Biblical Topics: Jude, chapter 1:9-12

Jude Chapter 1 verses 9 to 12

This epistle, book, is addressed to all the believers of Christ’s gospel. It has some reflections of Peter’s writings in it, which would lend one to believe that Jude was privy to Peter’s writings. The style of writing seems to be one that is designed to protect the believers from false teachings and to lead them back into the truth they once knew. Jude is speaking out against the teachers that have chosen to spread false doctrine in an attempt to take away the importance of Christ in the Church. The teachings that Jude is coming against are ones that have taught a sinful way of life while still giving one the hope of salvation. Jude is saying that these teachings give way to allowing one to believe that they can have the best of both worlds without fear of losing Christ. The message of God through Christ Jesus is one thing only, the world and death, or God and life.

Jude goes on here to say that even though he is making it known to them that there are false teachings amongst them, he is not going to judge them or make direct accusations to them. He will simply point out that some among them are teaching falsely and those that are doing so once knew the truth. And those that desire to leave that teaching are free to do.

Jude speaks of Michael the Archangel, we find only one other reference to the word Archangel in the Bible and that is in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. “1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” Jude says that even Michael one of the highest angels left the rebuking or judging to God. And this is what Jude will do, he will bring them into remembrance of what they should already know and he will make them aware of the deceitful ones in their midst, but he will not judge them.

Zechariah 3:1-2 speaks also of letting God be the judge. “Zechariah 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

Zechariah 3:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”

Jude goes on to say that these false teachers, have no shame, they go on and on teaching those things that are not of God. They step into the realm of the unknown and savor it and lust after it casting aside that which they know to be right. They throw away that which is natural and pleasing in the eyes of God for the occasional pleasure of sin. They look only at what is before them, not at what is to come. This way sin creeps into your life. It starts out in such a small innocent manner and then before long it has taken over your life.

Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

What Jude is depicting here is something very nasty and beastly. He is saying that these teachers have no taste for anything other than that, which is corrupt. Jude says that even knowing that what they were doing was wrong, they labored for those things which gratified, which pleased, which aroused the senses of the body. They did not observe any type of moderation. Instead, they indulged themselves like brute beasts. Jude desires them to come to their senses and see that they are not brute animals. Instinct is the ruling factor in a beast, while reason should be the governing factor in humans.

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Jude calls these people, the false teachers, cursed, he says that they have gone in the way of Cain. Jude is saying that they are imitators of Cain, imitators of Balaam. Cain’s rejection of the provision of God towards himself is like our rejection of the provision of God through Christ. Jude says they have hungered greedily after the wrong doings of Balaam. Balaam hired himself out as a prophet and epitomized deception and greed. Jude is talking about the religious leaders that place themselves on pedestals and cry for the people to come before them in reverence and worship. Religious leaders should not become instruments of worship and praise. We can be drawn to a great man or woman of God, but not drawn to them to the point of worshipping them. Jude is warning the people that this is what is happening.

Peter, in 2 Peter 2:14 calls them cursed children. They “perished in the gainsaying of Core.” Core or Korah, was the son of Izhar the son of Kohath the son of Levi. Korah was a leader of the rebellion against his cousins Moses and Aaron. Korah paid a great penalty for this rebellion; he perished with his followers in an earthquake and flames of fire. Korah was considered a haughty and ambitious man. Those that speak words that do not line up with the Word of God are false teachers and will perish. Those that follow the false teachers and the ones that have set themselves up to be worshipped will perish also.

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Jude now remarks that these characteristics this type of teaching, these that teach in this manner are blemishes. They are parasites or sores in the feast of charity or love. The feast of charity is the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. In true worship and adoration of Christ, one does not indulge them self in self-gratification. One does not feed them self as a hog and without of concern of others. A true feast of charity is one where the children of God tell one another of God and of His love. It is a feast of uplifting one another in the sight of God not the sight of man. It is a feast of exaltation and praise of God the Father, not man and man’s accomplishments.

Peter said it this way, “And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceiving while they feast with you; (2 Peter 2:13).”

Clouds are they, without water. They have nothing within to bring life. Peter also speaks of this, “These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. (2 Peter 2:17)” Even though it might seem that these teachers offer much, they are truly barren and empty. They are self-seeking and desire only to see themselves worshipped and praised. They are like storm clouds driven to peaks and then dissipating giving hope of rain, but soon vanishing into nothing. Just as one stands in the field and gazes into the sky seeing the clouds peak and rise to only soon fall apart and vanish and the hope of rain is gone. So is it with the teachings of false prophets and preachers, one is brought to a pinnacle of expectation and then left with destruction, emptiness and pain. Like a fountain dried up and empty no longer giving of its life’s flow. Jude metaphorically calls them trees that are withering away. Trees that blossom and then bear no fruit are the false teachers. They have nothing within them; they are all dried up and empty.

Jude next calls them trees that are rooted up, and twice dead. Once dead in sin, and then brought to the knowledge of God and then dead again because of their apostasy. Dead again because they deserted their first love, they turned from their belief and followed false teaching. And the longer they follow in the false teaching the more withered up and dried up they become. And soon they will be so withered that there will be no reviving them again, they will be totally dead. No fruit will ever appear from them again.

Those that follow the false teachings will become like planets that burn out and fall from the sky never to shine again. They are wandering stars, aimless without any sense of direction.