Nine Days in Heaven: A True Story (21 page)

“But Marietta, you will now see something different. The next scene will show you just how real is the perversion of the hearts of men and women.”

A turbulent cloud appeared below me, dark and heavy and filled with brawling and squabbling forces. Discordant voices rose from it, and I heard the excited rabble saying, “Where will we find Him? Hurry up, Judas! You’re the guide! Take us to His hideout.
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Time is getting on, and our leaders want the outlaw brought to them. He will die.”

“Yes, He will die!” clamored the crowd. They hurried toward Jesus and His disciples but were suddenly enveloped in a cloud that hung over their pathway.

In terror I turned to my guide and asked, “Who are these people? Where are they going? Why are they so agitated and aggressive? Who are they talking about?”

“These are soldiers from the Jewish chief priests and elders,” she replied. “They have been sent to take revenge on Jesus.”

“But what has He done to stir up such feeling?” I exclaimed.

“Many things. He preached that the time of God’s favor is here, and He announced His mission to the world.
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He gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. He healed the sick, raised the dead, comforted the mourner, and instructed the ignorant. He also urged those who reject the mercy of God to recognize the Creator of heaven and earth as their sovereign, rightful Lawgiver, heavenly Father, and Redeemer.”

“And this is why they want to kill Him?” I asked in disbelief. “Surely He must have quarreled with them.”

She answered, “Haven’t you read in the Bible the words of the prophet Isaiah concerning Jesus? He wrote: ‘Here is My servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out.’
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So He will not enter into conflict with them. Jesus is God revealed in the flesh, but the people are trying to kill Him as if He were a worthless outlaw.”

“H
AST THOU NOT READ IN THE
S
ACRED
T
EXT THAT WHICH THE PROPHET SPAKE
,
WHEN MOVED BY THE
H
OLY
G
HOST
,
CONCERNING
O
NE THAT SHOULD COME
…?”

Even as the angel spoke, the soldiers armed with swords and clubs, led by Judas Iscariot, approached Jesus and His disciples. Above Judas I saw a mighty angel of darkness.
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From it came a pale, sulfurous flame that encompassed Judas and burned in his nerves like fire.

With wild determination Judas advanced and greeted Jesus with a kiss.
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But Jesus appeared to be fully aware of his treachery and said to him, “Why have you come, friend?”

Then, turning to the mob, He said, “Am I leading a rebellion that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture Me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest Me.”
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He gestured toward His disciples. “Let these others go. I am the one you are looking for.
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This is why I came into the world.”

One of the crowd called out, “What do You mean, ‘This is why You came into the world’?”

Jesus answered, “I came so that salvation might be given to the world and that everyone, even those who are hostile and those who attack Me, might obtain forgiveness and eternal life through faith and repentance. I will surrender Myself into your hands, but you will bring no harm to these disciples of Mine.”
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One in the crowd mocked Him, “You are our prisoner! We are going to take You before the people’s tribunal, and no one will be able to help You there. How can You say that no harm shall come upon these disciples of Yours?”

At this point the disciples turned and ran away, leaving Him in the hands of the soldiers.
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Then they led Jesus away to the judgment hall.

One of the disciples followed them at a distance.
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Support From
the Word of God

1.
“And while they were eating, he said, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me’” (Matt. 26:21).

2.
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body’” (Matt. 26:26).

3.
“Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom’” (Matt. 26:27–29).

4.
“The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matt. 26:24).

5.
“They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’” (Matt. 26:22).

6.
“In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me” (John 16:16).

7.
See John 16:6–7.
Counselor
is a name given to the Holy Spirit. It means “helper,” someone who stands alongside us. The word has legal connotations—describing a person who might come alongside others who are in trouble with the law.

8.
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).

9.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1–3).

10.
“Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19).

11.
“I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20).

12.
“So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John 16:22).

13.
“
…the time will come…
” after Jesus is resurrected. (See John 16:25.)

14.
In Matthew 26:14, Judas met with the chief priests of the temple.

15.
See Matthew 23:37–24:2. Jerusalem and the temple were completely destroyed by the Romans about forty years later in a.d. 70, as Jesus had foretold.

16.
“…
called Himself God!
” This was a constant accusation by the Jews. (See Mark 2:7; John 5:18; 10:30, 33.)

17.
“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach’” (Matt. 23:1–3).

18.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces” (Matt. 23:13).

19.
See Matthew 26:14–16; Zechariah 11:12–13.

20.
See Matthew 26:38, 41.

21.
See Luke 22:44.

22.
The prophet Isaiah wrote:

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

—I
SAIAH
9:6

23.
“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’” (Matt. 26:39).

24.
“An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him” (Luke 22:43).

25.
Luke 22:45 says that Jesus found them “asleep, exhausted from sorrow.”

26.
See Matthew 26:45.

27.
“While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him” (Luke 22:47).

28.
“
…announced His mission to the world.
” His mission is spelled out in Luke 4:18–19: preach good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners (of sin), recovery of sight for the blind, release the oppressed, proclaim the Year of Jubilee.

29.
“
…not quarrel or cry out.
” This quote is from Matthew 12:18–19. Jesus came to earth as the meek Lamb of God, to suffer and die for our sins. When He returns, it will be as the mighty Lion of Judah (Rev. 5:5) in power and judgment.

30.
This “
…mighty angel of darkness
” was Satan. (See Luke 22:3.)

31.
“While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” (Luke 22:47–48).

32.
“At that time Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me’” (Matt. 26:55).

33.
See John 18:8.

34.
“‘I told you that I am he,’ Jesus answered. ‘If you are looking for me, then let these men go.’ This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: ‘I have not lost one of those you gave me’” (John 18:8–9).