Don’t Let Another Take Your Place

DON’T LET ANOTHER TAKE YOUR PLACE

Acts 1:15, And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry." 18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. 19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms: 'Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it'; and, 'Let another take his office.'

The Bible is filled with many stories, some wonderful, some very troubling. There is, perhaps, no story more troubling than the story of Judas. Here was a man who walked with Jesus. He was one of the twelve apostles, who sat down to eat with The Lord. He was there during the intimate moments, the times Jesus chose to share only with the apostles. He was trusted by the other apostles. Judas held the money bags. He was the treasurer. This is a man whose life was blessed, a privileged man, one who not only saw the coming of the Messiah, but who knew him first hand. He was there at the Sermon on the Mount. He was there when Jesus fed the thousands with a few fish and a little bread. He saw the mighty miracles that He did. He was there when Jesus walked on the waters of the sea. Jesus had given the apostles power over sickness, and power to cast out demons. Judas was among the apostles. He knew what it was like to pray for the sick, and to watch them recover. He knew what it was like to command a demon to leave a person, and to have the demon obey him.

And yet the story of Judas is not a pleasant one. You do not find a lot of people naming their sons after this man. The name Judas has been marred for more than two thousand years by the actions of this man.

Judas had the privilege of being close to Jesus during His ministry. He was shoulder to shoulder with the other apostles. And he held the money bag. But, we see, there was another side to judas. He was a thief. Somewhere along the way, he began to take the money that others had given for the ministry of Jesus. It may have started innocently enough. He may have needed a little money. The first time he took money from the treasury, he may have told himself he would pay it back, just a little loan. He may have justified the theft. But, as these things go, after the first time borrowing from the treasury, the second time was easier on his conscious. And the third time, and, soon, he may have justified to himself that he deserved the extra money as payment for his services. But the Bible says very clearly the truth about Judas. He was a thief. And the reality was that Judas loved money more than he loved the Lord Jesus. Judas loved money more than he loved being in his office, the apostleship he had been elevated to. Finally, Judas betrayed the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. And his place, his bishopric was given to another.

Judas was not the first one in the scriptures who lost what he had with God. He was not the only one who was replaced by another.

No. This sad story has been told over and over again.

Let us examine the man, Esau.

Esau was Isaac’s firstborn son. Jacob, his brother, was the second born. At that time, the firstborn son would receive a double inheritance, by birthright, and, by right of birth, that privilege belonged to Esau. But there was something Esau stood to inherit that was better than just a birthright. Esau was to receive a very special blessing from his father, Isaac. You see, Isaac was the son of the promise God made to Abraham. Out of Abraham’s seed, all the Earth would be blessed. This promise speaks of Jesus, who would be born through the lineage of Abraham. Had everything gone according to Isaac’s plan, the nation of Israel, and the messiah, would have come from Esau, and not Jacob.

But that is not what happened. It did not happen, because Esau did not desire the birthright like Jacob desired it. Jacob esteemed the birthright. He wanted the birthright. He wanted the promise God had given to his Father, Isaac and his grandfather, Abraham. He desired the blessing that Isaac would place upon the firstborn. But that right, that privilege belonged to his older brother.