1Jude,
a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
To those who have been called, who are
loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: 2Mercy,
peace and love be yours in abundance.
5Though
you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his
people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6And
the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their
own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for
judgment on the great Day. 7In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and
the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.
They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
8In
the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority
and slander celestial beings. 9But even the archangel Michael, when
he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring
a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
10Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not
understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning
animals—these are the very things that destroy them. 11Woe
to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into
Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.
12These men are blemishes at your love
feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only
themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn
trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13They are wild waves
of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness
has been reserved forever.
14Enoch,
the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is
coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15to judge
everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done
in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken
against him." 16These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they
follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others
for their own advantage.
20But
you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the
Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch others from
the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the
clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
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The Epistle of Jude is yet another of those ‘neglected books” of Scripture. How many sermons have your heard from these 25 verses?? In this opening study we will focus upon three things :
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1. THE
AUTHOR’S IDENTIFICATION … vs. 1a
1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
To those who have been called, who are
loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:
Who was Jude? There are at least five different Judes in the New Testament. It was a very popular name in Jewish circles. (in Hebrew = “Judah”. In Greek = “Judas”.)
(a) Protestant expositors have generally regarded this Jude to be the half-brother of the Lord Jesus. Matthew 13 tells of our Lord’s brethren, and names James and Jude.
Here, in verse 1, our writer describes himself as “the servant of Jesus Christ” … a token of humility and a reminder that ties of flesh and blood are secondary. What really counts is to be the Lord’s spiritual brother! (Matthew 12:46-50). And the fact that he describes himself as the “brother of James” leads one to the fact that there was but one “James” who could be described without further explanation. James was “the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19) … and leader of the Church at Jerusalem (Acts 15).
(b) Roman Catholics teach that these “brothers” of our Lord were only ‘cousins’ … thus bolstering their view that Mary was ever a virgin. But the word (in Greek) for ‘brother’ is the word used in both Matthew 12:46-50 and 13:55. The Greek word for ‘cousin’ is an entirely different word. ( Luke 1:36)
Besides, the Messianic
Psalm, Psalm 69, speaks of our Lord’s alienation by His “mother’s children”
(verse 8) (see John 7:5).
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2. THE
EPISTLE’S DESTINATION … vs. 1b
“To Christians everywhere”
is how The Living Bible simplifies verse 1b.
What Jude actually wrote is that we are CALLED (and have
responded, in faith, to that Gospel call). We are LOVED, and if
He loved us when we were ungodly rebels, how “much more” now we are His children! (Romans 5:8-9).
And we are KEPT. Some theologians teach that the Lord will
keep us regardless of what we do. ‘Once
saved, always saved!’ they teach. But
notice in verse 21 we are told to “keep ourselves” in the place where He can
keep us! And verse 24 says that “He is able
to keep” … that that surely is an indication of His ability to do so, not a
promise to keep regardless of our future creed or conduct … Mmmmm?
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(3) THE
REMARKABLE SYSTEMIZATION
The following chart should be studied with the text of Jude alongside. It is Maxwell Coder’s remarkable and clever outline of this Book.
Notice how the first two verses
agree with the last two ; the emphasis of verse 3 agrees with vs. 20-23; verse
4 agrees with vs. 17-19 … etc.
(1) Assurance
for the Christian (verses 1, 2)
(2) The believer and the
faith (verse 3)
(3)
Apostates described (verse 4)
(4)
Apostasy in Old Testament history
(verses 5-8)
(5)
Apostasy in the supernatural realm
(verses 9-10)
An
ancient trio of apostates (verse 11)
(5)
Apostasy in the natural realm (verses
12-13
(4)
Apostasy in Old Testament prophecy
(verses 14-16)
(3)
Apostates described (verses 17-19)
(2) The believer and the
faith (verses 20-23)
(1) Assurance for the Christian (verse 24-25)
(4) . THE
UNIQUE SALUTATION … vs.2 “Mercy,
peace and love be yours in abundance.”
Paul always commences with “grace and peace” to you. Ephesians 1:2; Romans 1:7.
Peter uses “grace and peace
be multiplied”. I Peter 1:2; II Peter 1:2.
But here is another of
Jude’s triplets … mercy, peace and love.
Did you notice the triplet in verse 1?
And there are plenty more to come, e.g. verses 5-7, verse 11, etc.
MERCY descends from above … from the Son (v. 21).
PEACE dwells within … wrought by the Holy Spirit (v. 20).
LOVE
is to be dispensed to those without … as God the Father’s love fills us (v.
21).
20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith
and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep
yourselves in God's love
as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
MERCY is the believer’s upward
look.
PEACE … the inward look.
LOVE … the outward look.
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Conclusion …
This trio of blessings is more precious than the gold, frankincense and myrrh brought by the wise men to the infant Christ.
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THE CURIOUS
CASE OF THE
ALTERED EPISTLE!
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Jude informs his readers that he really wanted to write on a different subject, but that the Holy Spirit constrained him to change his theme … verses 3-4.
3Dear friends,
although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt
I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all
entrusted to the saints. 4For certain
men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in
among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license
for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
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1. THE
ALTERATION OF THE EPISTLE ( vs. 3)
(a) The Salvation he shared with his readers. That’s what he wanted … and tried … to write about. See him penning give lines, tearing the papyrus up, and starting again. And again.
(b) The Inspiration he shared with the Spirit of God. He could not … would not … escape the Divine constraint. To warn of false teachers must be the content of this letter.
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2. THE
APPEARANCE OF THE ENEMIES (vs. 4)
(a) When did they appear … they had recently ‘slipped in’ among the church to which he wrote. It is not a prophecy concerning the ‘Last Days’ as some claim. Although it is certainly relevant to our day !!
Not just because of cults outside the church … but heretics within, like the Trojan horse, who are denying fundamental Christian doctrines.
A comparison with II Peter reveals a marked similarity. Perhaps Jude had just heard Peter preach on the subject!
Jude 4
II Peter 2: 1-3
6 4
7 6
8 9-10
9 11
10 12
11 3,
15
12 13,
17
16 18
17 II Peter 3: 2
18 3
In II Peter 2:1 these false teachers are said to be coming. In Jude they have arrived.
……………………………
(b) Who are they? Various early cults that plagued the Apostolic Church have been suggested … Gnostics, the Ophites, the Carpocrations … nobody knows for sure. But it was a definite group … and we must remember that not every false teacher today is also immoral as these folk were.
The description here does not fit every case of heresy … or … every heretic. Some writers call them “Apostates”, implying they had left the faith they once held. But there is no evidence that they were ever believers in the first place. “Heretics” may be a better term to use.
………………………………………
Notice Jude’s four-fold description of them :
(a) They are Deceptive … they “slipped in” secretly. Like the Trojan Horse, they attack the Church from the inside. They pose as believers but are “wolves in sheep’s clothing”.
(b) They are Depraved … ungodly … worse than that, they use the grace of God as an excuse for their immorality! (Verse 4). Such cults today as the “Children of God” would fall into the same category.
(c) They are Deniers … of the Lord Jesus ...
* Deniers of His Humanity … like the Christian Scientists?
* Deniers of His Resurrection … like the Liberals!?
* Deniers of His Uniqueness … like the New Agers?
* Deniers of the sufficiency of His sacrifice , once for all, like the Roman Catholics?
(d) They are Doomed … and even in Old Testament days the judgement awaiting false teachers was foretold (v. 4).
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3. THE
ATTITUDE OF THE EVANGELICAL … i.e. the
Bible-believing Christian.
(a) Concur? Never! But many do agree with false teachers and
are captured by them.
(b) Compromise? Never! But many today do join forces with those who are preaching a false gospel.
(c) Contend! That’s what Jude tells us to do (v.
3). We are in a spiritual warfare. We are to fight the good fight! A Pastor (shepherd) must not only feed the
flock but wage war with the wolves.
I wish we fundamentalists could contend for the
fundamentals of the faith without being fiery and contentious. As Paul put it, “And the servant of the Lord
must not strive; but be gentle unto all
men, apt (ready) to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will
give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of
the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (II Timothy 2:24-26). The word ‘contend’ as Jude uses it, has in
it the idea of agony. The Greek word is
‘epagỡnizesthai’, and we get our English word ‘agony’ from the noun of
this word. Instead of writing on some
great doctrine, Jude is saying that we are to contend or defend the great
doctrines of Christianity.
We need to ‘contend for the Faith’ ...
(a) because it is not ours to alter. We are entrusted with the message of God. And it has been revealed “once for all”!!
(b) because it is the only message that saves men and women, boys and girls, from a lost eternity. It presents God’s way of salvation … and it is the only way!!
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Having greeted his readers, and told them the reason for writing, “because false teachers had crept in” - he now gives three illustrations of God’s wrath being poured out in the Old Testament. And he adds that such a judgment awaits the heretics.
5Though you already know all this, I want to remind you
that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who
did not believe. 6And the angels who did not keep their positions of
authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound
with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7In a similar
way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual
immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the
punishment of eternal fire.
……………………………………………………
1. THE DISBELIEF OF THE ISRAELITES … verse 5
The years of Egyptian bondage closed with the exodus through the Red Sea … into the wilderness … on to Kadesh Barnea … and the twelve spies who spied out the land gave a frightening report. Giants! Walled cities! Ten spies advised against going in … despite God’s promise of victory. So they wander and die … all the adults, that is. It is Joshua, nearly 40 years later, who leads them in to Canaan … and conquers the enemies. Such is the Old Testament account.
But there is a New Testament application! Like Israel of old, the church is bound for the Promised Land … and unbelief can destroy one’s entry therein (Hebrews 3:7-19).
Those who advocate ‘Once saved, always saved’ will need a
good explanation for Hebrews 3:14.(
N.I.V.)
14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till
the end the confidence we had at first.
In the context of the surrounding verses Jude also tells us that they were “destroyed” … a preview of the final judgment.
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2. THE
DISOBEDIENCE OF THE ANGELS … verse 6
6And the angels who did not keep
their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in
darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day …
Whilst some godly
commentators apply this to the Fall of Satan prior to creation ; others link it
with the events described in Genesis 6:1-4.
1
When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to
them,
2
the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married
any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will
not contend with [a]
man forever, for he is mortal ;
his days will
be a hundred and twenty years."
4
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons
of God
went to the
daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old,
men of renown.
Some claim the “sons of God” simply means those descended from Seth, whilst the “daughters of men” were Cain’s offspring. But there are a number of reasons for suggesting Jude verse 6 ( and Genesis 6) is referring to an invasion of fallen angels !…
(a) The Ambiguity of the description. “Sons of God” is used exclusively of angels in the Old Testament. See Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7. Why not say ‘Seth’s sons’ if that is what it meant?
(b) The Testimony of the Jews. They believed it refers to fallen angels (Josephus, p. 31).
(c) The Testimony of the Septuagint. It even translates Genesis 6:2 as “angels of God” instead of “sons of God” (200 BC).
(d) The Testimony of the Church Fathers. … Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Eusebius … all hold that Genesis 6 speaks of an invasion of angelic beings.
(e) The Testimony of the Book of Enoch. This was written about 150 BC. Jude even quotes it in verse 14. (That does not mean the entire Book of Enoch is inspired, any more than Paul quoting a Greek poet means that everything he wrote was inspired … see Acts 17:28; Titus 1:12).
But the Book of Enoch, with which Jude was familiar, teaches that Genesis 6 has to do with fallen angels.
(f) The Progeny of the Daughters (verse 4). “Nephilim” were born! Giants! There is something abnormal about these births … which is unlikely had it merely been the descendants of Seth and Cain. Besides, the flood was sent to wipe them off the face of the earth! Bear in mind that angels often appeared as men in Old Testament days … Genesis 18:1, etc.
(g) The Mythology of Paganism. It has been suggested that we have here the origin of pagan myths concerning ‘gods’ co-habiting with women … and giants being born; giants whose fabulous exploits became legends in the ancient world.
(h) The Destiny of these “sons of God”. The parallel passage in II Peter (with verse 4) says that they are in “Hell”. But the Greek word is only used here in all of Scripture … “Tartarus”! It is not the usual “Hades” (found 10 times), nor “Gehenna” (found 11 times). This is some special place … seemingly for a special class of angelic creatures.
……………………………………………….
(3) THE IMMORALITY OF
THE SODOMITES
And here is another indication that these ‘sons of God’ were fallen angels ! Just as the men of Sodom went “after strange flesh” when they lusted for the angels (v. 7) (Genesis 19:5), so “in like manner” these angels lusted for the women. Read Jude verse 7 carefully. See the similarity? …
“Even as
Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving
themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set
forth for an example,
suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Today’s media calls them ‘gays’ … God calls them “Sodomites.”
And just as fire and brimstone rained upon those inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, so the Lord is coming again “in flaming fire” to judge such folk today … “likewise” (v. 8) the false teachers, and all who “obey not the gospel!” (II Thessalonians 1:7-8).
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We have noticed Jude’s
three-fold description of his readers … “called”, “loved”, and “kept” (v. 1).
And his three-fold greeting … “mercy”, “peace”, and “love” (v. 2)
In our last study we looked at the three illustrations of God’s doom upon the ungodly as found in the Old Testament … the unbelieving Israelites (v. 5), the rebellious angels (v. 6), and the immoral Sodomites (v. 7).
Now he turns again to these false teachers … a description of them (v. 8), an illustration (v. 9), and a conclusion (v. 10).
1. JUDE’S
DESCRIPTION … verse 8
8In the very same way, these
dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial
beings.
“These dreamers”, he calls them, possibly because they claim to receive visions or dreams (Deuteronomy 13:1-3) …
(a) They Defile the flesh with their immorality … as did the people of Sodom (v. 7).
(b) They Disobey authority … possibly referring to human authority (as the next part of the verse refers to respecting heavenly authority). They are like the Israelites who murmured against Moses and rejected his God-given leadership (Numbers 14:1-2). Christians are called to be law-abiding citizens (I Peter 2:13-14).
(c) They Defame celestial beings … like the angels that rebelled against the role God had appointed to them (v. 6).
Incidentally …concerning the “dreamers” in Deuteronomy 13:1-3 … even if their prophecy comes true and is accompanied with “signs and wonders”, this does not prove that God is behind it!! What really counts is whether their teaching turns one’s heart to worship the true God. Jude has already pointed out that these false teachers “deny the Lord Jesus” (v. 4). They need to be opposed lest they lead the young converts astray.
……………………………………………
2. JUDE’S
ILLUSTRATION … verse 9
9But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
The point is that “if the greatest of the good angels refused to speak evil of the greatest of the evil angels … surely no human may speak evil of any angel!” (W.Barclay.)
Notice …
(a) The Reality of Satan. There are many false teachers, even in our pulpits today, who deny the Devil’s personality. To them ‘he’ is just an absence of good … not a fallen celestial creature. Which may well be one of his greatest victories … to have folk think he does not exist!
(b) The Identity of Michael. He is described as an archangel (the only one so described in Scripture). If Satan was once a “cherub” (Ezekiel 28:14), it is possible that he was of a more powerful order than that of archangel ?
Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists teach that Michael is another name for the Lord Jesus! Which doesn’t make sense in the light of the above text (v. 9).
Jesus
is stronger than Satan,
Satan
to Jesus must bow!
(c) The Mystery of Moses’ Body! When did this dispute take place? It is not recorded in the Old Testament. Presumably it was a part of ‘The Assumption of Moses”, an uninspired book that was in circulation in Jude’s day. If so, his quotation from it does not endorse the contents of the entire volume. But the Holy Spirit guided him to select an incident that was true… Jewish tradition has it that when Michael was disposing of the body of Moses, the Devil claimed it on the grounds that Moses had slain an Egyptian (Exodus 2:12) (Deuteronomy 34:6).
Some other commentators point to Zechariah 3:1-2 and suggest the phrase “the Body of Moses” refers to Judaism, just as “the Body of Christ” refers to the Church…
…………………………………………
3. JUDE’S
CONCLUSION … verse 10
10Yet these men speak abusively
against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct,
like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.
These false teachers speak derisively of celestial beings … but they know not of what they speak. God has not revealed to them any spiritual truth despite their claims.
And what they DO know originates from their own fallen nature … they follow their own fallen instincts like animals. It is a sad thing when man turns his back on God and acts like a brute beast…
And yet, and yet, whilst there may be degrees of wickedness, all outside of Christ are bound for a lost eternity.
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Jude has already furnished us with three O.T. groups … Israel (v. 5), the angels (v. 6), and the Sodomites (v. 7) … all of which illustrated God’s judgement on the wicked.
Now he points us to three O.T. individuals who compare to the false teachers, creating havoc in the church to which he writes.
11Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have
rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion
* * * * * * * * * *
1. THE
WAY OF CAIN … see Genesis 4:2-5
Whereas Abel offered a sacrifice of a lamb, Cain brought the fruit of his own labours. And God rejected his offering. The New Testament sheds light on the reason for God’s rejection … Abel offered his sacrifice “by faith” (Hebrews 11:4) … a phrase that indicates a previous revelation from God. (“Faith comes … by hearing the Word of God”! Romans 10:17).
Abel knew … and so did Cain … that sin demands death; either of the guilty party or an acceptable substitute. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).
Abel’s offering pointed forward
to the Lamb of God (as did all the O.T. sacrifices). But Cain considered the work of his own efforts good enough. The Way of Cain … which Jude’s false teachers
trod … was the way that dodges the Cross.
……………………………..
2. THE
ERROR OF BALAAM … see Numbers 22-24
This false prophet thought he could outsmart God! He thought he could glean the reward offered him by the pagan king … and get away with it! But Numbers 31:6-8 reveals that he did not live to enjoy his ill-gotten gain. “What shall it profit a man …?” (Mark 8:36.)
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3. THE
REBELLION OF KORAH … see Numbers 16
Korah led a rebellion against God’s appointed leaders – Moses and Aaron. The contest Moses proposed ended up with Korah and his followers meeting a terrifying end! (Numbers 16:31-35.)* * * * * * * * * *
Jude’s opponents are those who deny what God says concerning :
(a) The Way of Salvation. Like Cain, they devise their own ‘gospel’.
(b) The Need for Separation from the ungodly … even if they promise riches galore as happened to Balaam!
(c) The Right of Service … for only those whom are ‘born’ into the family of God can serve Him aright. Only Aaron and his sons could officiate as priests … and that did not include Korah and his rebels. They belonged to the wrong family (Exodus 28:1).
And those who are outside the ‘family of God’ cannot please Him by what they do … (Romans 8:8). Even their religious activities “are an abomination” to Him! (Proverbs 15:8; 21:27; 28:9).
* * * * * * * * * *
Conclusion …
Not exactly the kind of text to choose for a Pleasant Sunday Afternoon service. Or an Ecumenical Rally. But why not? Whilst folk for whom Christ did are being led astray by false teachers with false gospels (and there are plenty of them around in our day … let along Jude’s!), it behoves every Christian to “contend for the Faith once and for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude verse 3)!
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The inspired writer launches a further attack on these ‘termites’ that are destroying a fellowship of believers. It is ‘blazing, moral indignation at its hottest and fiercest flame!’
It is not wrong to be angry
with false teachers … on the contrary, it is a sin NOT to be angry with them!
Jude’s description of them reads like a weather report … ‘Storm clouds approaching; trees uprooted; waves 4 metres high; strange astronomical phenomena …’ Six graphic metaphors!!
. 12These men are
blemishes at your love feasts, eating
with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They
are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit
and uprooted—twice dead. 13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming
up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved
forever.
1. DANGEROUS BLEMISHES … like an infectious plague! And they are joining in the Agape feast (Love feast), which was a part of Apostolic custom. This feast developed more and more problems as the history of the church progressed. Even Paul spoke out against misbehaviour at it in the Corinthian fellowship (I Corinthians 11:20-22).
Some translations have ‘hidden
reefs’ ( which causes ship-wreck )
instead of ‘blemishes’.
……………………………………………
2. GREEDY
SHEPHERDS … fleecing the flock instead of feeding them. These heretics were only concerned with
their own good, not the good of the congregation.
………………………………….
3. DECEPTIVE CLOUDS … The drought-stricken farmer sees the clouds on the horizon and his hopes rise. Only to have them shattered when they produce no rain. So these false teachers seem full of promise and excite the congregation with their bombastic utterances … but there is no result, except shattered hopes and unfulfilled dreams.
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4. FRUITLESS TREES … “doubly dead” … for there is no fruit above nor any root below. The apostle Paul speaks of folk who are “dead whilst they live” (I Timothy 5:6).
Whatever crowds out our allegiance to the Saviour can deaden our spiritual life. Mmmm?
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5. RAGING WAVES … leaving debris along the shore. So Jude’s antagonists spew out their own teaching, leaving the church strewn with wreckage.
………………………………………………..
6. WANDERING STARS … falling stars … or meteors. Unsafe guides for any navigator in those days. And the heretics are unsafe leaders in one’s spiritual pilgrimage.
Jesus is “the Bright and Morning Star”, and upon Him we can rely to lead us safely to the Heavenly harbour … (Revelation 22:16).
* * * * * * * * * *
“How was the sermon?” he asked the Red Indian Chief.
“Big wind; loud thunder; no rain …”
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As Jude continues his warnings concerning the false teachers, he brings to our attention two prophecies … one from a Patriarch … and one from the Apostles!
* * * * * * * * * *
1. THE
PROPHECY OF ENOCH … verses 14-16
14Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men:
"See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15to
judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they
have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have
spoken against him." 16These men are grumblers and
faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter
others for their own advantage.
Jude’s quote from the uninspired Book of Enoch does not mean the whole book is to be trusted in all it says. But this prophecy was apparently passed on by word of mouth through the ages.
(a) The Subject … seems to be, at first glance, the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. But more likely Enoch was using poetic language (as other Old Testament writers do), to describe coming judgement on the wicked of his day (c.f. Isaiah 19:1; Psalm 104:3).
(b) The Son of Enoch was Methuselah … and some commentators claim that his name means “(When he is dead) It shall be sent”. Sure enough, the Flood came the year Enoch’s son died. The Lord did come to judge the ungodly … of Enoch’s day … as he had foretold.
It is interesting that the longevity of these pre-flood patriarchs finds a parallel in the Sumerian Prism … an archaeological find that speaks of incredible ages of pre-flood kings.
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2. THE
PROPHECY OF THE APOSTLES
Peter, especially, whose second epistle seems to be in Jude’s mind, speaks of the “scoffers” who deny a coming judgement day (II Peter 3:3). Paul likewise speaks in the same vein in II Thessalonians 1:7-9. This is no longer poetic language. In simple terms, these apostles tell of the Lord’s literal return at the end of the age.
The constant date-setting of the ‘false teachers’ down through history, and the ridicule it so often brings, does not alter the fact that He is coming. To Enoch the ‘coming’ referred to the Flood … to Jude it speaks of His literal, visible return (Acts 1:11). And to us it means … “Be ready!”
Notice Jude’s ‘triplet’ in verse 19 … the false teachers are divisive, animalistic and devoid of the Holy Spirit.
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We turn from Jude’s attacks upon the false teachers to his inspired counsel concerning the Christian’s responsibility in the light of their infiltration into the church. There are five things that will protect us from their heresy, and make us strong and useful…
20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most
holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God's
love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal
life. 22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch
others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with
fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
1.STUDY THE WORD! … “Build
yourselves up…”
verse 20
Man shall not live by bread along, but by every
word…” It is in feeding upon the Word
of God that our soul is strengthened to withstand the enemy’s attack.
Paul warned the elders from Ephesus of the perils
ahead and of the precautions that they needed to take (Acts 20:29-32).
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2.TALK TO THE LORD! … “Praying always…” verse 20
What God has joined together … don’t put asunder! … There is no substitute for prayer and bible study
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3.ABIDE IN HIS LOVE! … “Keep yourself in the sunshine of His love” … vs 21(Living Bible )
Beware of straying to those places and with those companions who will be detrimental to your spiritual growth. Fellowship with like-minded believers. Read helpful Christian literature.
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4. KEEP LOOKING ABOVE! … “Waiting for Him” … verse 21 Live every day in the light of His Coming again. It will keep you on your toes!! (I John 2:2-3).
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5.EVANGELISE UNDETERRED! … verses 22-23
22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch
others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with
fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Three groups are mentioned …
(a) The Doubters, upon whom we must show mercy in our attempt to win them to Christ.
(b ) The Deserters … “in the fire” … those who have left the church as a result of the false teaching …
(c) The Dangerous … maybe a reference to the false teachers themselves with their immoral lifestyle (v. 4).
But to all we are to witness undeterred, telling them of the “Faith once for all delivered to the saints” (v. 3).
* * * * * * * * * *
The STAKE formula?
S … for Study the Word!
T
… Talk to the Lord!
A
… Abide in His Love!
K
… Keep Looking Above!
E … Evangelise Undeterred!
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One of the most well-known verses in all of Scripture is now before us. Compare the number of times you have heard this sung or spoken with the number of times you have heard any reference to the first 23 verses!! Another of Jude’s triple truths confront us …
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1. OUR
PRESERVATION
(a) Jude’s realisation is that there are many pitfalls for the saint on his Homeward pilgrimage. Both morally and theologically. The false teachers have stumbled in both areas (v. 4).
(b) Jude’s affirmation is that the Lord is able to “keep us” from falling into heresy or evil ways.
(c) Jude’s qualification lies in that little word, “able”. Whilst He is ABLE to keep … that keeping will depend upon us “keeping ourselves” (v. 21) where He is able to keep us! Stray from His side and woe betide! (John 15:6; Hebrews 3:12; Revelation 2:2-5).
Paul reminds us that the Galatian Christians had been led into doctrinal error by the false teachers and had “fallen from grace”! (Galatians 5:4).
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2. OUR
PRESENTATION
Not only does He help us to live holy in the now and now … but He will present us “faultless” in the sweet bye and bye! It is the imagery (used elsewhere) of the spotless virgin bride being given to her Beloved (Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:6-9). And it is “with great joy” (v. 24).
* Joy for those who make up the Bride …
And Joy for Him! On that Day He will “rejoice; He will joy over thee with singing”! (Zephaniah 3:17).
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3. OUR
PRAISE
Here God is spoken of as “our Saviour” (v. 25).
For all Members of the Godhead were united in providing and accomplishing our great salvation ...
The Father thought it …
The Son bought it …
The Spirit wrought
it!
And we might add …
The Scriptures taught it … The Devil fought it …
And I’ve got it!! (Have you?)
It is a praise that was His before ever creation took place. The angels around His throne sang “Holy, Holy, Holy” (v. 25). It is a praise that continues in Eternity, when saints and angels unite … Revelation 5:9-10, 19:6. And it is a chorus of praise that should be upon our lips … “now” (v. 25).
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