Having illustrated with the three Old Testament examples
in 5-7, Jude turned to focus on the errors of the false teachers as a warning
to his readers. He sought to show where the false teachers were wrong. Verses
8-9 show their errors. It appears likely that the false teachers cited dreams
and visions to substantiate their perverse activities, their lust,
rebelliousness and irreverence. However, Jude pointed out that they were merely
presumptions and not substantiated visions or dreams. They stood in stark
contrast to Michael the Archangel, who refused to show any disrespect to
another powerful angel. He refused to treat Satan flippantly or rudely in his
dispute with him about where Moses was buried. Jude’s point was this: even
though the devil was malicious and slanderous, yet Michael, the Archangel,
would leave it to the Lord to deal with him, for he recognized that God alone
could judge. Thus, he asked the Lord to condemn Satan for his slander.
How serious were their errors? We will
find out in verses 10 -13. These false teachers reviled things that they did
not even understand. What were the things that they did not understand? These
were probably some of God’s revealed truths that they did not comprehend and so
they chose to reject. What they truly understood was how to gratify their
flesh. And like unreasoning animals, they would act impulsively and be
destroyed by those acts. Verse 11 says that they have gone the way of Cain,
which was the way of pride. Cain stubbornly wanted God to accept him on his
terms. He wanted to work for his relationship with God and ended up with a
murderous vengeful spirit. Not only that, for some money these false teachers also
followed the footsteps of Balaam. Two things Balaam stood for: (1) covetous, he
was willing to commit sin for a little reward; (2) a rebellious man, who led
God’s people into sin. In this verse, Jude also mentioned Korah. Who is Korah?
He was one of those who rebelled against God’s ordained leaders, Moses and
Aaron. He was judged by God and perished in his rebellion.
In verses 12 and 13, we will see five
more things to underscore the seriousness of their errors. Firstly, they were like
hidden coral reefs. They could not be seen on the surface but would often rip apart
the under surface of a ship. The word “hidden” suggests that they were not seen
and unknowingly the church would be destroyed by them. They would participate
in the fellowship feast of the church, not because they genuinely loved the
people, but to prey on the innocent and gratify their own desire. Secondly, they
were clouds without water. They promised rain but could not deliver because
they had no water. Long in promise but short in deliverance. Because these
clouds were waterless, they were easily driven by the wind. False teachers
would be easily influenced by others since they have no firm convictions of
their own. Thirdly, they were autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead and
uprooted. Autumn was a time when trees would have no leaves and have much less
fruit on the branches. In referring to them as trees in autumn, Jude probably
believed that the return of the Lord Jesus was near. They had no fruit and were
set for divine judgment. In the Old Testament, uprooted trees was a symbol of
divine judgment (Jeremiah 1:10 ;
Psalm 52:5). Fourthly, they were like waves of the sea, casting out their own
shame like foam. Jude was referring to their unbridled sensuality. They left
marks of their inordinate and uncontrolled immorality and impurity wherever
they went. Fifthly, they were wandering stars whom the darkness had been
reserved for. Like wandering stars in the sky that are off course, they led
others astray. They were even like shooting stars that flashed across the
darkness and then quickly vanished.
In verses 14-16, Jude actually
quoted loosely from one of the extra biblical writings, the Book of 1 Enoch and
then applied it to their lives. Though the book was not considered a part of
the canon, Jude was led to quote Enoch's prophecy recorded there. This prophecy
concerns God’s judgment that will take place at Christ’s Second Coming, (2
Thessalonians 1:7-10). Here, we are told that God will judge all the ungodly
for the ungodly deeds they had done. The ungodly will also be judged for all
the ungodly words they had spoken against the Lord. In verse 16, Jude applied
what he said to the false teachers who would do ungodly things and speak
ungodly words. Their ungodly deeds would be their lustful activities. The
ungodly words would be their grumbling, faultfinding, arrogant speeches and
flattering tongues. All these they did just to gain personal advantage.
Let’s be careful who we are
listening to. It’s better to exercise caution and please God than please man.
We need to learn to be tough and disciplined so that we can cultivate God-pleasing
habits in life.
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