If you’ve faced a betrayal by a friend, family member, spouse or employer, you’ve likely gone through the full gamut of emotions. And if you’re a follower of Christ, you deeply desire to handle the situation in a way that is pleasing to Him. You can. AND…you can come out with a great promotion on the other side. Take the example of these responses to 3 Bible betrayals as your queue.
1. David Was Betrayed by Close Advisors and His Son.
David was no stranger to betrayal. In addition to the continued betrayal of Saul, he was betrayed by many others, including his closest advisor, Ahithophel, and his own son Absalom.
Perhaps it was this betrayal he was referring to in Psalm 55 when he said, “If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God” (verses 12-14). But David didn’t stay in mourning, nor did he allow himself to move into bitterness. In verses 16-17, he shares how he overcame the betrayal, “But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice” (English Standard Version).
David always turned to God as his source of healing and justice.
2. Joseph Was Betrayed by His Brothers.
Not only did Joseph’s brothers despise him for being the favored of their father, but they went so far as to betray him by first throwing him into a pit to die, then selling him into slavery. The hurt from a betrayal of family runs deep. Yet, when he saw them again, he was gracious and forgiving, saying:
“And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (Genesis 45:5, New International Version).
3. Jesus Was Betrayed by Judas.
Jesus had chosen Judas, trusted him and walked with him for three years. Yet Judas, knowing Jesus was the Son of God, betrayed Him for 30 pieces of silver. The pain of this betrayal is expressed in Psalm 41:9, “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me” (ESV).
As we all know, Jesus did not allow anger or bitterness to creep in. He did not seek revenge or ask God to rain fire down from heaven. He moved on. In fact, of all the times He was betrayed or insulted, He did the same thing and “entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23, NIV).
There are many more examples of the right handling of betrayal in the Bible, even more involving these three! Jesus, David and Joseph handled betrayal in a way that was pleasing to the Lord and each of them received great promotion in their lives. Don’t let a betrayal break you or cause you to crumble. Take it as an opportunity for promotion. The promotions of God are never small!
Watch Kenneth Copeland and Greg Stephens uncover the answers behind the question, “Who was Judas?”