Betrayed and Forgiven

2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 40-41; Revelation 12 

“Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian soldiers who were there. The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it, eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria bringing grain offerings and incense with them to the house of the Lord. Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went…’Come to Gedaliah…’”

Jeremiah 41:3-6

Ishmael pretended to be a friend to Gedaliah, only to assassinate him. Then he pretended to be pious before eighty pilgrims, only to assassinate them also. The work of the enemy is to accuse, deceive, and destroy. When we function in those ways, we have to ask ourselves, ‘who is working through us?’ Jesus was betrayed and gave his life as a ransom for all of us whose sin has grieved the heart of God. The betrayal of God’s love through our sin has been atoned for in Christ. We can be set free from our guilt and shame and experience the mercy, grace, and love of God.

Will we, like Ishmael, keep on betraying, or will we find freedom and forgiveness at the feet of Jesus?

“Lord Jesus, you were betrayed by my sin, and your death is my freedom, for your glory.”