Jude 8 – 16 “Yet in the same way, these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively. 11 Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
12 These men are the hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones 15 to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.” 16 These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.”
WHEW! JUDE, WHY DON’T YOU TELL US HOW YOU REALLY FEEL?
We find ourselves in a time when people join churches and then try to change the church to suit themselves. Things weren’t that much different in Jude’s time. Some people had joined the church under false pretenses and were now trying to re – make the church to accommodate gross immorality. These people might have been trying to incorporate fertility rites or other pagan practices into church services. Whatever be the case, Jude compares such people to a number of rebellious wrong – doers in the Bible. Who were the people to whom Jude compared these pseudo Christians?
Cain: Cain killed his brother Abel because Abel offered a sacrifice that was pleasing to God while Cain tried to take God for granted and just offered God any old thing. When God rejected Cain’s sacrifice, Cain killed Abel out of jealousy and spite.
Balaam: Balaam was a pagan seer who evidently really did hear from God; however, Balaam could be bought. When the King of Midian offered Balaam enormous riches if Balaam would curse the Israelites, Balaam agreed, despite the fact that God had already told him not to go. Even when Balaam viewed the Israelites, God still forced him to bless them and not to curse them. Balaam also taught the Israelites “false practices” (?fertility rites) and caused the Israelites to sin. Eventually, Balaam was killed during a battle between the Israelites and the Midianites.
Korah: Korah led a revolt against Moses documented in Numbers 16:31-33. The earth swallowed up Korah and all his co – conspirators.
The main thing all of these men had in common was rebellion against God. 1 Samuel 15:22 -23 says, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”
Contrast these men with Enoch. Genesis 5:24 describes Enoch as “a man who walked with God, and then he was no more because God had taken him away.” Enoch was so holy that God took him into heaven. Although this is the only information we have about Enoch, there must have been an oral tradition or other writings that preserved Enoch’s prophecies.
Jude wanted Christians to be on their guard against those would compromise or subtly promote rebellion against God and His holiness. Yesterday I quoted the first verse of James Russell Lowell’s poem “Once to Ev’ry Man and Nation.” Here is the second verse:
Then to side with truth is noble,
When we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
And ’tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses
While the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue
Of the faith they had denied.
We are continually facing choices: righteousness or compromise. How will you choose?
PRAYER: Father God, help us to remain close to you, to study your Word, to pray, and to seek your face. Help us to love but not to compromise, to stand for truth without being cruel, and to demonstrate your holiness to a lost and fallen world. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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