Have you ever had someone talk about you and what they were saying startled you that someone could think about you that way? Don't feel too bad, it happens to everyone sooner or later, and it happened to Jesus often.
"The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove." John 18:3
I know you are saying, "didn't we just read this verse last week?" The answer to that would be, "yes." There is too much here to have it in just one day's devotional.
Judas led the contingent we talked about yesterday the 300-600 trained soldiers plus the temple secret service. What was Judas' perception of who Jesus really was and how could he misunderstand Him having traveled with Him for three years?
To begin to understand how much Judas misunderstood we need to look at what the soldiers brought by understanding, "torches, lanterns, and weapons." Lanterns in this region were very bright lights, fast burning but very bright, the modern equivalent to a flashlight. Torches were long burning oil-based lamps meant to brighten larger areas.
If you have ever been to Gethsemane, you would see it is a fairly steep hillside covered with olive trees and rocks. During Jesus' day, there were also many large boulders and tombstones, places where Jesus and the disciples could hide. This is what Judas thought Jesus would do if He found they were coming after Him. How quickly he must have forgotten how Jesus was able, time after time to allude the crowds that attempted to kill Him or make Him King. Despite all of the time Judas still didn't know who Jesus was.
The weapons listed here and the swords and staves mentioned in Mark's account are all of the weaponry I have shared from Ephesians 6. The sword for close hand to hand combat, the full body armaments plus the "staves" were long club type implements. Had Jesus ever engaged in combat? Was he violent by nature? Had he ever shown fear and the need to run away? No, but this is the way Judas saw Him! The stories Judas must have spread about Jesus must have been fantastical for all of this preparation.
The next time you hear someone having a wrong perception about you do not get too upset, think about how many times you have done the same thing to others. If you have thought wrongly of others at times, don't be surprised that on occasion others will do the same of you. Jesus did not say, "How dare you think so poorly of me to bring all of these men fully regaled in battle gear to come after me!" Instead, He went with them, knowing that He was going to be victorious because of who He was and His absolute trust in His Father.
People will at times have misconceptions about you. This is part of the reason God hates gossips because it tears people down without a cause. When people say things about you, pray for them, love them, forgive them, and then approach them. If needed after the first approach, if correction is not made take an elder with you. Always keep a heart of forgiveness and prayer. It is a humble heart that God lifts up, protects and defends. I have learned it is far better to trust His defense then my own every time.
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