(PSALM 41:9)
One of the most intriguing stories I have ever read is the story of Judas Iscariot.
He was called to be a Disciple by Jesus Himself.
He was one of those Jesus sent out to perform miracles and do all sorts of signs and wonders.
He probably healed the sick, opened blind eyes, opened deaf ears, straightened bent legs and raised the dead.
He saw Jesus walk on water.
He saw Him feed thousands of people with some bread and fish.
He SAW and EXPERIENCED these things first hand.
So, WHAT HAPPENED???
I guess life happened to him: he was an Internal Saboteur, an Enemy Within.
Sometimes , we trust those who don’t have our best interest at heart, those whose plan is to destroy us.
They are our ENEMIES, but we see them as FRIENDS.
David lamented in Psalm 41; “My own FAMILIAR FRIEND in whom I TRUSTED which did eat my bread hath lifted up his heel against me!” (Verse 9).
THE ENEMY WITHIN.
Julius Caesar experienced it with Brutus.
Ikemefuna also experienced it with Okonkwo in the novel “Things Fall Apart”.
In the Book of Nehemiah, we read the story of how Nehemiah went to Jerusalem from Babylon to rebuild the wall. He was the King’s Cup Bearer in Babylon, working in the Palace as the King’s Staff. He took a Leave of Absence from the King to go rebuild the Jerusalem wall. He went with hundreds of Jews to help in the rebuilding, some of who were Priests. There was a High Priest among them, Eliashib. From the Office he held, one would expect him to be loyal to the cause. The High Priest is the one who goes into the Holy of Holies to do all those religious duties on behalf of the people. You will expect such a man to be trusted with the things of God.
But events later showed he was an ENEMY WITHIN, an Internal Saboteur.
In Chapter 3 where his name was first mentioned, he led the Crew that built the Sheep Gate of the Wall and the Tower of Meah.
Now, the builders faced opposition from 2 men: Sanballat and Tobiah. They didn’t want the wall rebuilt, so they did all they could to frustrate the process. They gave Nehemiah a hard time!
Nehemiah had to devise ways and means to keep them away while continuing the work.
Now, at some point Nehemiah had to return to Babylon: his attention was needed in the Palace and the King sent for him. He was away for a while. When he got back to Jerusalem, he was shocked by what he saw! A lot of tings had changed, engineered by the High Priest Eliashib. He had entered an alliance with Sanballat and Tobiah, their opposition! What was he thinking???
In Chapter 13, we read that Eliashib the High Priest, having entered an alliance with Tobiah, gave him a large room in the storehouse of the Temple where they kept the meat offerings, the frankincense, the tithes, the wines and oils and the offerings! Imagine that!
Then, Nehemiah also discovered that Eliashib’s grandson had married the daughter of Sanballat! These 2 men that were totally against the Mission in Jerusalem (the rebuilding of the wall) – their main opposition, were the same men the High Priest was fraternizing with.
Nehemiah could not believe what he was seeing!
He had Enemies within and he was unaware. If anyone had told him the High Priest was his Number One Enemy, he wouldn’t have believed it.
Truth be told, we all have such people in our lives we trust, but don’t really have our best interest at heart. They smile with us but can stab us at the back, They are ENEMIES WITHIN!
For every Julius Caesar, there is a Brutus.
For every Ikemefuna, there is an Okonkwo.
For every Nehemiah, there is an Elishaib.
And for every Jesus Christ, there is a Judas.
Be careful not to misplace your trust!
Prophet Micah wrote; “…A Man’s enemies are the Men of his own house” (Micah 7:6). In other words, the people you don’t expect to sabotage you are the people closest to you.
BE GUIDED!
Shalom,
Haruna Daniels