Jude Series: Jude 10c-The Jewish Zealots of Judaea Were Destroying Themselves Because They Disrespected Angelic Authority Like Irrational Animals

Jude 10 But these on the one hand are disrespecting these things, they are totally ignorant of, on the other hand, they are for their own selfish interests comprehending other things instinctively, like irrational animals. They are destroying themselves because of these things. (Lecturer’s translation)

Jude 10 is composed of a correlative clause which is the followed by a declarative statement.

The correlative clause is composed of two declarative statements and a comparative clause, which modifies the second declarative statement.

The first declarative statement asserts that these unregenerate Jewish Zealots were totally ignorant of the authority of Satan and his angels, and which authority they exercise over all human governmental authority with the exception of the nation of Israel.

The second declarative statement asserts that these individuals for their own selfish interests were comprehending instinctive animal behavior instinctively like irrational animals.

The third and final declarative statement presents the result of or the implication of these two statements.

It asserts that these unregenerate Jewish Zealots were destroying themselves because they were totally ignorant of Satan’s authority over human governmental authority and because they were comprehending instinctive animal behavior instinctively like irrational animals.

The referent of the dative neuter plural form of the demonstrative pronoun houtos (οὗτος), “these things” is two-fold.

First, it refers to these Jewish Zealots being totally ignorant of the fact that Satan and the fallen angels exercise their authority over the human governments of planet earth.

Secondly, it refers to these individuals comprehending irrational animal instincts instinctively like irrational animals.

The prepositional phrase, en toutois (ἐν τούτοις), “because of these things” presents two reasons why these unregenerate Jewish Zealots in the first century A.D. are in the state of destroying themselves.

The first reason is that these Jewish Zealots being totally ignorant of the fact that Satan and the fallen angels exercise their authority over the human governments of planet earth.

The second reason is that they are comprehending irrational animal instincts instinctively like irrational animals.

The middle voice of the verb phtheirō (φθείρω) is a direct middle, which is expressing the idea that these unregenerate Jewish Zealots who were leading Judaea in rebellion against Rome in the first century A.D. were destroying “themselves.”

Therefore, the direct middle voice of the verb phtheirō (φθείρω) expressing the volitional responsibility of these unregenerate Jewish Zealots in the first century A.D. who were inciting the citizens of Judaea to rebel against Rome, which they did in 66-70 A.D.

The implication is that they are responsible for their own destruction or in other words, unless, they repent by trusting in Jesus Christ as their Savior, these Jewish Zealots would suffer eternal condemnation because of their own bad decisions.

This revolt led by these unregenerate Jewish Zealots resulted in the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem as well as the city of Jerusalem which was in fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel 9:26 and the Lord Jesus Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24:1-2 and Luke 19:41-44.

These unregenerate Jewish Zealots were destroying themselves in the sense that they were bringing the judgment of the Lord Jesus Christ upon themselves for rebelling against Him.

By rebelling against Satan’s authority over human governmental authority, they were rebelling against the Lord Jesus Christ because He temporarily delegated authority to the devil and his angels to rule over unregenerate humanity with the exception of Israel until He establishes His sovereign authority over all the nations of the earth at His Second Advent.

Furthermore, they were bringing judgement upon themselves because they were attempting to establish the kingdom of God on earth apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also, they were bringing judgment upon themselves because both the Old and New Testament teaches that the nation of Israel will be subjugated to Gentile nations until the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

This period in which the nation of Israel is subjugated to Gentile nations is called in Scripture, “the times of the Gentiles,” which refers to an extended period of time when the Gentiles are the dominant world powers and Israel is subject to those powers.

It extends from the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. and continues through the Tribulation (Revelation 11:2) and ends with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

“The times of the Gentiles” is prophesied about in Daniel 2:31-45 and Daniel 7.

These two passages present the prophetic outline of the Gentiles during the Times of the Gentiles.

The prophecy that appears in Daniel chapter two, views the Times of the Gentiles from the perspective of man whereas the prophecy in Daniel chapter seven, views it from God’s perspective.

These two prophecies also reveal that there will be a revived form of the Roman Empire during the Tribulation period under Antichrist, which will be destroyed by the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

“The times of the Gentiles” is also prophesied about in Daniel 9:24-27, which presents the seventy weeks of prophecy, which is equivalent to four hundred ninety prophetic years.

Four hundred eighty-three of these prophetic years, which are spoken of in Daniel 9:24-26 have been fulfilled in human history.

The last seven of these prophetic years, called the “seventieth week of Daniel” will be fulfilled in the future.

It begins with Antichrist making a treaty with the nation of Israel according to Daniel 9:27 and it will end with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

Daniel 9:24-27 is the period in human history that God is disciplining the nation of Israel for rebelling against Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.

It runs coterminous with “the times of the Gentiles.”

“The times of the Gentiles” includes the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the church age and the Tribulation period.

This phrase does not rule out temporary Jewish control of Jerusalem as has occurred in the past during the Maccabean era (164-63 B.C), the first Jewish revolt against Rome (A.D. 66-70), the second Jewish revolt (A.D. 132-135) and now since 1967 and the Six-Day War.

However, this control is only temporary because Revelation 11:1-2 predicts at least another three-and-one-half years of Gentile domination during the last half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, also known as the Tribulation.

Therefore, any Jewish takeover of the city of David before the Second Advent of Christ must be therefore viewed as a temporary one and does not mean that “the times of the Gentiles” has ended since it can only end with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, which will forever stop Gentile powers waging war against Israel.

Therefore, “the times of the Gentiles” refers to an extended period of time when the Gentiles are the dominant world powers and Israel is subject to those powers and extends from the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar (586 B.C.) and continues through the Tribulation (Revelation 11:2).

This period of history includes the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the church age and the Tribulation period.

The expression “the fullness of the Gentiles” in Romans 11:25 is not synonymous with the expression “the times of the Gentiles,” which is used by our Lord in Luke 21:24.

However, they are related to each other since both end with the Second Advent of Christ.

They are different from each other because the former deals with the number of Gentiles who will be saved between the First and Second Advents of Jesus Christ whereas the latter is political dealing with the political control of Jerusalem between the First and Second Advents of Jesus Christ.

“The times of the Gentiles” is not only prophesied about in Daniel 2:31-45, Daniel 7 and Daniel 9:24-27 but is also mentioned by the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 21:23-24.