Matthew 27:3-7 (NLT)
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners.

Judas fell to the temptation of the love of money as he accepted thirty pieces of silver to betray the location of Jesus. But then Judas saw Jesus was going to be condemned to death, which he had not expected. All the other times Jesus had been confronted by the religious leaders they were unable to hold anything against Him. But now God’s plan was being fulfilled and there was no stopping the plan of salvation. Judas remorseful, but not repentant tried to return the money. The leaders, who should have been leading a person away from sin, instead left Judas to face his own conscience. And they ignored their sin as they acknowledged it was blood money. Judas distraught over his actions committed suicide and the religious leaders took his money to buy a potters field.

If you have ever lived in a new subdivision you may have watched as a building supply truck dropped off supplies for a new home to be built. There on the lot they will place mortar, lumber, nails, roofing material and sheathing for the house. Eventually a builder who has a plan shows up at the site with his workers and he starts to direct how all the parts of the home will come together. Without the builder and his plan, the materials would just sit in the yard unused. Like a builder, God has a master plan. Some of it was revealed to the prophets, such as Zechariah. In Zechariah 11:12-13 it says, “And I said to them, “If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.” So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter]”—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord.” God knew all along what Judas was going to do and it was a part of God’s plan to bring salvation to the world. Even Jesus knew when Judas got up to leave the dinner table that he was going to betray Him. We don’t always understand the plan and how it’s going to unfold, but God does. Like a builder God has everything set in place and ready to be put together. Trust in God and the plan He has put in place. Pray God would let you see His work unfold in front of your eyes.