The Tiny Book of Jude...

I was listening to 66/40 this week and last and it happens to be on the book of Jude.  I thought I would share some commentary on the book of the Bible by my favorite author, Chuck Missler.  The following excerpt is taken from his Learn the Bible in 24 Hours Book.

The epistle of Jude is just one chapter, but is full of surprises!

Jude was the half brother of Jesus.  He also was an unbeliever while Christ was alive, but became a believer after the ressurection.

In this letter, Jude attacked apostasy and argued for his readers to contend for the faith because some people would fall away.  He argued against subtle perversions which included at least two basic denials: denying grace by turning it to lasciviousness (just because we have liberty in Christ does not give us a right to sin); and denying our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

Apostasy will lead to certain doom, and he used three examples: Egypt, the angels in Genesis 6 (see previous post on this), and Sodom. He also pointed to three apostates by using the examples of Cain, Balaam, and Korah; and then emphasized the utter falsity of these teachers by using six awful metaphors.



An analysis of 2 Peter deals with many of these same things, but in Peter they are future tense; in Jude they are past tense.  Apparently the prophecies in 2 Peter were fulfilled by the time Jude wrote his letter.

In light of the fact that apostasy has been foretold, Jude told his readers how to contend: they should build, pray, keep, and look.  And they should support those who contend. 

Jude focused on the certainty of judgment, and he used an extremely provocative example:

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.  Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
     Jude 1:6,7

Jude argued that these false teachers were going to be judged.  Then he linked the errors of Sodom and Gomorrah in "going after strange flesh" with the angels in Genesis 6.  (The Scripture always confirms the truth by two or three witnesses, and 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6,7 refer to the angels in Genesis 6.)

Here is something extremely provocative - Jude quotes a prophecy given by Enoch.

And Enoch, also the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints , to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
     Jude 1:14,15

Jude was quoting this prophecy of Enoch, as it was presumably familiar to his readers; but let's stop and realize what was going on.  The oldest prophecy uttered by a prophet, uttered before the Flood of Noah, is a prophecy of the Second Coming of Christ.

But Jude did something else that should disturb us.  He chose a bizarre example to make his case.

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
     Jude 1:8,9 

Here again, Jude alluded to some background familiar to his readers, but which has been lost to us.  First of all, the fact that there was a dispute between Michael and the devil regarding the body of Moses is a surprise.  Where did that  happen?  And why would Satan want the body of Moses?

In any case, the point is that even when Michael was contending with Satan, he didn't speak evil of Satan.  He said, "The Lord rebuke you."  Jude would tell us to not speak evil of dignities, and he chose Satan himself to make the point.  Don't speak evil of him; don't rail directly against him.  Let the Lord deal with him.  If you are ever confronted with a demon, rely on the authority of Jesus Christ.  Don't try to confront a demon on your own.

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