Message
Jude 5-16
Identifying Any Stealthy Opposition
We are going to start this message with a brief look at “divine inspiration”
This is the term we use to describe how the divine Scripture is written by human authors.
Two Bible passages are very important in this regard.
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Bible is God’s word … 100%. However that word is written by men upon whom God-breathes to produce the end product.
It is not just dictation. Dictation does not allow the character of the writer to come through. In the Scriptures we do see the character of the different authors. Paul writes differently to Peter. John is different again. Amos and Daniel don’t read the same. God doesn’t just over-write their character – but the words they write are what God wants.
We also need to recognise that divine inspiration is not just men writing whatever they want and it becomes Scripture. There are a number of books that look very “bible like” which are not in the Bible.
One example is that a Catholic Old Testament has seven more books than the Jewish Bible and the Protestant Old Testament books like Tobit, Judith, and 1 & 2 Maccabees.
Another example is seen in Colossians 4:16 where Paul writes “After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.”
Paul’s letter would have looked very “bible-like” but the song doesn’t say “Galatians, Ephesians, Laodiceans, Philippians, Colossians.”
As the biblical author writes his book, and he records different events, and he uses different sources. As all that takes place
- if God wants those words in the Scriptures they will be included.
- if God doesn’t want those words included, then they will not be included.
That is Divine Inspiration
Why is this significant? Well the book of Jude makes extensive references to other sources. In fact verse 5-16 … these 12 verses … have by far the highest number of different references to other sources than any other 12 verses in Scripture. And many of those references are not from the Old Testament.
Open your Bible to Jude and we will go verse by verse from verse 5.
Verse 5
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.
That is a sweeping summary of the Exodus event and the 40 years of wandering in the secret in Numbers.
Verse 6
And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
This could be a reference to the 1/3rd of the angelic hosts who followed Satan – except these fallen angels at the moment have a lot of freedom to tempt and do Satan’s bidding. They will do this till the return of Jesus.
However, when Jude was writing, there was at least eight different Jewish literature sources that spoke about the “abandoning” by the angels
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
Genesis 6:1-2
And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.'
1 Enoch 6.1-2
So, the Jewish belief at the time was that the “abandoning” took place when the sons of God – who are angels – had an unnatural union with the daughters of man. This further explained how the giants … the Nephilim … came to exist.
Verse 7
In 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.
You can read about this is Genesis 18-19
Jude us relying here on a very contemporary example.
The author Philo who lived at the same time as the apostle Paul recorded about the area of Sodom and Gomorrah that “even to this day are seen … ashes, and sulphur, and smoke, and dusky flame which still is sent up from the ground as of a fire smouldering beneath”.
Philo Moses 2.56
Verse 8
In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.
Verse 9
But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
That is not in the Old Testament.
Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He (the Lord) buried Moses in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.
Deuteronomy 34:5-6
However Jewish literature, when writing about this burial, says:-
When Moses died on the mountain, Michael was sent to remove the body. When the devil slandered Moses, proclaiming him a murderer because he smote the Egyptian, the angel, not tolerating the slander against him said to the devil: “May God rebuke you!”.
Testament of Moses
Verse 10
Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.
Verse 11
Woe 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.
The way of Cain is in Genesis 4
Balaam’s Error is recorded in Numbers 22-24
Korah’s Rebellion is described in Numbers 16
Verse 12
These people 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.
Verse 13
They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
Verse 14-15
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
The Enoch being spoken about is this Enoch
Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Genesis 5:24-25
The source being quoted is called 1 Enoch which was written about 100 years before Jesus that used Enoch’s name. We have copies of that text. It reads as follows.
And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of his holy ones
To execute judgement upon all, and to destroy all the ungodly:
And to convict all flesh of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.
1 Enoch 1:9
Verse 16
These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
So let’s put all this together.
When you have a look at the text from this perspective we all have to admit that there is so much going on here that is so unexpected.
Quotes from extra-biblical sources.
Relying on history not recorded specifically in Scripture.
Using Jewish texts to add to the argument.
References to contemporary events.
Yet still divinely inspired and included in the Scripture
… because God-breathed over
… God carried Jude along by the Holy Spirit.
… because this is what God wanted his Word to say.
What is Jude doing by writing this way?
That is the application question isn’t.
How do we take this unique book and make sense of it for us today?
What we need to realise is that everything that is happening in verses 5-16 is happening for one purpose. That purpose is given in verse 4
Certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Jude 4
Jude wants to be certain that anyone who secretly slips into the church community with an agenda for disruption will be identified.
Identified in the church in the days of Jude.
Identified in the church today.
To make sure this happens Jude is divinely inspired to use all manner of texts, biblical events, sources and even contemporary literature, to make sure the readers have all that they need to discern who these certain individuals are.
Jude is giving the church the ability to say with 100% conviction, “these are who we need to contend against” … “these are the certain ones who have secretly slipped in.”
Jude’s main purpose then is to equip us so we can be discerning.
What can we discern?
These certain individuals will be surprised that God is against them.
The people who God delivered out of Egypt had a privileged position which they lost because they didn’t obey God. The angels had a privileged position which they lost because they abandoned their proper place. Spiritual privilege does not guarantee a godly outcome.
And that can be surprising for some.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 7:22-23
Certain individuals can slip in – don’t let their spiritual position stop you from being discerning about their motives and agenda.
These certain individuals advocate anarchy.
They don’t see that their body is the temple of the holy spirit. They don’t want to be under authority. Even when it comes to celestial beings they take on a position that not even an arch-angel would take on. These individuals presume they have the authority within them – when ultimately God is the authority.
They are unteachable.
They are a law unto themselves.
It is their way, or it is no way.
When we see such attitudes in place then we have to apply discernment … are these the “certain individuals” who are advocating anarchy. An anarchy that will ultimately be destructive for the body of Christ.
These certain individuals promise everything and deliver only disappointment
Cain was murdered his brother, when there was only a handful of people on earth.
Balaam’s prophesied for profit, intending to give spiritual dominance to the highest bidder.
Korah thought he a better leader than Moses and ended up bringing his whole family into the ground.
All three bring disappointment.
These people are blemishes at your love feasts (NIV)
These are hidden reefs at your love feasts (ESV)
The ESV probably has the better translation.
A love feast is a place of vulnerability and spiritual sharing. Where we open our hearts in community. These individuals use this intimacy to cause unexpected hurt and pain. Like hitting a reef which is hidden.
Clouds without rain … we well understand this in a time when our land is burning.
Autumn trees which should give fruit … but they bear no fruit so are dead for their purpose. Then when uprooted they are twice dead.
The sea is a place of provision … the wild wave makes it a place of danger.
The stars are the constant; we can find our way anytime at night if we know them … wandering stars – maybe planets or comets or meteors – create disorder and confusion.
Be discerning when we see “certain individuals” who promise so much, but who do nothing but disappoint by aimlessly creating unexpected disorder.
These certain individuals only think about themselves.
The Lord will judge all the ungodly acts, and ungodliness, of ungodly sinners.
The ones who constantly grumble because it isn’t how they would do it.
The ones who are always finding fault with how the church is run.
The ones who keep self-promoting … always saying how good they are.
The ones who use flattery to cunningly get ahead for their own gain.
They don’t put God first. Self is number one.
When we see such an attitude we need to be discerning about their wider motives.
These certain individuals will be surprised that God is against them.
These certain individuals advocate anarchy.
These certain individuals promise everything and deliver only disappointment
These certain individuals only think about themselves.
This is the discernment which is needed.
As a church we need to be discerning.
Ready in the last days for such people who will eventually come.
But also each one of us as individuals can take these words and apply them.
Because in defining the “certain individuals” Jude puts before each one of us a warning.
Do I live as one of these certain individuals?
Will I find myself surprised that God is against me?
Do I advocate anarchy?
Am I a promiser who only gives disappointment?
Am I only thinking about myself?
It is sobering to talk like this …
But Judas didn’t become a disciple of Jesus with the agenda to betray – that came later.
Diotrephes eventually became a leader who did not welcome other believers and who wanted to put out of the church those who welcomed believers. (3 John 9).
1 John 2 speaks about people who “went out from us, but they did not really belong to us” – they were part of the church, but then they were not.
Once pastors who are now the biggest antagonists towards the church.
Long term members who became the source of churches disintegrating.
It happened. it will keep happening.
It will be “certain individuals” who are the cause.
May Jesus open our eyes always to be discerning – so that I don’t discover that “the certain individual” is actually “me”.
Prayer
