in the Word of God. It happened in the Old Testament, it happened during Christ's messianic ministry, and quite frankly remember what Paul writes in II Thessalonians 2? Listen, there are going to be wonders and signs and miracles by the man of deception; by the working of Satan. The Book of Revelation also records how the satanic forces operating in that future day are behind the wonders and the signs and the miracles.

"People will struggle with, 'Well, how can Jesus select an UNBELIEVER?!' Again, we must consider that the Lord Jesus is sending a powerful message to the Adversary, to the devil himself. That's why He's doing it. It's a testimony to the wisdom of God in contention with the wisdom of Satan himself.

"You know, when you think about it, wasn't Lucifer part of the royal court of heaven? According to Ezekiel 28, Lucifer was on the mountain of God; he was 'the anointed cherub that covered.' You see, Lucifer was in the inner circle. Not only that, he was in a privileged position of power and of governmental rule.

"I mean, to be the anointed cherub that covers, it has a great deal to do with the God-given authority that was his--again, God gave him that authority.

"Even though Lucifer was part of the royal court, the 12 apostles, they comprised Messiah's governmental court. Jesus eventually says to the 12, 'You know, you 12 are going to sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes.'

"Jesus is establishing His government. Early on, one of the first things He's got to do is appoint governmental heads. They're actually called 'princes' and that's taught in the Old Testament.

"These 12 apostles are going to function as princes. Just like Lucifer, privileged to be in the royal court, Judas is privileged to be in the royal court and he's a traitor and a betrayer. What did Lucifer do inside the royal court? He's a traitor, a betrayer.

"By the way, Lucifer was a thief. Judas was a thief. The Lord Jesus, after an all-night prayer session, deliberately selects Judas. The name being highly significant, especially the last name Iscariot, which has something to do with the future Antichrist. (Man of Kerioth being a man from Syria.) Jesus is sticking it in Satan's face.

John 6:64: [64] But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

Verse 70: [70] Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

"There's a problem here. There is something wrong with Judas. Jesus calls him a devil.

Verse 71: [71] He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

"You notice he's a devil BEFORE he betrays Jesus?! Some say, 'Yeah, he's a devil when, in John 13, Satan enters into him.'

"Wait a minute, it says there in verse 70 'one of you IS, present tense, a devil' who SHOULD betray Him. He hasn't betrayed the Lord yet, but Jesus says, 'You're a devil.'

"Verse 64 says Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray Him. Some say, 'Yeah, Jesus knew who it was who would not believe and then, separate and distinct, He knew who would betray Him.'

"If you're suggesting Judas, in the beginning, did believe but then decided to betray Him, then you have to deal with numerous passages in the Book of John where Jesus Christ promises, 'They that believe me, they're not going to be plucked out of my hand.'

"To suggest Judas LOST his eternal life defies a basic, fundamental premise in the Book of John.

John 10: [27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

[28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
[29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

"Where did Judas end up? He's the 'son of perdition' who ended up in the bottomless pit. He died and went to hell, so if you argue that he believed and he's not part of the group that did not believe--No, Jesus is saying, 'I know who is not believing, and not everybody who doesn't believe will betray me, but there's one of them who is going to betray me.' "