It Had to Be

Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

Judas was ordained to his condemnation, so was Pilate and Herod and Malchus and the chief priests, Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes. Any one of them could have repented at any time and the Lord would have granted them mercy and forgiveness. We have the penitent thief as an example; asking Jesus to remember him in His kingdom. We have the super-observant centurion who surmised, "Truly, this was the Son of God!"

But the unjust trial and crucifixion of Christ had to transpire or there would be no hope for mankind. So these sinners, whom God knew would continue in their unbelief, were used as tools to move this unjust event forward.

The sovereignty of God juxtapositioned against the free will of man goes beyond my simple ability to comprehend. But, in the end, it all fits together hand in glove, and God's will is accomplished and I give glory. The result is forgiveness for sinners like me.