(Vss. 5-16)
These ungodly men who have crept into the Christian profession are identified in this next series of verses by various third person pronouns: “these,” “they,” “them,” “their,” “whose,” and “whom.” They stand in contrast to real believers whom Jude will address in verses 17-25. To designate these saints, he uses the first and second person pronouns: “ye,” “your,” and “our.” They constitute a remnant of true believers amidst the mass of ungodly, merely professing believers.
In this passage, Jude describes the fallen state of the Christian testimony by using six examples from the Old Testament. Hence, he begins with: “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this” (vs. 5). This shows that he was assuming that they were familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures.
1) The Children of Israel—Unbelief
(Vs. 5)
All apostasy starts with unbelief—not having personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. For an example of this, Jude points to the unbelievers among the children of Israel. He says, “The Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” (See Numbers 14:28-35; Deuteronomy 2:14; and 1 Corinthians 10:5-10.) The children of Israel had been physically “saved” by the Lord in an outward deliverance from Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea (Ex. 14:30-31); but having that temporal salvation did not mean that they were born of God. Many were not, and they manifested their unbelief when tested in the wilderness, and consequently, were “destroyed” by God. These people had been baptized unto Moses in the sea (1 Cor. 10:1-2) and were in a covenant relationship with the Lord (Heb. 9:19-21), and thus, were in a favoured position of privilege. But these were outward things; they needed an inward work of faith in their souls to go with those outward tokens of favour—but this was the very thing that they lacked.
This is the foremost thing that characterizes Christendom. Being christened (or baptized), and/or having made some sort of profession of faith, the mass of professing Christians is in a position of outward nearness to God. However, they lack personal, soul-saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31; 20:21; Eph. 2:8). Like the children of Israel who fell under God’s judgment in the wilderness, these will meet their end under the judgment of God.
2) The Fallen Angels—Rebellion
(Vs. 6)
Unbelief leads to rebellion; Jude touches on this next. To illustrate this, he points to the angels that sinned at the time of the flood. He says, “And angels who had not kept their own original state, but had abandoned their own dwelling, He keeps in eternal chains under gloomy darkness, to the judgment of the great day.” It is generally believed by Bible teachers that when Satan was expelled from heaven (Ezek. 28) that there were other angelic creatures that fell with him, because thereafter we read of “the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). This verse in Jude is not referring to that event, but to what happened at the time of the flood. Certain of those fallen angels manifested a discontent as to their state as angels and co-habited with the daughters of men in an attempt to create a sort of super race of men and angels (Gen. 6:1-4) The “original state” in which God created them was sexless; they did not procreate (Luke 20:35-36). But being rebellious and discontent with their state as such, they “abandoned their own dwelling” in the heavens and came down among men to accomplish their evil plan. But in the flood, God wiped out those giants and mighty men who had come out of these unholy unions, and He took those wicked angels and put them in “eternal chains under gloomy darkness.” Peter calls this special place of confinement in the abyss “the deepest pit gloom” (2 Peter 2:4).
Some have wondered if verse 6 is speaking of a second fall of angels. J. N. Darby was asked about this as follows: “Were there two falls of angelic beings at two different times?” He replied: “Your question assumes two falls of angels of which Scripture does not speak, though it is very possible” (Letters of J. N. Darby, vol. 2, p. 447). Thus, being careful not to go beyond what is revealed in Scripture, it is generally taken that this passage refers to a rebellion among certain of the fallen angels. God took them away from the earth and confined them in the abyss because they were so diabolically corrupt. They will be cast into the lake of fire (Hell) at the great day of judgment (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10). The rest of the fallen angels under Satan are still loose and practicing evil today. They will be taken and confined to the bottomless pit [the abyss] at the beginning of the Millennium (Rev. 20:1-3). After the Millennium, on the great day of judgment, the devil and his angels will be cast into the lake of fire.
Jude mentions this rebellion among the fallen angels to show us the spirit of the ungodly persons who will be found in the Christian testimony in its last days. They will be discontent with God’s natural order in creation and will rebel against it. This spirit manifests itself in a variety of ways today, ranging from: women teaching publicly in the house of God (1 Tim. 2:12), their abandoning of head coverings, which signify the proper roles of men and women (1 Cor. 11:2-16), the submission of wives to their husbands in the home (Eph. 5:22-23), etc. Such is the spirit that pervades Christendom today.
3) Sodom and Gomorrah—Immorality
(Vss. 7-10)
Discontent and rebellion against God’s natural order in creation will eventually end up in immorality. Sodom and Gomorrah are cited to illustrate this evil (Gen. 19). Jude says: “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about 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 refers to their homosexuality as “going after strange flesh.” He calls it “strange” because that kind of unholy union is completely foreign to God’s moral order in creation. His point is that Christendom will be marked by having persons who will have given themselves over to this kind of sin, yet at the same time, they will profess to be Christians! How incredibly incongruous to associate such a sin with the holy name of Christ! This does not mean that every person will be engaged in immorality, but it will be so prevalent in the Christian ranks during the last days that people will condone it, and even defend it. Today, many Church ministers, though not personally engaged in immorality, will permit it in their churches, and even excuse those who are so engaged––even the sin of homosexuality!
(Vss. 8-10)
These “filthy dreamers defile the flesh” with their immoral practices. This sin is described by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1. The difference between the two passages is that Paul is speaking of the heathen outside the Christian community, whereas Jude is speaking of those who profess to be Christian. These people say they are Christians!
They also “despise dominion [authority].” Being rebels against God, they naturally rebel against the governmental institutions which are set up of God (Rom. 13:1). They manifest this by “speaking evil of dignities [dignitaries].” Jude tells us that this is something that Michael the archangel would not dare to do—even if it was in regard to our enemy, the devil! This shows that the devil, though now fallen, was once of a high dignity among the angels, and until he is finally judged by God, his dignity is to be respected. Even so high of an angelic dignity as Michael the archangel respected it. Hence, he did not take it upon himself to rebuke the devil but left it for the Lord to do—saying, “The Lord rebuke thee” (vs. 9). Though fallen, Satan still has immense power. We are to respect his power, but we have no need to fear him. In fact, we are told: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). But at no time should we bring “a railing accusation” against him.
The “bone” of contention on that occasion was Moses’ burial site. Satan’s purpose was probably to set up a shrine there in memory of Moses, and thus, to ensnare the people of Israel in idolatry. (Compare 2 Kings 18:4). God, therefore, conducted a secret burial of his body in “the valley of Moab” (Deut. 34:5-6). (Note: “archangel” is in the singular; there is only one such creature. Similarly, “devil,” in Scripture, is always in the singular. The KJV, however, will occasionally say “devils,” but it should be translated “demons.” There is one devil, but many demons.)
Jude adds: “But what even, as the irrational animals, they understand by mere nature, in these things they corrupt themselves” (vs. 10). “Mere nature” refers to animal instincts. This shows that these morally corrupt people ought to have known better from observing the animal kingdom (Job 12:7), for the animals don’t debase themselves in such a manner. But they disregard the testimony of nature and corrupt themselves. In summary, their evil is twofold:
• In spiritual things they bring “railing accusation” against the truth (vs. 9).
• In natural things “they corrupt themselves” with immoral practices (vs. 10).
4) Cain—Bloodless Religion of Works
(vs. 11a)
Cain is then brought forward to indicate another characteristic of apostate Christendom—bloodless religion. Jude says: “Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain.” The way of Cain is to approach God on the ground of good works, rather than on the ground of a sacrifice (Gen. 4:3). He sought acceptance with God by what he had accomplished through the work of his hands, and on that ground, his offering was rejected. This depicts what much of Christendom has degenerated into, as far as the basic concept of how a person is reckoned righteous before God. Many Christian denominations question, and even reject, the vicarious atonement of Christ. His finished work on the cross as being the only way of salvation through faith (John 19:30) is replaced with the performance of good works for acceptance with God. Christ’s death is reduced to being a model of humility, nothing more. As a result, people are enjoined to love their neighbour and to do good works for divine acceptance. Such is a bloodless gospel is really “another gospel” that is not of God (2 Cor. 11:4). It is the way of Cain.
5) Balaam—The Commercialization of Christianity
(Vs. 11b)
Jude says that these ungodly persons have “given themselves up to the error of Balaam,” which is seeking honour and glory in the sphere of divine things (Num. 22-24). The Apostle Peter speaks of “the way of Balaam,” which was Balaam’s love of “the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Peter 2:15). Thus, he was not only a self-seeking man, but also a covetous man who was willing to prostitute his prophetic gift to gain wealth, even though he made every attempt to have it appear otherwise (Num. 22:18). These men would also teach “the doctrine of Balaam,” which is to encourage worldliness among God’s people (Rev. 2:14).
Putting these three things together, we have a composite picture of the money-driven, glory-seeking side of Christendom. Greedy men have sought to turn Christianity into a profitable business, and they have succeeded in this in many ways. They see nothing wrong with serving in the pulpit for wages, taking money from the lost, etc. Many preachers have made themselves incredibly wealthy. The Apostle Paul decried this, stating: “We do not, as the many, make a trade [retail] of the Word of God” (2 Cor. 2:17). W. T. P. Wolston pointed out that if money and entertainment were taken out of the church systems in Christendom, many of them would collapse. He said that if entertainment were taken out, they would lose their large audiences, and if money were taken out, they would lose many of the men and women in the pulpit.
6) Core [Korah]—Ecclesiastical Error
(Vs. 11c)
Jude brings forward one more example from the Old Testament to illustrate another thing that marks Christendom—ecclesiastical error. This is error in things pertaining to Church doctrine and practice. Jude exposes this by mentioning “the gainsaying of Core.” Core (Korah) and his band of men (Num. 16) wanted a position above the people which belonged only to Moses and Aaron who are a double type of Christ, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Heb. 3:1). Not being content with the place that God had given them as Levites, they wanted an office of their own making, and their uprising against God’s order in that Mosaic economy was met with His displeasure and judgment.
Men in Christendom have risen up similarly and have introduced the office of a clergyman. This is a position in the Church that is purely a human invention, for God’s Word does not speak of it. It gives the holder of that office (be it a man or a woman) a distinguished place between God and His people. However, God never intended that there should be such a class of persons presiding over a congregation in Christianity. In fact, such a thing is decried in His Word (1 Peter 5:3). These men are presumptuous in this, often calling the flock of God their flock. Inflated with a sense of importance, they have overlooked God’s order for Christian worship and ministry in as taught in the epistles and have introduced their own man-made order. As a result, the clergy/laity system can be found in varying degrees in most, if not all, denominations in Christendom. One difference between Korah and his men and their counterparts in Christendom is that Korah’s men did not get as far as to take office, whereas clergymen in Christendom have been functioning in their man-made place for over a thousand years.
The Character of Ministry of Apostate Ministers
(Vss. 12-13)
We are not saying that every man or woman who is part of the clergy is apostate, for most are true believers. However, many are lifeless. Jude points to five similitudes in nature to describe the character of these false Ministers and their ministry:
FIRSTLY—Spots
Firstly, he says: “These are spots in your love-feasts, feasting together with you without fear, pasturing themselves.” A “spot,” or a shoal, is a sunken rock just below the surface of the water, which, if a sailing ship were to strike it, could cause shipwreck. Rocks that are charted are not difficult to steer clear of, but hidden shoals can be disastrous to sailors. This first metaphor shows that these false so-called Ministers—though ordained by some religious body and having a degree of divinity (DD)—have caused many to go into spiritual “shipwreck” (1 Tim. 1:19-20). The fact that Jude says that “they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear,” shows that they have gained the confidence of the mass and are welcomed in many circles.
SECONDLY—Clouds
Secondly, they are as “clouds without water, carried along by the winds.” That is, they promise showers of blessing, but have nothing to refresh the soul. They are carried along by “the winds,” meaning that their ministry has been tainted by the false doctrines that are blowing around in Christendom (Eph. 4:14).
THIRDLY—Autumnal Trees
Thirdly, they are as “autumnal trees, without fruit, twice dead, rooted up.” Normally, autumn is the time when fruit is found on trees, but these have none. Jude explains why they don’t bear fruit; they are “twice dead.” This refers to being dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1, 5) and also being dead through apostasy (Rev. 8:9-11). All such trees will be “rooted up” and cast into the fire of God’s judgment (Matt. 15:13).
FOURTHLY—Raging Waves
Fourthly, they are “raging waves of the sea.” This speaks of their insubjection. Being in a lawless state of soul, they refuse to be controlled by the authority of God’s Word. Their teaching is really the “foaming out their own shames.” It is outright blasphemous, and involves the excusing of sin, rather than the teaching of righteousness. It is not that they feel their shame, but nonetheless, those things are a shame to them (Phil. 3:19).
FIFTHLY—Wandering Stars
Fifthly, they are “wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Stars have been looked to for navigation purposes by sailors for thousands of years. They speak of the leaders of God’s people who are responsible to provide spiritual light and direction for the saints (Rev. 1:20). Jude calls these false Ministers “wandering” stars because a star that leaves its place will only mislead those who look to it for direction. Such are false guides. Their false light will soon be quenched in “the blackness of darkness forever.”