IMPENDING DANGER
Children are notorious for tempting danger. You can tell them over and over that they are going to get hurt if they continue what they are doing, and they continue doing it anyway.
We adults aren’t much better. We know the dangers of certain behavior, but we test the odds just like a child.
We drive through a yellow light, knowing it is going to change as we pass under it. We turn quickly in front of an oncoming car, knowing we may misjudge the speed of oncoming traffic. We even carry this way of thinking into our spiritual lives.
Just know that we are no different than those of faith recorded in scripture. There were warnings, but many refused to pay attention to the sights and sounds of danger, the prophetic warnings, even warnings straight from the mouth of Jesus Himself.
Warnings are for our protection. They allow time for us to change our minds and do what is right. Jesus provided just such warnings and opportunities for change. Many did change, but many did not.
I ran across a chapter of passage this week, and it stands out as an example of man’s human nature toward impending danger.
In John 13, John records the events of the disciples’ last night with Jesus before His death. They met to celebrate the Passover, and Jesus wanted these last hours with them to be special.
At the beginning of the chapter, John’s says the devil had put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus (verse 2). Judas’ heart had already been changed, and his evil plan had been devised.
After washing the disciples’ feet and giving them a lesson on humility, Jesus gave them a warning. He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me” (John 13:21 ESV). He was trying to prepare them for what was about to take place.
John says they looked at each other and couldn’t figure out about whom He was speaking. Peter then questioned Jesus about the identity of this person.
Jesus told Peter that the person that He would give bread to was the one. Jesus then dipped the bread in the dish and handed it to Judas Iscariot. Jesus told Judas to do what he was going to do, and do it quickly (verse 27).
Guess what. They didn’t get it. They interpreted Jesus’ words to mean that Judas, who was their treasurer, was being told to buy something for the feast or to give money to the poor.
Jesus then told the disciples that He was going away to a place they could not go. It was another warning, one that was to prepare them for His return to heaven. Once again, they didn’t get it.
In the last two verses of the chapter, Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the morning. Sadly, Peter didn’t heed the warning.
Judas and Peter were in situations of impending danger. Their fate would be determined by the decisions they made. They had the warning, but each failed to acknowledge the danger or the possible outcome.
Matthew tells us that when Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he took the money he had been paid to deliver Jesus and returned it those that had paid him. He even confessed that he had sinned, but the rulers didn’t want the money. They had what they wanted; they had Jesus.
The outcome for Judas was death by his own hand. He had been warned, but he didn’t listen. His fate was sealed both for this world and the world to come (Acts 1:25).
In John chapter 18, we read about Peter’s warning coming true. Standing outside the courtyard of the high priest, three times Peter was approached and questioned about his connection with the condemned man that stood before the high priest. Three times Peter denied his involvement with Jesus.
After the third denial, the rooster crowed. “And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times’. And he went out and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:75).
There are many warnings for us in scripture. Let’s look at just one. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (Second Peter 3:10).
Judgment will come, and we do not know when. There is impending danger for those who do not obey the Lord. Will we heed the warning?
Sandra Oliver