We have a Choice

Jude, Verses 14-25

As I was about to write, this verse came into my mind; “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8 ESV)  As I began to write, I have no understanding of how this verse ties into what God is saying in Jude 14-19, but if it is only a reminder that we are easily mislead, that often our higher-learning makes us foolish to the ways of an unseen God.

Jude is dealing with false teachers and apostates inside the church, and he brings up the name of Enoch in verses 14-15, “It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Jude 1:14-15 ESV)  The first question is, has this happened, and the second is of interest also, why did God choose Enoch to make this prophesy?

The answer to the first question is no, but the second is only conjecture, and it will require us to examine the Scriptures.  One of the things we discovered about Enoch is that he was the father of Methuselah, and Methuselah was the grandfather of Noah, and Scripture tells us that Methuselah lived longer than any other man, 969 years.  That would make Enoch very important, but that is not the key to why God revealed this truth about Jesus returning to bring judgment on the nations.  We find this information in Genesis 5:22-24, “Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”  Now, we are not going to understand that with human reasoning, for to understand it requires faith, not reasoning.   In those walks with the Father, the Father shared much with Enoch, and one of the subjects was His Son’s return to earth.

Jude gives us a character sketch of what these people that are to be judged look like; “These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.” (Jude 1:16 ESV)  Now, if that’s not a picture of our culture, you might think you were in a small Baptist church ran by the deacon body, God is not present, but it is full of self-centered, self-righteous men, and women; or you might be in a Meg church where the leadership has no clue of God’s will but is full of themselves.

And then Jude tells us that the apostles also predicted these things, “They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” (Jude 1:18-19 ESV)  But God, those are the most important two words I can imagine, and Jude ends this letter with a reminder that we have a choice, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (Jude 1:20-23 ESV)

Jude closes the letter with a doxology: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25 ESV)

           

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice