Dreams & Their Defilement

INTRODUCTION:

Imagine you’re in Germany at the close of the First World War. The empire has collapsed. The monarchy is gone. The military has been humiliated.

In its place rises something new—the Weimar Republic: a democracy birthed in trauma, trying to hold together a fractured and angry nation.

These years were marked by instability and chaos.

Economic Uncertainty: With inflation, paper money was more useful as wallpaper than currency.

Political Extremism: Far left and far right violently clashed in the streets. There were over 1,200 recorded deaths in the urban battles alone. There were 400+ political assassinations.

Cultural Disintegration: Cultural institutions like family and the church faded into the background. Public “shared spaces” and “shared values” disintegrated overtime.

Moral Degradation: Berlin became the epicenter of moral experimentation. Sexual taboos were normalized. Immorality was glorified. Moral boundaries were transgressed and destroyed.

German culture was quickly become a world with no absolutes, no constraints, and no God.

That vacuum of truth and cultural decadence paved the way for a new kind of dream.

Unlike the dreams of Martin Luther or Gandhi, this was a dream created by demons. This would be a dream detached from reality, a dream that would bring about evil and destruction.

One of those dreamers was a man named Adolf Hitler. Claiming the moral high-ground he deconstructed the previous world and cast a vision for something new.

Promising a future of peace and prosperity, he led the German people into tyranny, bloodshed and evil.

Not every dream comes from the Lord. Some dreams have demonic inspiration.

Dreams & Doorways

What happened in Weimar, Germany is showing it’s head today.

The conditions they faced then are increasingly ours today.

Economic Uncertainty:

Political Extremism:

Cultural Disintegration:

Moral Degradation:

But it’s not just theirs and ours. This cycle have repeated itself for generations throughout history.

It’s no surprise, then, to see it addressed in the Scriptures. One of the clearest examples is the book of Jude.

We don’t know the specific details behind Jude’s letter, only that “some people” had crept into the church and were causing trouble.

Some say these were false teachers teaching bad theology.

Some say they were fake Christians professing faith in Christ while living like the devil.

Some say they were Jewish Zealots, persuading other Christians to join them in their political revolution.

Whoever they were doesn’t really matter because Jude focuses on their actions. They were unholy, irreverent and rejected any kind of authority.

Like Weimar (and our culture today) there was no justification for any kind of restraint.

The similarities between Jude’s audience, the Weimar Republic and our culture today is the source of the delusion. “The were relying on their dreams.”

As a result of their influence they were leading others people into tyranny, bloodshed and loss.

Jude writes to warn these Christians and call them to contend.

Demonic dreams are a doorway to real-life devastation.

For the Weimar Republic it was the chaos of World War 2. For the original audience of Jude it would become the Roman/Jewish War (and eventual destruction of the temple)

Today’s threat could be something similar or, God forbid, even greater.

What we need is a blueprint to identify these “dreamers” and how to respond when they push forward their delusions.

Read The Text

Jude 8–10 CSB

8 In the same way these people—relying on their dreams—defile their flesh, reject authority, and slander glorious ones. 9 Yet when Michael the archangel was disputing with the devil in an argument about Moses’s body, he did not dare utter a slanderous condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these people blaspheme anything they do not understand. And what they do understand by instinct—like irrational animals—by these things they are destroyed.

The book of Jude reminds me of those tightly packaged sponges that come in an air tight package.

As you tear apart the plastic and air comes into the sponge it immediately gets bigger. But then you add water and it grows and grows and grows.

That’s what the book of Jude is like. He is so precise in his language and artistic in his expression. He communicates really big ideas in short punchy lines.

One of the ways he can do this is the use of these triplets. I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention but they’ve shown up again and again.

In Jude 5-7 Jude gives three historical examples from the Old Testament of God’s certain judgment on a spirit of rebellion.

Jude 1 - those who are called, loved and kept.

Jude 2 - God’s mercy, peace and love.

Last week Jude gave us three OT examples to illustrate God’s judgment on rebellion: Israel, Angels and Sodom.

In verse 8 he gives a three fold description of the dreamers: defile the flesh, reject authority and slander the glorious ones.

Finally in verses 9-10 he gives a story with three characters: Moses, Satan and Michael.

Later on in verses 12-13 he’ll do a similar kind of thing. I’d be surprised if Jude wasn’t some kind of preacher.

RELYING ON THEIR DREAMS

With todays sermon I want us to deal with the three-fold description of “these dreamers”

They “defile the flesh, reject authority and slander the glorious ones.”

Our passage opens with the phrase, “In the same way…” I think this is pointing us back to Jude’s historical example in verses 5-7.

The point is, demonic dreams have distinguishing marks.

If you weren’t here last week Jude’s was warning these believers about God’s indiscriminate judgment. Just because you’re “wealthy, prominent or in a position of privilege” doesn’t mean you’re immune from God’s judgment.

Israel was God’s special people and he allowed them to die in the wilderness.

The angels were in a position of special authority but God put them in eternal chains.

Sodom was blessed by God with material prosperity but that did not prevent God from destroying the Jordan Valley with fire from heaven.

When Jude says these dreams are “in the same way” he’s attempting to compare the historical examples with the modern apostates in their midst.

It’ seems like he goes in reverse order.

Sodom and Gommorrah are those who defile the flesh.

The rebellious angels are those who reject authority.

The nation of Israel spoke evil against God’s glory.

There are other commentators who say these descriptions point forward (and there’s a case that they do). Some say it’s unclear for a reason (more evidence of Jude’s intellect.)

The point is, demonic dreams have distinguishing marks.

In every generation they dress a similar kind of way.

We’re going to look at these marks out of verse 8 but before we do, let’s define our terms.

Deluded and Detached

Jude identifies these people as “dreamers” but they are the same people from verse 4.

There, his preferred description is translated “godless” by the CSB.

They appealed to the grace of God to justify immoral behavior. They denied the authority of Jesus and his Messianic claims.

While Jude does accuse them immoral behavior, his focus is more broad than mere sexual immorality.

Jude identifies a rebellious spirit “in general.” This is also the gist of his three examples from the Old Testament.

So while the KJV translates verse 8 as “filthy dreamers” their dreams and visions were not merely of a sexual nature.

The word translated “dreamers” is only used one other time in the NT and it’s in Acts 2:17. There it’s a positive reference to prophetic dreams from old men.

So are these “prophetic dreams” advanced by people being deceived by demons?

Or, are these men “dreamers” in that they’re not living in the real world.

The word can have either sense, it just depends on the context.

If these are Jewish Zealots dreaming of a revolution, you can see how they might view the world through rose colored glasses. They had unrealistic visions of those Hasmonean glory days when Israel was free from any Gentile overlords.

But you can also imagine there might’ve been people like Mohamed with the Koran or Joseph Smith with the book of Mormon. They were claiming divine prophetic knowledge as coming from God (even though it contradicted the Scripture.)

The truth is, both types of dreams can lead people astray.

These dreamers are deluded and detached from reality.

What was true of these dreamers is true of people today. They concoct a vision of the world that is detached from reality.

Today, we might use the emoji “clown world.” They are unserious people who have a sincere but seriously misguided view of this world.

Nobody wakes up intending to destroy their life. That’s not how the enemy operates. He begins by attacking on the battlefront of the mind.

He gets you believe small but important lies that erode foundational truth. Did God really say… Is God really good…. are you really bad… can you really know….

Today we call it “deconstruction” and it’s robbing a generation of confidence in the Lord.

It was this “delusional dream” that positioned these people to defile their flesh, reject authority and slander the glorious ones.”

It’s not just the false religions gaining influence in our culture. It’s the godless ideologies that hide beneath the surface.

They don’t purport to be religion but at the end of the day they shape how people worship.

Sooner or later, without even knowing it - the God these dreamers worship is completely unlike the God of the Bible.

If you think that’s not happening today then you’re naive and undiscerning. And it’s not just happening in the “big bad world out there.” Like Jude’s audience, “it’s happening in the walls of the church.”

Beware of those people who “rely on their dreams.” (from You Tube prophets to prosperity preachers to your kuku uncle and his conspiracy theories.

Reject any dream that distorts what is true.

Any vision of the world, grounded in lies, will eventually bring harm on those who believe them.

Debased & Defiled

Have established what these people are and how they justify their sin, Jude then goes on to describe their behaviors.

Jude 8 “8 In the same way these people—relying on their dreams—defile their flesh, reject authority, and slander glorious ones.”

They (1) defile the flesh, (2) reject authority, and (3) slander the glorious ones.

What does it mean that they “defile their flesh?”

The Jewish historian Josephus used this language to describe the Jewish Zealots. (J.W. 4.180–192; 6.99–102) Except they defiled the temple instead of their flesh.

Many hear the word “flesh” and assume something spiritual negative (unspiritual /hostile towards God.) That’s true sometimes but it’s not always the case.

Jude uses this word in verse 7 to describe a person other than one’s spouse. It’s a word that describes the entirety of a human person.

In this context we might translate it, “they defile their whole selves.”

What about the word “defile?” Sometimes it’s translated “pollute” (NIV). The NLT translates it “they live immoral lives.”

Again - many people default to the idea of sexual defilement. But the word conveys something more broad.

In a Jewish context with all of their rituals, laws and ceremonial washings - it could convey the idea of religious contamination.

That’s certainly how Josephus describes these Jewish Zealots. Claiming spiritual authority, they became spiritually contaminated.

In the OT, spiritual contamination came as a result of three things: touching unclean things, improper worship and moral misconduct.

Jude accuses these people of each of those things. In appealing to their dreams they were defiling their lives.

The point? Demonic dreamers are debased and defiled.

There’s a growing trend by young people these days to use the word “based.”

Someone who is “based” sticks to their convictions. A man of true principle.

Well someone who is “debased” is the opposite. They engage in behavior that undermines integrity.

They betray their own standards in pursuit of a goal.

It’s like Harvey Dent in Batman. You die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

These Zealot had a good goal (liberty and freedom from oppression) but they had allowed a good goal to justify bad behaviors.

Once you compromise your integrity in pursuit of righteousness it won’t be long until you lose yourself completely. There are countless examples of these.

Any transgression beyond God’s boundary defiles the soul whether you like it or not.

The fact that you claim spiritual permission because of X, Y, or Z does not prevent the damage it will bring.

In the case of the Jewish Zealots, the defilement of their soul led to activity that defiled the temple and broke the heart of God.

Instead of the temple being a house of worship or prayer, it became a theater of guerrilla warfare and murder.

What kind of defilement do your dreams produce in you? It could be anything from sexual promiscuity to financial impropriety.

Beware of any dream that departs from what is good.

Defiant & Despise

Not only did these dreams debase and defile, these dreamers also “rejected all authority.”

In addition to their moral contamination, they were also guilty of insubordination.

The word translated “reject” means to “declare as invalid.”

It’s used throughout the LXX to describe insubordination. (1 Kgs 12:19; 2 Chr 10:19; 2 Kgs 8:20, 22, 2 Chr 21:8)

The question we need to answer is “against whom” are these people rebelling?

The word translated “authority” is the Greek word “kyrioteta.” It can mean “ruling power,” “lordship,” or “dominion.”

Some say this is a reference to angelic authority. Some say it’s human authorities and others see it as a specific reference to Jesus.

While any are possible, we know from verse 4 they specifically rejected the authority of Jesus.

But Jude’s comments in verse 9 lead me to think the sin of these people was rejecting authority in “general.”

Like the angels of God Jude mentioned in verse 6 - they had a prominent position and reasonable boundaries but even those they refused to abide. They acted as though they were a Law unto themselves.

Whoever “these people” were (whether Zealots, false teachers, or something else) their dreams had led them to believe that they were no longer under any accountability.

Perhaps, like many today, they would’ve professed with their lips that Jesus is Lord but they denied by their actions any allegiance to his commands.

Demonic dreamers are defiant and despise all authority.

We all know the allure of this kind of spirit. It’s the very heart of the American project. “Don’t tread on me!”

We may “pledge allegiance” to the flag and to the Republic for which it stands. But we aren’t so keen on giving allegiance to human authorities.

What’s true of our politics bleeds into our religion. People love to have Jesus as a Savior and friend, not so much as Master and Lord.

A person’s “authority issues” aren’t just about what they do with Jesus’ commands. It also extends to the realm of human authorities.

The apostle Paul said that ALL human authority is instituted by God. Therefore in rejecting human authority we are rejecting God’s authority. (Rom 13:1-2)

Learning to live under authority is one of the most important life skills a person will ever learn.

That’s why God attached a blessing to the command about obeying your parents.

Those who live as a law unto themselves are living in a dream world that will not end well.

The Proverbs say, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people will perish.” (Pro 29:18) People often twist this verse to justify some human vision. It’s really about the blessing of divine authority.

We were made to know God and live according to his design. We are dependent creatures whether we admit it or not.

When we reject that truth and “remove all the strings” it won’t be long until our lives fall apart.

Reject any dream that denies accountability.

Defame & Diminish

Not every dream comes from the Lord. Sometimes our dreams are demonically inspired.

These dreams leave you

delusional and detached from reality.

debased and defiled by your actions.

defiant and despising all authority.

The last shortcoming of “these people” is at the end of Jude 8

“...these people—relying on their dreams—defile their flesh, reject authority, and slander glorious ones.”

Who are these “glorious ones” and what does it means to slander them?

The word translated “slander” is the greek word for “blasphemy.”

Translations do different things with it. Blaspheme (ESV), speak evil (KJV/NKJV) revile angelic majesties (NASB), insult the glorious ones (NET), heap abuse on celestial beings (NIV), or scoff at supernatural beings (NLT).

To use common language today, “They were talking trash.” They were speaking evil.

The word translated “glorious ones” is actually the greek word for “glory.” (Doxa) It’s where we get our English word “Doxology.”

As with “authority” there are many possibilities for what’s in mind.

Some say it’s a reference to the apostles and the Gospel that they preached.

Some say it’s a reference to God’s glory in a general sense.

Some say it’s a reference to “angels” in their “giving of the Law.”

Given that this reference is attached to Sodom & Gomorrah (Jude’s 3rd OT example) evil words against angels is not an unreasonable assumption.

This also fits in with their rebellion against God’s Law (also mediated by angels. Deut 33:2; Acts 7:53; Gal 3:19)

Finally it fits with the illustration Jude uses in verse 9 (Michael refraining from slander against a fallen angel in his argument with the Devil over Moses’ body.)

Demonic dreamers wil defame and degrade God’s glory.

In order to make their dreams more significant they make God’s glory less incredible.

What was true of those dreamer then is true of false dreamers today.

Legally speaking, defamation is when you speak falsely about a person such that it damages their reputation.

You take someone who has a good reputation and you undo that through lies and deception.

In other words, you tear them down to build yourself up in their place. Telling lies about them to justify more lies about yourself.

We not exactly sure how these people slandered God’s glorious ones. But if you think more than a minute you can see how this happens today.

From health and wealth prosperity preachers to New Age or progressive Christians, they diminish the glory of God to elevate their own significance.

They diminish the glory of Christ’s Cross in making salvation about prosperity or health instead of forgiveness and eternal life.

They diminish the glory of God in saying he cannot really know the future or Jesus wasn’t really sinless. They deconstruct and reimagine a God in their own image.

They diminish the beauty of God’s design for sex, marriage and gender. They demean it as restrictive while glorifying perversion.

In essence, they’re taking the “name of God in vain.” They are ascribing to God things he is not about. Or claiming with God’s blessing what he would never bless.

This is how demonic dreams lead people to the pit. It starts out with a little lie and culminates with blasphemy.

Beware of any dream that will diminish what is holy.

THE RIGHT WAY FORWARD:

If these are what dreams look like when demonically inspired. How should we respond when we see them in the wild?

Jude answers that question with his illustration in Jude 9

Jude 9 CSB

9 Yet when Michael the archangel was disputing with the devil in an argument about Moses’s body, he did not dare utter a slanderous condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Just like last week, Jude appeals to a story that isn’t in the Old Testament.

Just as Jude 6 appealed to the 1 Enoch (which builds on Genesis 6:1-4), Jude 9 appeals to an outside source called the “Testament of Moses.”

Again, notice the triad of characters. You have Michael the archangel, Satan and Moses.

The implication is that Michael is arguing with the Devil over the Body of Moses.

Unlike “these people” who blaspheme God’s glorious angels - the HEAD ANGEL, Michael - refrains from slander against the greatest fallen angels, Satan.

We do know from the Bible and other 2nd Temple literature some truths about Michael.

He intercedes for God’s people (1 En. 9:4-11)

He’s an angelic warrior who battles other beings (Dan 10:13, 21)

He’s a protector of Israel who fights in the final battle (Dan 12:1)

He’s an angelic arresting officer who imprisons/judges the fallen. (1 En 10:11-14; 54:6)

The point is, Michael is presented as one of the highest of all angels and seemingly unlimited in authority and power.

Yet even with that privilege - he appeals to an authority higher than himself in rebuking Satan and his accusations. (2 Peter 2:10-11)

Learning From Michael

What was the argument about between Michael and Satan? It taken from a book called “The Testament of Moses”

Like 1 Enoch, the Testament of Moses in “filling in the gaps” left by the Old Testament.

For example, Deuteronomy 34:5-6 says God buried Moses in Moab and nobody knows where the grave is today.

Several Jewish traditions rose up surrounding the death of Moses, one being the burial of Moses by certain angels of the Lord. (Moses 2.291; cf 1.288)

Josephus wrote that Moses didn’t die at all but was taken up to heaven much like Enoch and Elijah. (Ant. 4.326) Jude seems to be more inclined with the former.

Since we don’t have any surviving manuscripts of the original, people have attempted to reconstruct it based on later quotations.

Here’s one such reconstruction.

“When Moses died on the mountain, Michael was sent to remove the body. When the devil slandered Moses and 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!” … Michael, since he lacked the authority, did not bring upon him (the devil) the punishment appropriate to blasphemy, but left him to the judgment of his Master.” (Cramer’s Catena in Epistolas Catholicas)

Know Your Place

What we see through Michael’s restraint is the opposite of these dreamers. He doesn’t “slander” the Fallen angel but appeals to a higher throne.

That’s how you put demonic dreams back where they belong.

#1 To reject demonic dreams we must deny our own agenda

Michael has incredible power and authority.

Michael has the moral high ground given the situation.

Michael knows what God would want and has the opportunity to enact it.

But because that judgment belongs to God alone he shows restraint and appeals to a higher throne.

This doesn’t mean Michael did nothing. Jude says he “disputed” with the devil. So it’s not as though we’re completely passive in the endeavor.

Michael simply doesn’t “cross the line” into a domain that isn’t his.

CSB translates it, “he didn’t dare…”

It’s a Greek word that conveys the idea of acting rashly. ESV translates it “presume.”

Don’t presume upon yourself what belongs to God alone.

Is this not exactly what get’s dreamer in trouble to begin with? They claim an authority for themselves that belongs to God alone.

We must humble ourselves and remember who we are.

The right to say what is or isn’t belongs to God alone. Instead of claiming that right for yourself, leave it to the Lord!

Trust God’s Plan

The second thing Michael does is put Satan in God’s hand. “The Lord rebuke you!”

We actually have a similar conversation in Scripture between Satan and God’s angel.

In Zech 3:1 Satan accuses Joshua before the angel of the Lord.

Zechariah 3:1–2 CSB

1 Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. [As high priest, Joshua represents the nation of Israel; Satan was accusing them of being unworthy of God’s mercy] 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

Directly after rebuking Satan the Lord shows Joshua mercy. He takes his filthy clothes and exchanges them with festive garments.

Though he stood condemned he removes all sin and shame.

To reject demonic dreams we must defer to God’s good plan.

We know Jude has Zechariah 3 in mind because he quotes it again in verse 22-23. The idea is that “these people” weren’t willing to trust God’s plan.

Like Satan they were “taking matters into their own hands” and taking the role of “judge, jury and executioner.”

And Jude is saying, “That’s not your role to play and that what God is doing right now.”

It is not our job to sit in judgment over sinners. There will be a day of judgement, but today is a day of grace.

As I heard someone say this week, “We don’t carry out judgment. We clarify what the judge meant.”

CONCLUSION

Jude concludes with a final warning about these godless dreamers.

Jude 10 CSB

10 But these people blaspheme anything they do not understand. And what they do understand by instinct—like irrational animals—by these things they are destroyed.

Jude is acknowledging that these dreamers may be effective and influential. But by their very nature, they’re blind to God’s true purpose.

They’re so worldly and carnal in the way they see the world, anything that points beyond that is blasphemed and belittled.

I think Jude likens them to animals because they willingly suppress the longings of soul.

Every human has a longing only God can satisfy. That thirst is only quenched through repentance and faith in Jesus.

But true faith in Jesus requires our total allegiance. We must forego our selfish motives and surrender to the Lord.

In other words, some dreams must die so true life can begin.

Such is the case for those who live by grace through faith in Jesus.

It may be this morning that you’re living in a different dream. A dream inspired by demons that has you detached and delusional.

God in his grace may be calling you to something better. Will you die to that lesser dream so you can live the greater life?