The Epistle of Jude shows out the true character of everything that is of man, but there is not one portion of God’s Word more calculated to make us sing than this epistle. The greater the trial, the more God says, “I am with you.” Jude begins with “the common salvation,” but then turns back to the whole history that had gone before and says, “There is failure from first to last.” Then, closing it up, he brings in the testimony of Enoch, as one who bore witness of what the evil would be in the end — the forsaking and betrayal of the common salvation. The effect on our hearts should be, “What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?” (Heb. 2:66But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? (Hebrews 2:6)).
The higher the privilege, the worse the corruption. From the beginning of God’s dealings with man down to the last, there is not one period in which the deposit was as large as that given to us, or the corruption so thorough. But Jude passes through that, and he sounds a second note of mercy in connection with the common salvation — God coming in and the security of the people who had faith.
Able to Keep
How strikingly he winds up in Jude 24! He does not merely take the place of one who sees nothing around him to sing about, and therefore turns to God. Rather, he says that all this ruin is not without God’s permission, or the token of His being in the midst of it. Those circumstances are the circumstances in which God’s wisdom will flow out, for God is not going to lose His church. The same waters which destroyed the world flowed in to float the ark. The same wisdom of God will be displayed to us individually. We should not be discouraged or cast down; God will not forget us in those circumstances. He “is able to keep you,” for He is “the only wise God our Saviour” (vs. 25). How Jude rejoices in his experience of God! Look up and see what sort of a character God will exercise towards us in those circumstances! Come what may, there will be a people “sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, and called,” and they have a certain course traced out for them. Do we find that God has preserved us in Christ Jesus? Then “mercy ... peace, and love” will be “multiplied” unto us (vs. 2).
In this day of darkness there need be no groping, although all is confusion outside, but we are to hold fast what we have. We know we are called and sanctified by God the Father. We must hold fast the things we know God has done for us. God will be with us, for in times of trouble He is always close at hand. The Spirit of God is dwelling in our hearts; let Him lead us forth in “praying in the Holy Ghost.” We know, as the children of God, that we can tell Him everything, but when we come to pray in times of trouble, there may be the thought, “Which way is the Lord going?” That is not praying in the Holy Spirit, or when desires are expressed, as with Paul, “Take away the thorn.” Afterwards he prays in the Holy Spirit, for God has His own pathway. God may see something in my heart to humble me. While the ear of God is perfectly open, we have to learn that we are not to dictate to Him. The simplest way is to cast all upon God and pray in the Holy Spirit.
The Love of God
“Keep yourselves in the love of God” (vs. 21). The whole heart of God is beaming upon us; His love is always upon us. “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Everything here is going into confusion, but in the midst of all, the cloud of glory will come down, and the church will go up. He called us on the ground of mercy, and that secures us. He that calls is responsible for every difficulty. We cannot tell how we are to get through, but He that calls us will provide.
Separated to God
In verses 22-23, we have a description of what the conduct of the saints should be in these times. It is not a question of merely tolerating what is all around us; there is to be a positive hatred of the least connection with the flesh. If the heart of a saint is where it ought to be, it is assured of God’s presence and will try to bring others out, whether by strong or by gentle means. Do we realize that the best thing God ever gave has been corrupted? We should be spending all our energy to lead the people of God out of the evil, because we should be the expression of what God is. It is God who has said, “This one is for Myself, and I am able to keep him in all difficulties.” God is at work on behalf of those whom He separated, bringing them on as the One who is able to keep them from stumbling. This brings God very close. We may look around and say, “How is it possible? How can we get through?” Let the only wise God show His competency to keep us from stumbling, for there will always be something for us to strike our foot on in the wilderness and to present us “faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”
The Spirit of God does not forget the glory to which we are predestinated. We forget it and therefore get discouraged and say, “I never shall get there.” Yes we will, for He will present us spotless, thoroughly cleansed. We shall not be there only for His praise, as tokens of His wisdom, but there with hearts able to enter into it all.
Jude looked at all that and said, “That is where I see the wisdom of God displayed.” Persons ask sometimes whereabouts I find myself. I say, “In the last four or five years I have had a deeper sense of Paul’s experience of the churches. I am not discouraged as to all the sorrows; I can only say God wants to multiply proofs of His wisdom. I expect to find greater trials, but in them all God will make us know more of what He Himself is.”
G. V. Wigram, adapted