Jude 14-16
Notes
Transcript
I read recently about a denomination whose leaders set themselves up as Apostles — Develop
Jude is an important book for our day!
In a similar way Jude is continuing to provide evidence against the false teachers who have crept into the church unnoticed.
Last week he gave three more charges against them:
They have taken the way of cain
The have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error
They have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion
Then Jude pointed out the effect they are having on the church
They shipwreck the faith of some
Thy stain Christians with their impurity
They are shepherds who feed themselves
Then he gave examples from nature:
Trees who shed leaves but bear no fruit
Waterless clouds
Trees uprooted twice dead
Jude is pointing out that the teaching of these individuals promises a lot and delivers nothing. They are utterly useless!
That catches us up to our passage today — Jude 14-16
14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones
15 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.”
16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
This is the word of God…
The Prophecy of Enoch
The Prophecy of Enoch
Jude quoted from Enoch 1:9
The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume 1 Chapter 1
Behold, he will arrive with ten million of the holy ones in order to execute judgment upon all. He will destroy the wicked ones and censure all flesh on account of everything that they have done, that which the sinners and the wicked ones committed against him.
There is little doubt that Jude was making a direct citation from the noncanonical book which he knew his readers would be familiar.
Jude’s use of the book of Enoch does not mean it is scripture and belongs in the canon of the Bible.
The consensus among scholars is the Holy Spirit guided Jude’s selection and application of this quote to address the problem with the false teachers.
Judes is showing a truth we are all familiar with, judgment of God is coming!
2 And he said, “aThe Lord came from Sinai, bAnd 1dawned on them from Seir; cHe shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came from dthe 2midst of ten thousand holy ones; eAt His right hand there was 3flashing lightning for them.
In his blessing to Israel Mosses reminded the people of what God did on Sinai in giving the Law and that He appeared with a numberless host of heaven.
Scripture is showing when God does something it always involves the heavenly host — Develop a little
Even Jesus — Matthew 16:27
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
The same then is true when God gives His judgment it includes thousands of the heavenly host.
In speaking of this judgment Jude is concerned with the conviction of ungodly people:
Ungodly acts
Harsh words spoken against God
Grumblers and Faultfinders
Grumblers and Faultfinders
“Grumblers” — A person given to excessive complaints and whining, especially in a low and indistinctive voice.
“Faultfinders” — Constantly blaming
Greeks consider this character this way:
You’re satisfied by nothing that befalls you; you complain at everything.
You don’t want what you have got; you long for what you haven’t go.
In winter you wish it were summer, in summer that it were winter.
You are like the sick folk, hard to please, and one who complains about his lot in life.
Jude uses the two words to speak of one who complains and grumbles against God because of their station in life!
10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
For these false teachers Jude again emphasizes the words that come from their mouth.
These individuals are openly vocal in their grumbling and complaining.
Like Israel in the wilderness they grumble and complain against God, His will, and His ways.
The constant complaining and grumbling of these false teachers leaves them judgmental and without Joy.
Follow their own desires
Follow their own desires
The tongue, the words they say are intimately connected to the heart and its desires.
They boast — having an exaggerated and overinflated sense of self-importance.
The word generally is used of great or even excessive size.
It can also be used of big words, arrogant speech and demeanor.
They flatter others for their own advantage.
This final charge underlines one of the reasons some of their teaching is for financial gain, an affliction that is not uncommon in the church today.
We call it the prosperity gospel — belief that financial success and physical health are always God's will for the faithful.
Desire without control leads to sin — James 1:14-15
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
You see ultimately the source of their negative disposition was their lust in fulfilling, “their own desires.”
They were completely consumed with what they wanted.
Conclusion
Jude in quoting Enoch is trying to demonstrate the Lord’s concern to convict ungodly people of ungodly acts and their harsh words against God.
It calls back to verse 4 where “certain individuals” are labeled ungodly.
4 For 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.
Behavior alone may simply be ungodly, but when it is taught as justified or even advocated, then it can be most dangerous to the spiritual health of others.
False teachers are a cancer and deadly to the effective ministry of the church.
The cancer must be dealt with or the church will die!
