Wherever we have the record of failure and decline among the people of God, which is usually at the close of dispensations, we have also the history of those who stood faithful for God, regardless of the cost, though in weakness. Their record forms a bright relief to the somber background of evil. Doubtless the Spirit of God has given their history to encourage others who have been and may be called upon to take a similar stand. (See Rom. 15:44For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4)).
The sad history of God’s earthly people is closed by the prophet Malachi, the voice of the people, and expresses their state of soul: “Behold what a wearniness it is.” “It is vain to serve God.” (Mal. 1:13; 3:1413Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. (Malachi 1:13)
14Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? (Malachi 3:14)) Can one find a darker period in the history of Judah or Israel? Yet in the midst of this appalling declention there is a record of the faithful, those who stood for Jehovah. Do you think, dear young Christian, that it was an easy matter for God’s people in those days to stand apart from the world and from those who had a form of godliness but denied the power thereof? (2 Tim. 3:55Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:5)). It was not a whit easier for them than for us? Undoubtedly the cost was great, but Jehovah’s appreciation was not less.
What precious words of approbation! “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” (Mal. 3:16; 1716Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16)).
It is more than probable that those faithful souls were very unpopular; they may have been despised by the others, who considered themselves more advanced and broader-minded, and thought they were getting more out of life than “those narrow-minded, religious cranks.”
How gracious of our God to let us know His estimate of “him that serveth God, and him that serveth Him not.” (Mal. 3:1818Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. (Malachi 3:18)). Of what value can man’s estimate or opinion be, since it is God with whom we have to do, and the judgment seat of Christ before which we all have to appear? But it is natural for us to court man’s approval and shun his disapproval; this we have to guard against.
Thus the revival in Judah’s day ended in the “love of many waxing cold.” The days of their captivity were ended and Judah and Benjamin were restored to their land, although, sad to say, some were content to stay in Babylon. Their idols were left behind, the house had been swept and garnished, but they chose the easy path, to go along with the world.
Can we find an analogy in this our day? Yes. Before the apostle Paul passed off the scene he warned the saints, the elders at Ephesus, of the approaching decline. Not long after this faithful warning, the Lord Himself, addressing the assembly at Ephesus, through the apostle John, said, “I have against thee that thou hast left thy first love. Remember, therefore, from whence thou are fallen, and repent and do the first works.” (Rev. 2:4, 54Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (Revelation 2:4‑5), N. T.).
How touchingly here does the great apostle who “labored more abundantly” warn the elders. “Take heed, therefore. unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood.” “For I know this, that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.” (Acts 20:28-3028Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:28‑30)). “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” (Acts 20:3232And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)).
What better could the apostle Paul have done than to commend those elders to God and to His Word, as he saw the day of ruin approaching? He commended them to God, who alone could through His Word build up.
The apostle’s leave-taking called out all the tender affection of the saints. “And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.” (Acts 20:37, 3837And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, 38Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship. (Acts 20:37‑38)). The decline which had already begun, and had caused the apostle Paul such grave concern, went on apace, and dark indeed has been the history of the church which has failed as a witness just as signally as Israel or Judah. Now we find ourselves in the last period or state, that is, as a whole) which is “Laodicea.” In Revelation 3:2020Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20) the Lord presents. Himself on the outside, saying, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”
The Epistle of Jude corresponds to the book of Malachi; and Jude speaks through spiritual discernment of the apostasy which he saw coming, if not already present. He could see the danger of the faith being given up. He had purposed writing to the saints of the common salvation, but is impressed with the necessity of writing, instead, a warning of the coming storm cloud that would sooner or later envelope the unwary Christian and completely obscure the light, the truth of ‘God, the “Lamp” for the feet, and the “Light” for the path. Thus Jude writes, “Beloved, using all diligence to write to you of our common salvation, I have been obliged to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. For certain men have got in unnoticed, they who of old were marked out beforehand to this sentence, turning the grace of God into dissoluteness and denying our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 33Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 3), 4, N. T.). Here we see that what the apostle Paul had warned the elders of at Ephesus only a few years previous, was now a dreadful reality.
The Christian, the young especially, needs to be warned against being caught in the current. The current of evil which the Apostle Paul saw in its incipiency has since been flowing, ever broadening and gathering impetus as it flows on and on, engulfing many a soul, and carrying it out into the ocean of infidelity.
We may see a similar warning in the case of Hiel the Bethelite. (1 Kings 16:3434In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. (1 Kings 16:34)). “In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundations thereof in Abiram, his first born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son, Segub, according to the Word of the Lord, which He spake by Joshua, the son of Nun.”
The solemn warning had been given long before by Joshua, concerning the rebuilding of Jericho, the city of the curse (a type of the world). Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, “Cursed be the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.” (Josh. 6:2626And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. (Joshua 6:26)).
Bethel means “House of God.” He was one caught in the current of evil, and was influenced to go counter to the Word of God.
Abiram means “my father is lofty;” Segub, “elevated.”
Jude calls upon the saints to remember God’s dealings in the past, the calling out of His people from Egypt; the destroying of those who believed not; the angels who had not kept their own original estate, hut are kept in chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day; Sodom and Gomorrah; and the cities around them. Then he speaks of those in his day who despise lordship (authority), and cites by way of contrast the case of the archangel, Michael, who when disputing with the Devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a railing judgment against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke thee.” Next he takes up a class of people, whose characteristics we have long been familiar with. But these, whatever things they know not, they speak railingly against, but whatever they understand, as the irrational animals, in those things they corrupt. themselves. (Verse 10, N. T.).
The whole is summed up from beginning to end, in the history of three men. Woe to them because they have gone in the way of Cain (a Christ-less religion); and given themselves up to the error of Balaam for reward (making profit out of the Word of God); and perished in the gainsaying of Core (calling in question God’s Word, which is infidelity).
From the 12th to the 20th verses we have portrayed the evil character of those who had crept in unnoticed, like wolves among the sheep. In the 14th verse Enoch’s prophecy is applied to them, and in the 17th verse Jude recalls to their memory the warnings of the apostles concerning these mockers. (2 Timothy 3).
One has truly said, “Infidelity is a system that pulls down, but puts nothing together again:” Here we see the ruin so vividly pictured by Jude, but he gives this timely exhortation to the Christian, “But ye beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God.”
Some one has illustrated it thus: Suppose one is on the shady side of the street and begins to feel the dampness and chilliness, he would naturally cross over to the sunny side and would soon feel the warmth. A story has been told of a certain association offering a prize for the prettiest and healthiest pot rose. After the inspection and a decision had been reached, the owner of the plant was summoned. It was a ragged little girl. When she was questioned there was a doubt in the minds of the judges as to her title to the prize, who thought it impossible for one in her circumstances to raise such a pretty plant. But she took them to her dingy room, which had windows on several sides, and explained to them that she moved the plant from one window to another, always keeping it in the sun.
The Christian should always abide in the sunshine of God’s love. Just here one can see the goodness and wisdom of our God in setting apart the first day of the week, the Lord’s day. (Under the law it was the last day). We begin the week with renewed thoughts of the love and grace of God, our Father, and the Lord, our Savior. Without the Lord’s table, a consistent walk, and a judged conscience, how cold and indifferent one would become!
Then how needful the exhortation, “Praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God.” Prayer will keep one in the evil day. The Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians, and exhorts them to “take to them the panoply of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having accomplished all things, to stand.”
The various pieces of armor having been described, the last piece named being an offensive one, all the rest defensive, one would think the Christian fully armed for warfare, but there is one thing more, without which the rest would be useless. “Praying at all seasons with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching unto this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Eph. 6:13-1813Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:13‑18), N. T.)
What consolation in the remaining two verses of Jude, “But to him that is able to keep you with exultation, blameless before His glory, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, might and authority from before the whole age and now, and to all ages. Amen.”