Revelation 15

Revelation 15:1

Examples of Apostasy and God’s Judgment

Jude 1:4. Jude is now going to explain and support his appeal to contend. In case you may already have considerations whether you will or will not participate in the fight for which he appeals you to, you will get convinced of the necessity of your effort by his explanation. In an impressive way he portrays the situation of professing Christianity as it already developed in those days. That development has not stopped since then, but it got worse more and more. That means that the necessity to contend has only been increasing more and more.

For “certain persons”, which means men with a certain character, “have crept in”, very secretly, with a deception, through a side door (cf. Galatians 2:4). Those people are no believers. They are emphatically called “ungodly persons” by Jude. They are men “who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation”. That does not mean that their names are written, but it means that men who do such things will be struck by this judgment. The judgment was announced by Enoch already many centuries ago, even before the flood. Then God already made known what He was going to do with these ungodly men in the end time (Jude 1:14-15).

There are people, including sincere children of God, who from what Jude is saying here, conclude that God has predestined men to be perished. This conclusion is not in accordance with the teaching of the Scripture. God does not predestine anyone to be perished forever. The predetermined condemnation regards people who have prepared themselves for destruction (Romans 9:22; 2 Peter 2:3). It can be compared with the fine I get if I park my car somewhere without buying a ticket, which results in the payment of a fine. If I park my car on that place without buying a ticket, I am condemned to get a fine. The condemnation is ready for everyone who commits this violation, but there is only mention of registering names if the violation is committed.

Jude is not cautious with his exposure of these people. He does not make gradual steps to come to that point, but he criticizes them immediately. He does that to make their character immediately clear and in that way open the eyes of gullible people in the church for these corrupt persons. Such people present themselves as Christians and have sweet talks, as you will see later. Jude is quite clear. They are “ungodly persons”, who destroy the faith. They have two main characteristics. The first characteristic is that they abuse grace by using it as a cover for fulfilling their own lusts. The second characteristic is that they reject the authority of the Lord Jesus.

That they are ‘ungodly’ – the word ‘ungodly’ appears seven times in this letter –, means that they are without any respect and fear for God. That attitude is expressed in the two mentioned characteristics. They dare to abuse grace to justify their lawlessness – see and compare Titus 2 where grace teaches the opposite (Titus 2:12). They abuse the Christian freedom to lead a life “in licentiousness”. They lack every sense of what is appropriate. They also “deny” and despise the absolute and Divine authority of the Lord Jesus.

You can recognize these persons, who “crept in unnoticed”, by their way of life. It is absolutely out of the question that they could be born again. They live just like man has lived apart from God since the fall. They follow the lusts of the flesh to which they succumb in debauchery and live their life in pride as they see fit. They also totally do not take into consideration the authority of the absolute Ruler, “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”. You especially notice that by the way they deal with God’s Word. They do not have any respect for it, they do not bow to it, it does not impress them in any way.

Jude 1:5. From that same Word that is denied by them Jude wants to remind you of three cases from the beginning of the Old Testament. In these three cases the apostasy he speaks about and God’s judgment on it are clearly shown.

You are addressed as someone who “knows all things once for all”. That is true for each believer, also for you, no matter how long you have been converted. For you have the “anointing of the Holy One” and you “know all things” (1 John 2:20). After a course of time the awareness of it may sink away. Then it is good to be reminded of it.

The first case is that of the people of Israel when they were saved out of Egypt. God had saved the people and promised them the land of Canaan. This promise also included that He was going to help them to take the land into possession. But when the people listened to the evil rumor that the ten spies spread about the promised land, they rebelled against the Lord and did not believe Him. They flatly refused to take that land into possession (Numbers 14:1-28; 1 Corinthians 10:5-10) and in that way they showed their unbelief. They pushed God aside.

After God had dealt with them by grace by saving them out of Egypt, He dealt “subsequently” with them on the ground of their unbelief. The result was that all died from twenty years old and upward when they left Egypt, except Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 14:29-30; 35; Hebrews 3:16-19).

Jude 1:6. The second example of rebellion and apostasy is that of angels who had sinned horribly. They did not keep “their own domain”, which means their original and exalted state, “but abandoned their proper abode”, which God had given them. About this event we read in Genesis 6 (Genesis 6:1-7). There is mention of “God’s sons” of whom we know from the book of Job that these are angels (Job 1:6; Job 2:1). These sons of God took human form and took daughters of men as wives for themselves.

This evil is that bad that God has deprived these angels of any freedom of movement. He now already has kept them in “eternal bonds”, that are bonds with which they are bound forever, and with which He keeps them “under darkness”, so that they will never see light again. They are “kept” there till the definite judgment on them will be executed on the great day of judgment.

Jude 1:7. The third example is directly connected to the previous one, which you can derive from the word “just as” with which this verse begins. What happened in “Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them” is of the same corruptness as what the angels did, and even worse. It causes the apostasy to reach a pinnacle. It is about the most outrageous shamelessness, a shamelessness which is directed against all that is natural, given by God. This particular perversion is that of homosexual relationship of men who “in their desire toward one another” commit “indecent acts” (Romans 1:26b-27). They have left their own nature. That is rebellion and apostasy. This is “gross immorality” and going “after strange flesh”, which means that it is completely against the natural order of God.

The uncommitted free life style, promoted by liberals, and the pressure to fully accept a homosexual life style as a ‘normal’ life style, are compared with the practices of ‘Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them’. What God has done with those cities shows His judgment on homosexual practice. This should be a warning to everyone who lives like that or who accepts that as normal and who probably even fights for general acceptance. The “punishment of eternal fire” shows that there is no end to God’s judgment on that. All apostates will be struck by this judgment.

In the three examples you do not find a chronological, but a spiritual order. The apostates will 1. like the Israelites who did not believe, die the physical death, 2. then like the angels who did not keep their proper domain, be kept under darkness for the judgment before the great white throne and 3. finally, like Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around it, undergo the punishment of eternal fire.

Jude 1:8. After these examples of apostasy and God’s judgment on it, Jude returns to his theme of the apostates of his time. The whole thinking of those people is unclean. They are “dreaming”, they live in a fantasy world with filthy fantasies. They ultimately find the fulfillment of their dreams in disgusting sexual sins, just like the men of Sodom. They live in rebellion against God and reject every form of authority ordained by Him. They also speak in a reviling way about everything that God has given a certain honor, a certain glory in which something of Him is seen.

Jude 1:9. These people have the brutality to say things that even “Michael the archangel” did not dare to say “when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses”. Jude tells about this event which cannot be found in the Bible. He received this information through God’s Spirit. We know that God has buried Moses in the valley in the land of Moab and that nobody knows about his grave (Deuteronomy 34:6). It is not unlikely that the devil was looking for the place where Moses was buried, with the intention letting the people know that place in order to make it a place of pilgrimage, which is a place of idolatry, for the people. In that, Michael opposed him.

In the future Michael will appear to be stronger than the devil, for he will throw him out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). Michael knows his time to act against the devil and does not anticipate it. That’s why he does not dare pronounce a “railing judgment” against this prince of angels in the kingdom of darkness. The archangel leaves the judgment on blasphemy by the devil, to the Lord. Look also at the attitude of David toward Saul for a moment when Saul was already rejected by God. As long as Saul is ruling David adopts a submissive attitude (1 Samuel 24:9-16; 1 Samuel 26:4-25).

There is a danger that we may want to exercise power over those who are doing the work of the devil. Therefore it is necessary that we bear in mind what is written in the Scripture: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). We may also learn from the attitude of Michael that we should not mock the devil and think that we can make him ridiculous by giving him all kinds of contemptible names, as it happens sometimes.

Now read Jude 1:4-9 again.

Reflection: How can you recognize people who have crept in unnoticed?

Revelation 15:2

Characteristics of Ungodliness

Jude 1:10. Again Jude uses that contemptuous “these”. In contrast to Michael these apostates audaciously and recklessly “revile the things which they do not understand”. That is arrogance and pride all over. Naturally, they have a knowledge which is also present with “unreasoning animals”. This knowledge concerns the natural instincts, needs which they do have, like eating and drinking and sexuality.

Animals act after their nature, their instinct. They cannot think, for they have no mind. These people behave just like animals. But just because they are supposed to be able to think of what they do, while they contrarily still act like animals in fulfilling their lusts, they abase themselves and destroy themselves in their way of acting. With the unreasoning of animals they indulge in sexual satisfaction.

Jude 1:11. The “woe” is spoken out over them, which is the only time that we find it spoken out in the letters. It is the language of the book of the final judgments, the book of Revelation. Using the example of some Old Testament wicked people, Jude describes the way that leads to this ‘woe’.

They have “gone the way of Cain”. They are like Cain and his way, that is the way of a religion that does not come from God’s righteousness, but from their own righteousness. Cain was the first who went this way and this way is still extremely popular. He believed in God, but believed he could honor God in his own way, with his own ‘good works’ (Genesis 4:3-8). God had to be satisfied with that. He did not think for a moment of coming with a bloody sacrifice. God Himself showed that after the fall (Genesis 3:21) which was understood by Abel (Genesis 4:4). This attitude of Cain, serving God with good works, an attitude which is normal for Gentiles, has crept in into professing Christianity and is imitated by countless people.

The next step is “the error of Balaam” (Numbers 22:7; Numbers 31:16). That implies their self-enrichment in the service of God. Balaam called himself a prophet of God, but he was greedy and wanted to sell his prophetic gift for money, which implied that he was willing to curse God’s people for money.

Like Balaam today’s false teachers are also good in using the tongue and speak for money what the people like to hear. They manipulate the truth for the sake of money. In that way they turn the house of God into a commercial market. To make merchandise out of the good that comes from God occurs frequently in professing Christianity, especially in the roman-catholic church where all the so-called blessings from birth to death cost money. Even the situation after death becomes a source of profit, for people are enabled to shorten their time in the fabrication of ‘purgatory’ with a duration that is dependent on the amount that is being paid.

The third and last step in the apostasy is the unmitigated rebellion against God, such as to be seen “in the rebellion of Korah” (Numbers 16:19-35). Korah rejected God’s choice of the priesthood and in that way His authority. He wanted to have the function of priest himself and wanted to take the place of mediator, through which he could exercise control over God’s people. We see that also in the most clear way in roman-catholicism. God’s judgment was executed on him and his companions. They descended in the realm of death alive.

All these three persons have in common that they arrogated something what they were not. In Cain we see a false worshiper, in Balaam a false prophet and in Korah a false priest. The apostasy of each of them had to do with religion. Also here the ranking is not chronological but spiritual: Cain went, Balaam rushed headlong and Korah perished. It shows the spiritual downturn and the end of the people who are concerned.

Jude 1:12. It is as if Jude is tiring himself out in looking for examples in order to make clear to you what kind of people these apostates are. In order to present the character and destiny of those apostates more clearly, he uses some examples from nature in Jude 1:12-13.

The first example is that of “reefs”. The word ‘reefs’ is derived from the word ‘cliffs’, which are rocks below the sea level, that may cause boats to sink when the helmsman does not watch carefully. He calls the apostates “reefs in your love feasts”. ‘Love feasts’ are the fellowship meals that the first Christians connected to the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20).

With these apostates, however, there is nothing present of Christian love and fellowship. During the love feasts they only think of themselves. They “feast”, without any fear to be found improper or greedy. They are feeding themselves shamelessly and in that way are the evident opposite of the Lord Who is seeking the well-being of the sheep. In Ezekiel 34, a chapter that deals with false shepherds, the ‘woe’ is spoken out over them (Ezekiel 34:2).

These people probably have, while enjoying all the goodies, spoken out all their edifying thoughts with nice talks. They have given a swirling show, but it seemed to be nothing more than the sparkling of soap bubbles. It promised to be a refreshment like clouds are expected to be producing water (the next example from nature), but they are “clouds without water”. They form a great contrast to Moses who as his desire regarding to his words, speaks out the following to God’s people: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2; cf. Isaiah 55:10).

There is no handhold in what they say, for they are “carried along by winds”. They behave themselves inconsistently and constantly come with other ideas, which do not make sense. They leave only disenchantment and hopelessness behind. What a difference with what Paul wishes to the believers: ”As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:14-15; Hebrews 13:9)!

They are like “autumn trees without fruit”, meaning trees out of which the life has gone and therefore are not expected to produce fruit. They are “doubly dead”. In the first place they are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and in the second place they are dead in their confession, for therein all life lacks.

They are dead from the root, there is in no way connection with life, which also cannot possibly come, for they have been cut off from the root. They have been “uprooted”. In this way the promised fruit will never come, just like the promised water from the clouds will never come. Such trees are to be cut down (Luke 13:9). These people are like trees that are uprooted, they have been taken away from the place of which they confessed to have. The only thing that is left for trees that are uprooted is the fire.

Jude 1:13. The following example Jude uses is that of the sea. He compares these people with “wild waves of the sea”. There is a complete uncontrollability with them like with a raging sea (cf. Isaiah 57:20). If you have ever seen a sea in the storm, you must also have seen white foamed waves, caused by the wind. Those white foam is blown on the beach by the wind. The foam goes in all directions and finally there is nothing left of it.

This is what happens to these people and their teachings. Despite the noise that they cause, they show nothing more than their own shameless deeds which are visible on the top of the waves and which are being blown on the beach. The white foam seems to refer to cleanness, but it is the whiteness of the whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). There is nothing left of it, they leave nothing behind that has any value.

In their whole performance they still want to give the impression that you can take their life as an example to determine your direction, but they are “wandering stars”. They will end up where they live and that is in “the black darkness” and that will last “forever”. They will never more be able to deceive anyone there and they will also never be able to enjoy anything.

Jude 1:14. In the earliest days already there has been prophesies about these men, that they will be condemned. As a proof of that Jude quotes Enoch. To not confuse this Enoch with the other, the man with the same name who is a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:17-18), it is said of him that he is the “seventh [generation] from Adam”. He “prophesied” about the coming of the Lord Jesus to bring judgment on the wicked apostates.

This prophesy of Enoch is only found in this letter. In the Old Testament we do not find it. God’s Spirit has also revealed this to Jude, the same as what is written in Jude 1:9. Enoch prophesied in his days about the coming of Christ for judgment, whereby He will be accompanied by “many thousands of His holy ones”, which include all the redeemed of all times. This judgment has had a fulfillment in advance in the flood.

It is a nice thought that Enoch himself was taken away by God before the flood, without seeing death (Hebrews 11:5). In that way he is a picture of the church that will also be taken up into heaven before the judgments strike the earth. The believers will not come into judgment (John 5:24).

Jude 1:15. The judgment will be executed upon all unbelievers. Christ will judge all works as well as all words of the ungodly sinners. Do you see how the Holy Spirit emphasizes the nature of ungodliness? The people are ungodly, as are their deeds and ways and their harsh words which they “have spoken against Him”. Therefore every soul that has committed that sin will be personally punished by Him. Because judgment does not immediately follow after the deed, it may seem that God forgets to punish and man keeps on doing evil (Ecclesiastes 8:11). But the day of reckoning will come.

Jude 1:16. Their ungodly words have been uttered in grumbling language. They are dissatisfied, they always want more or differently, they complain about their destiny. They always blame God. Why does He allow the wars and miseries to happen? If He is that almighty, why does not He change the world?

Those are people who are “following after their [own] lusts”. They always seek to fulfill their passions. They speak “arrogantly”, using sensationalizing language, words that are haughtily and hypocritically spoken out. They crawl for people who are above them and they flatter them purely out of selfishness, in order to benefit personally. Meanwhile they follow their own hidden agenda, for they do not care about others. Only one’s own ‘I’ is important.

Now read Jude 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: Which examples of ungodliness does Jude present in these verses?

Revelation 15:3

Characteristics of Ungodliness

Jude 1:10. Again Jude uses that contemptuous “these”. In contrast to Michael these apostates audaciously and recklessly “revile the things which they do not understand”. That is arrogance and pride all over. Naturally, they have a knowledge which is also present with “unreasoning animals”. This knowledge concerns the natural instincts, needs which they do have, like eating and drinking and sexuality.

Animals act after their nature, their instinct. They cannot think, for they have no mind. These people behave just like animals. But just because they are supposed to be able to think of what they do, while they contrarily still act like animals in fulfilling their lusts, they abase themselves and destroy themselves in their way of acting. With the unreasoning of animals they indulge in sexual satisfaction.

Jude 1:11. The “woe” is spoken out over them, which is the only time that we find it spoken out in the letters. It is the language of the book of the final judgments, the book of Revelation. Using the example of some Old Testament wicked people, Jude describes the way that leads to this ‘woe’.

They have “gone the way of Cain”. They are like Cain and his way, that is the way of a religion that does not come from God’s righteousness, but from their own righteousness. Cain was the first who went this way and this way is still extremely popular. He believed in God, but believed he could honor God in his own way, with his own ‘good works’ (Genesis 4:3-8). God had to be satisfied with that. He did not think for a moment of coming with a bloody sacrifice. God Himself showed that after the fall (Genesis 3:21) which was understood by Abel (Genesis 4:4). This attitude of Cain, serving God with good works, an attitude which is normal for Gentiles, has crept in into professing Christianity and is imitated by countless people.

The next step is “the error of Balaam” (Numbers 22:7; Numbers 31:16). That implies their self-enrichment in the service of God. Balaam called himself a prophet of God, but he was greedy and wanted to sell his prophetic gift for money, which implied that he was willing to curse God’s people for money.

Like Balaam today’s false teachers are also good in using the tongue and speak for money what the people like to hear. They manipulate the truth for the sake of money. In that way they turn the house of God into a commercial market. To make merchandise out of the good that comes from God occurs frequently in professing Christianity, especially in the roman-catholic church where all the so-called blessings from birth to death cost money. Even the situation after death becomes a source of profit, for people are enabled to shorten their time in the fabrication of ‘purgatory’ with a duration that is dependent on the amount that is being paid.

The third and last step in the apostasy is the unmitigated rebellion against God, such as to be seen “in the rebellion of Korah” (Numbers 16:19-35). Korah rejected God’s choice of the priesthood and in that way His authority. He wanted to have the function of priest himself and wanted to take the place of mediator, through which he could exercise control over God’s people. We see that also in the most clear way in roman-catholicism. God’s judgment was executed on him and his companions. They descended in the realm of death alive.

All these three persons have in common that they arrogated something what they were not. In Cain we see a false worshiper, in Balaam a false prophet and in Korah a false priest. The apostasy of each of them had to do with religion. Also here the ranking is not chronological but spiritual: Cain went, Balaam rushed headlong and Korah perished. It shows the spiritual downturn and the end of the people who are concerned.

Jude 1:12. It is as if Jude is tiring himself out in looking for examples in order to make clear to you what kind of people these apostates are. In order to present the character and destiny of those apostates more clearly, he uses some examples from nature in Jude 1:12-13.

The first example is that of “reefs”. The word ‘reefs’ is derived from the word ‘cliffs’, which are rocks below the sea level, that may cause boats to sink when the helmsman does not watch carefully. He calls the apostates “reefs in your love feasts”. ‘Love feasts’ are the fellowship meals that the first Christians connected to the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20).

With these apostates, however, there is nothing present of Christian love and fellowship. During the love feasts they only think of themselves. They “feast”, without any fear to be found improper or greedy. They are feeding themselves shamelessly and in that way are the evident opposite of the Lord Who is seeking the well-being of the sheep. In Ezekiel 34, a chapter that deals with false shepherds, the ‘woe’ is spoken out over them (Ezekiel 34:2).

These people probably have, while enjoying all the goodies, spoken out all their edifying thoughts with nice talks. They have given a swirling show, but it seemed to be nothing more than the sparkling of soap bubbles. It promised to be a refreshment like clouds are expected to be producing water (the next example from nature), but they are “clouds without water”. They form a great contrast to Moses who as his desire regarding to his words, speaks out the following to God’s people: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2; cf. Isaiah 55:10).

There is no handhold in what they say, for they are “carried along by winds”. They behave themselves inconsistently and constantly come with other ideas, which do not make sense. They leave only disenchantment and hopelessness behind. What a difference with what Paul wishes to the believers: ”As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:14-15; Hebrews 13:9)!

They are like “autumn trees without fruit”, meaning trees out of which the life has gone and therefore are not expected to produce fruit. They are “doubly dead”. In the first place they are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and in the second place they are dead in their confession, for therein all life lacks.

They are dead from the root, there is in no way connection with life, which also cannot possibly come, for they have been cut off from the root. They have been “uprooted”. In this way the promised fruit will never come, just like the promised water from the clouds will never come. Such trees are to be cut down (Luke 13:9). These people are like trees that are uprooted, they have been taken away from the place of which they confessed to have. The only thing that is left for trees that are uprooted is the fire.

Jude 1:13. The following example Jude uses is that of the sea. He compares these people with “wild waves of the sea”. There is a complete uncontrollability with them like with a raging sea (cf. Isaiah 57:20). If you have ever seen a sea in the storm, you must also have seen white foamed waves, caused by the wind. Those white foam is blown on the beach by the wind. The foam goes in all directions and finally there is nothing left of it.

This is what happens to these people and their teachings. Despite the noise that they cause, they show nothing more than their own shameless deeds which are visible on the top of the waves and which are being blown on the beach. The white foam seems to refer to cleanness, but it is the whiteness of the whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). There is nothing left of it, they leave nothing behind that has any value.

In their whole performance they still want to give the impression that you can take their life as an example to determine your direction, but they are “wandering stars”. They will end up where they live and that is in “the black darkness” and that will last “forever”. They will never more be able to deceive anyone there and they will also never be able to enjoy anything.

Jude 1:14. In the earliest days already there has been prophesies about these men, that they will be condemned. As a proof of that Jude quotes Enoch. To not confuse this Enoch with the other, the man with the same name who is a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:17-18), it is said of him that he is the “seventh [generation] from Adam”. He “prophesied” about the coming of the Lord Jesus to bring judgment on the wicked apostates.

This prophesy of Enoch is only found in this letter. In the Old Testament we do not find it. God’s Spirit has also revealed this to Jude, the same as what is written in Jude 1:9. Enoch prophesied in his days about the coming of Christ for judgment, whereby He will be accompanied by “many thousands of His holy ones”, which include all the redeemed of all times. This judgment has had a fulfillment in advance in the flood.

It is a nice thought that Enoch himself was taken away by God before the flood, without seeing death (Hebrews 11:5). In that way he is a picture of the church that will also be taken up into heaven before the judgments strike the earth. The believers will not come into judgment (John 5:24).

Jude 1:15. The judgment will be executed upon all unbelievers. Christ will judge all works as well as all words of the ungodly sinners. Do you see how the Holy Spirit emphasizes the nature of ungodliness? The people are ungodly, as are their deeds and ways and their harsh words which they “have spoken against Him”. Therefore every soul that has committed that sin will be personally punished by Him. Because judgment does not immediately follow after the deed, it may seem that God forgets to punish and man keeps on doing evil (Ecclesiastes 8:11). But the day of reckoning will come.

Jude 1:16. Their ungodly words have been uttered in grumbling language. They are dissatisfied, they always want more or differently, they complain about their destiny. They always blame God. Why does He allow the wars and miseries to happen? If He is that almighty, why does not He change the world?

Those are people who are “following after their [own] lusts”. They always seek to fulfill their passions. They speak “arrogantly”, using sensationalizing language, words that are haughtily and hypocritically spoken out. They crawl for people who are above them and they flatter them purely out of selfishness, in order to benefit personally. Meanwhile they follow their own hidden agenda, for they do not care about others. Only one’s own ‘I’ is important.

Now read Jude 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: Which examples of ungodliness does Jude present in these verses?

Revelation 15:4

Characteristics of Ungodliness

Jude 1:10. Again Jude uses that contemptuous “these”. In contrast to Michael these apostates audaciously and recklessly “revile the things which they do not understand”. That is arrogance and pride all over. Naturally, they have a knowledge which is also present with “unreasoning animals”. This knowledge concerns the natural instincts, needs which they do have, like eating and drinking and sexuality.

Animals act after their nature, their instinct. They cannot think, for they have no mind. These people behave just like animals. But just because they are supposed to be able to think of what they do, while they contrarily still act like animals in fulfilling their lusts, they abase themselves and destroy themselves in their way of acting. With the unreasoning of animals they indulge in sexual satisfaction.

Jude 1:11. The “woe” is spoken out over them, which is the only time that we find it spoken out in the letters. It is the language of the book of the final judgments, the book of Revelation. Using the example of some Old Testament wicked people, Jude describes the way that leads to this ‘woe’.

They have “gone the way of Cain”. They are like Cain and his way, that is the way of a religion that does not come from God’s righteousness, but from their own righteousness. Cain was the first who went this way and this way is still extremely popular. He believed in God, but believed he could honor God in his own way, with his own ‘good works’ (Genesis 4:3-8). God had to be satisfied with that. He did not think for a moment of coming with a bloody sacrifice. God Himself showed that after the fall (Genesis 3:21) which was understood by Abel (Genesis 4:4). This attitude of Cain, serving God with good works, an attitude which is normal for Gentiles, has crept in into professing Christianity and is imitated by countless people.

The next step is “the error of Balaam” (Numbers 22:7; Numbers 31:16). That implies their self-enrichment in the service of God. Balaam called himself a prophet of God, but he was greedy and wanted to sell his prophetic gift for money, which implied that he was willing to curse God’s people for money.

Like Balaam today’s false teachers are also good in using the tongue and speak for money what the people like to hear. They manipulate the truth for the sake of money. In that way they turn the house of God into a commercial market. To make merchandise out of the good that comes from God occurs frequently in professing Christianity, especially in the roman-catholic church where all the so-called blessings from birth to death cost money. Even the situation after death becomes a source of profit, for people are enabled to shorten their time in the fabrication of ‘purgatory’ with a duration that is dependent on the amount that is being paid.

The third and last step in the apostasy is the unmitigated rebellion against God, such as to be seen “in the rebellion of Korah” (Numbers 16:19-35). Korah rejected God’s choice of the priesthood and in that way His authority. He wanted to have the function of priest himself and wanted to take the place of mediator, through which he could exercise control over God’s people. We see that also in the most clear way in roman-catholicism. God’s judgment was executed on him and his companions. They descended in the realm of death alive.

All these three persons have in common that they arrogated something what they were not. In Cain we see a false worshiper, in Balaam a false prophet and in Korah a false priest. The apostasy of each of them had to do with religion. Also here the ranking is not chronological but spiritual: Cain went, Balaam rushed headlong and Korah perished. It shows the spiritual downturn and the end of the people who are concerned.

Jude 1:12. It is as if Jude is tiring himself out in looking for examples in order to make clear to you what kind of people these apostates are. In order to present the character and destiny of those apostates more clearly, he uses some examples from nature in Jude 1:12-13.

The first example is that of “reefs”. The word ‘reefs’ is derived from the word ‘cliffs’, which are rocks below the sea level, that may cause boats to sink when the helmsman does not watch carefully. He calls the apostates “reefs in your love feasts”. ‘Love feasts’ are the fellowship meals that the first Christians connected to the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20).

With these apostates, however, there is nothing present of Christian love and fellowship. During the love feasts they only think of themselves. They “feast”, without any fear to be found improper or greedy. They are feeding themselves shamelessly and in that way are the evident opposite of the Lord Who is seeking the well-being of the sheep. In Ezekiel 34, a chapter that deals with false shepherds, the ‘woe’ is spoken out over them (Ezekiel 34:2).

These people probably have, while enjoying all the goodies, spoken out all their edifying thoughts with nice talks. They have given a swirling show, but it seemed to be nothing more than the sparkling of soap bubbles. It promised to be a refreshment like clouds are expected to be producing water (the next example from nature), but they are “clouds without water”. They form a great contrast to Moses who as his desire regarding to his words, speaks out the following to God’s people: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2; cf. Isaiah 55:10).

There is no handhold in what they say, for they are “carried along by winds”. They behave themselves inconsistently and constantly come with other ideas, which do not make sense. They leave only disenchantment and hopelessness behind. What a difference with what Paul wishes to the believers: ”As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:14-15; Hebrews 13:9)!

They are like “autumn trees without fruit”, meaning trees out of which the life has gone and therefore are not expected to produce fruit. They are “doubly dead”. In the first place they are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and in the second place they are dead in their confession, for therein all life lacks.

They are dead from the root, there is in no way connection with life, which also cannot possibly come, for they have been cut off from the root. They have been “uprooted”. In this way the promised fruit will never come, just like the promised water from the clouds will never come. Such trees are to be cut down (Luke 13:9). These people are like trees that are uprooted, they have been taken away from the place of which they confessed to have. The only thing that is left for trees that are uprooted is the fire.

Jude 1:13. The following example Jude uses is that of the sea. He compares these people with “wild waves of the sea”. There is a complete uncontrollability with them like with a raging sea (cf. Isaiah 57:20). If you have ever seen a sea in the storm, you must also have seen white foamed waves, caused by the wind. Those white foam is blown on the beach by the wind. The foam goes in all directions and finally there is nothing left of it.

This is what happens to these people and their teachings. Despite the noise that they cause, they show nothing more than their own shameless deeds which are visible on the top of the waves and which are being blown on the beach. The white foam seems to refer to cleanness, but it is the whiteness of the whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). There is nothing left of it, they leave nothing behind that has any value.

In their whole performance they still want to give the impression that you can take their life as an example to determine your direction, but they are “wandering stars”. They will end up where they live and that is in “the black darkness” and that will last “forever”. They will never more be able to deceive anyone there and they will also never be able to enjoy anything.

Jude 1:14. In the earliest days already there has been prophesies about these men, that they will be condemned. As a proof of that Jude quotes Enoch. To not confuse this Enoch with the other, the man with the same name who is a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:17-18), it is said of him that he is the “seventh [generation] from Adam”. He “prophesied” about the coming of the Lord Jesus to bring judgment on the wicked apostates.

This prophesy of Enoch is only found in this letter. In the Old Testament we do not find it. God’s Spirit has also revealed this to Jude, the same as what is written in Jude 1:9. Enoch prophesied in his days about the coming of Christ for judgment, whereby He will be accompanied by “many thousands of His holy ones”, which include all the redeemed of all times. This judgment has had a fulfillment in advance in the flood.

It is a nice thought that Enoch himself was taken away by God before the flood, without seeing death (Hebrews 11:5). In that way he is a picture of the church that will also be taken up into heaven before the judgments strike the earth. The believers will not come into judgment (John 5:24).

Jude 1:15. The judgment will be executed upon all unbelievers. Christ will judge all works as well as all words of the ungodly sinners. Do you see how the Holy Spirit emphasizes the nature of ungodliness? The people are ungodly, as are their deeds and ways and their harsh words which they “have spoken against Him”. Therefore every soul that has committed that sin will be personally punished by Him. Because judgment does not immediately follow after the deed, it may seem that God forgets to punish and man keeps on doing evil (Ecclesiastes 8:11). But the day of reckoning will come.

Jude 1:16. Their ungodly words have been uttered in grumbling language. They are dissatisfied, they always want more or differently, they complain about their destiny. They always blame God. Why does He allow the wars and miseries to happen? If He is that almighty, why does not He change the world?

Those are people who are “following after their [own] lusts”. They always seek to fulfill their passions. They speak “arrogantly”, using sensationalizing language, words that are haughtily and hypocritically spoken out. They crawl for people who are above them and they flatter them purely out of selfishness, in order to benefit personally. Meanwhile they follow their own hidden agenda, for they do not care about others. Only one’s own ‘I’ is important.

Now read Jude 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: Which examples of ungodliness does Jude present in these verses?

Revelation 15:5

Characteristics of Ungodliness

Jude 1:10. Again Jude uses that contemptuous “these”. In contrast to Michael these apostates audaciously and recklessly “revile the things which they do not understand”. That is arrogance and pride all over. Naturally, they have a knowledge which is also present with “unreasoning animals”. This knowledge concerns the natural instincts, needs which they do have, like eating and drinking and sexuality.

Animals act after their nature, their instinct. They cannot think, for they have no mind. These people behave just like animals. But just because they are supposed to be able to think of what they do, while they contrarily still act like animals in fulfilling their lusts, they abase themselves and destroy themselves in their way of acting. With the unreasoning of animals they indulge in sexual satisfaction.

Jude 1:11. The “woe” is spoken out over them, which is the only time that we find it spoken out in the letters. It is the language of the book of the final judgments, the book of Revelation. Using the example of some Old Testament wicked people, Jude describes the way that leads to this ‘woe’.

They have “gone the way of Cain”. They are like Cain and his way, that is the way of a religion that does not come from God’s righteousness, but from their own righteousness. Cain was the first who went this way and this way is still extremely popular. He believed in God, but believed he could honor God in his own way, with his own ‘good works’ (Genesis 4:3-8). God had to be satisfied with that. He did not think for a moment of coming with a bloody sacrifice. God Himself showed that after the fall (Genesis 3:21) which was understood by Abel (Genesis 4:4). This attitude of Cain, serving God with good works, an attitude which is normal for Gentiles, has crept in into professing Christianity and is imitated by countless people.

The next step is “the error of Balaam” (Numbers 22:7; Numbers 31:16). That implies their self-enrichment in the service of God. Balaam called himself a prophet of God, but he was greedy and wanted to sell his prophetic gift for money, which implied that he was willing to curse God’s people for money.

Like Balaam today’s false teachers are also good in using the tongue and speak for money what the people like to hear. They manipulate the truth for the sake of money. In that way they turn the house of God into a commercial market. To make merchandise out of the good that comes from God occurs frequently in professing Christianity, especially in the roman-catholic church where all the so-called blessings from birth to death cost money. Even the situation after death becomes a source of profit, for people are enabled to shorten their time in the fabrication of ‘purgatory’ with a duration that is dependent on the amount that is being paid.

The third and last step in the apostasy is the unmitigated rebellion against God, such as to be seen “in the rebellion of Korah” (Numbers 16:19-35). Korah rejected God’s choice of the priesthood and in that way His authority. He wanted to have the function of priest himself and wanted to take the place of mediator, through which he could exercise control over God’s people. We see that also in the most clear way in roman-catholicism. God’s judgment was executed on him and his companions. They descended in the realm of death alive.

All these three persons have in common that they arrogated something what they were not. In Cain we see a false worshiper, in Balaam a false prophet and in Korah a false priest. The apostasy of each of them had to do with religion. Also here the ranking is not chronological but spiritual: Cain went, Balaam rushed headlong and Korah perished. It shows the spiritual downturn and the end of the people who are concerned.

Jude 1:12. It is as if Jude is tiring himself out in looking for examples in order to make clear to you what kind of people these apostates are. In order to present the character and destiny of those apostates more clearly, he uses some examples from nature in Jude 1:12-13.

The first example is that of “reefs”. The word ‘reefs’ is derived from the word ‘cliffs’, which are rocks below the sea level, that may cause boats to sink when the helmsman does not watch carefully. He calls the apostates “reefs in your love feasts”. ‘Love feasts’ are the fellowship meals that the first Christians connected to the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20).

With these apostates, however, there is nothing present of Christian love and fellowship. During the love feasts they only think of themselves. They “feast”, without any fear to be found improper or greedy. They are feeding themselves shamelessly and in that way are the evident opposite of the Lord Who is seeking the well-being of the sheep. In Ezekiel 34, a chapter that deals with false shepherds, the ‘woe’ is spoken out over them (Ezekiel 34:2).

These people probably have, while enjoying all the goodies, spoken out all their edifying thoughts with nice talks. They have given a swirling show, but it seemed to be nothing more than the sparkling of soap bubbles. It promised to be a refreshment like clouds are expected to be producing water (the next example from nature), but they are “clouds without water”. They form a great contrast to Moses who as his desire regarding to his words, speaks out the following to God’s people: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2; cf. Isaiah 55:10).

There is no handhold in what they say, for they are “carried along by winds”. They behave themselves inconsistently and constantly come with other ideas, which do not make sense. They leave only disenchantment and hopelessness behind. What a difference with what Paul wishes to the believers: ”As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:14-15; Hebrews 13:9)!

They are like “autumn trees without fruit”, meaning trees out of which the life has gone and therefore are not expected to produce fruit. They are “doubly dead”. In the first place they are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and in the second place they are dead in their confession, for therein all life lacks.

They are dead from the root, there is in no way connection with life, which also cannot possibly come, for they have been cut off from the root. They have been “uprooted”. In this way the promised fruit will never come, just like the promised water from the clouds will never come. Such trees are to be cut down (Luke 13:9). These people are like trees that are uprooted, they have been taken away from the place of which they confessed to have. The only thing that is left for trees that are uprooted is the fire.

Jude 1:13. The following example Jude uses is that of the sea. He compares these people with “wild waves of the sea”. There is a complete uncontrollability with them like with a raging sea (cf. Isaiah 57:20). If you have ever seen a sea in the storm, you must also have seen white foamed waves, caused by the wind. Those white foam is blown on the beach by the wind. The foam goes in all directions and finally there is nothing left of it.

This is what happens to these people and their teachings. Despite the noise that they cause, they show nothing more than their own shameless deeds which are visible on the top of the waves and which are being blown on the beach. The white foam seems to refer to cleanness, but it is the whiteness of the whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). There is nothing left of it, they leave nothing behind that has any value.

In their whole performance they still want to give the impression that you can take their life as an example to determine your direction, but they are “wandering stars”. They will end up where they live and that is in “the black darkness” and that will last “forever”. They will never more be able to deceive anyone there and they will also never be able to enjoy anything.

Jude 1:14. In the earliest days already there has been prophesies about these men, that they will be condemned. As a proof of that Jude quotes Enoch. To not confuse this Enoch with the other, the man with the same name who is a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:17-18), it is said of him that he is the “seventh [generation] from Adam”. He “prophesied” about the coming of the Lord Jesus to bring judgment on the wicked apostates.

This prophesy of Enoch is only found in this letter. In the Old Testament we do not find it. God’s Spirit has also revealed this to Jude, the same as what is written in Jude 1:9. Enoch prophesied in his days about the coming of Christ for judgment, whereby He will be accompanied by “many thousands of His holy ones”, which include all the redeemed of all times. This judgment has had a fulfillment in advance in the flood.

It is a nice thought that Enoch himself was taken away by God before the flood, without seeing death (Hebrews 11:5). In that way he is a picture of the church that will also be taken up into heaven before the judgments strike the earth. The believers will not come into judgment (John 5:24).

Jude 1:15. The judgment will be executed upon all unbelievers. Christ will judge all works as well as all words of the ungodly sinners. Do you see how the Holy Spirit emphasizes the nature of ungodliness? The people are ungodly, as are their deeds and ways and their harsh words which they “have spoken against Him”. Therefore every soul that has committed that sin will be personally punished by Him. Because judgment does not immediately follow after the deed, it may seem that God forgets to punish and man keeps on doing evil (Ecclesiastes 8:11). But the day of reckoning will come.

Jude 1:16. Their ungodly words have been uttered in grumbling language. They are dissatisfied, they always want more or differently, they complain about their destiny. They always blame God. Why does He allow the wars and miseries to happen? If He is that almighty, why does not He change the world?

Those are people who are “following after their [own] lusts”. They always seek to fulfill their passions. They speak “arrogantly”, using sensationalizing language, words that are haughtily and hypocritically spoken out. They crawl for people who are above them and they flatter them purely out of selfishness, in order to benefit personally. Meanwhile they follow their own hidden agenda, for they do not care about others. Only one’s own ‘I’ is important.

Now read Jude 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: Which examples of ungodliness does Jude present in these verses?

Revelation 15:6

Characteristics of Ungodliness

Jude 1:10. Again Jude uses that contemptuous “these”. In contrast to Michael these apostates audaciously and recklessly “revile the things which they do not understand”. That is arrogance and pride all over. Naturally, they have a knowledge which is also present with “unreasoning animals”. This knowledge concerns the natural instincts, needs which they do have, like eating and drinking and sexuality.

Animals act after their nature, their instinct. They cannot think, for they have no mind. These people behave just like animals. But just because they are supposed to be able to think of what they do, while they contrarily still act like animals in fulfilling their lusts, they abase themselves and destroy themselves in their way of acting. With the unreasoning of animals they indulge in sexual satisfaction.

Jude 1:11. The “woe” is spoken out over them, which is the only time that we find it spoken out in the letters. It is the language of the book of the final judgments, the book of Revelation. Using the example of some Old Testament wicked people, Jude describes the way that leads to this ‘woe’.

They have “gone the way of Cain”. They are like Cain and his way, that is the way of a religion that does not come from God’s righteousness, but from their own righteousness. Cain was the first who went this way and this way is still extremely popular. He believed in God, but believed he could honor God in his own way, with his own ‘good works’ (Genesis 4:3-8). God had to be satisfied with that. He did not think for a moment of coming with a bloody sacrifice. God Himself showed that after the fall (Genesis 3:21) which was understood by Abel (Genesis 4:4). This attitude of Cain, serving God with good works, an attitude which is normal for Gentiles, has crept in into professing Christianity and is imitated by countless people.

The next step is “the error of Balaam” (Numbers 22:7; Numbers 31:16). That implies their self-enrichment in the service of God. Balaam called himself a prophet of God, but he was greedy and wanted to sell his prophetic gift for money, which implied that he was willing to curse God’s people for money.

Like Balaam today’s false teachers are also good in using the tongue and speak for money what the people like to hear. They manipulate the truth for the sake of money. In that way they turn the house of God into a commercial market. To make merchandise out of the good that comes from God occurs frequently in professing Christianity, especially in the roman-catholic church where all the so-called blessings from birth to death cost money. Even the situation after death becomes a source of profit, for people are enabled to shorten their time in the fabrication of ‘purgatory’ with a duration that is dependent on the amount that is being paid.

The third and last step in the apostasy is the unmitigated rebellion against God, such as to be seen “in the rebellion of Korah” (Numbers 16:19-35). Korah rejected God’s choice of the priesthood and in that way His authority. He wanted to have the function of priest himself and wanted to take the place of mediator, through which he could exercise control over God’s people. We see that also in the most clear way in roman-catholicism. God’s judgment was executed on him and his companions. They descended in the realm of death alive.

All these three persons have in common that they arrogated something what they were not. In Cain we see a false worshiper, in Balaam a false prophet and in Korah a false priest. The apostasy of each of them had to do with religion. Also here the ranking is not chronological but spiritual: Cain went, Balaam rushed headlong and Korah perished. It shows the spiritual downturn and the end of the people who are concerned.

Jude 1:12. It is as if Jude is tiring himself out in looking for examples in order to make clear to you what kind of people these apostates are. In order to present the character and destiny of those apostates more clearly, he uses some examples from nature in Jude 1:12-13.

The first example is that of “reefs”. The word ‘reefs’ is derived from the word ‘cliffs’, which are rocks below the sea level, that may cause boats to sink when the helmsman does not watch carefully. He calls the apostates “reefs in your love feasts”. ‘Love feasts’ are the fellowship meals that the first Christians connected to the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20).

With these apostates, however, there is nothing present of Christian love and fellowship. During the love feasts they only think of themselves. They “feast”, without any fear to be found improper or greedy. They are feeding themselves shamelessly and in that way are the evident opposite of the Lord Who is seeking the well-being of the sheep. In Ezekiel 34, a chapter that deals with false shepherds, the ‘woe’ is spoken out over them (Ezekiel 34:2).

These people probably have, while enjoying all the goodies, spoken out all their edifying thoughts with nice talks. They have given a swirling show, but it seemed to be nothing more than the sparkling of soap bubbles. It promised to be a refreshment like clouds are expected to be producing water (the next example from nature), but they are “clouds without water”. They form a great contrast to Moses who as his desire regarding to his words, speaks out the following to God’s people: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2; cf. Isaiah 55:10).

There is no handhold in what they say, for they are “carried along by winds”. They behave themselves inconsistently and constantly come with other ideas, which do not make sense. They leave only disenchantment and hopelessness behind. What a difference with what Paul wishes to the believers: ”As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:14-15; Hebrews 13:9)!

They are like “autumn trees without fruit”, meaning trees out of which the life has gone and therefore are not expected to produce fruit. They are “doubly dead”. In the first place they are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and in the second place they are dead in their confession, for therein all life lacks.

They are dead from the root, there is in no way connection with life, which also cannot possibly come, for they have been cut off from the root. They have been “uprooted”. In this way the promised fruit will never come, just like the promised water from the clouds will never come. Such trees are to be cut down (Luke 13:9). These people are like trees that are uprooted, they have been taken away from the place of which they confessed to have. The only thing that is left for trees that are uprooted is the fire.

Jude 1:13. The following example Jude uses is that of the sea. He compares these people with “wild waves of the sea”. There is a complete uncontrollability with them like with a raging sea (cf. Isaiah 57:20). If you have ever seen a sea in the storm, you must also have seen white foamed waves, caused by the wind. Those white foam is blown on the beach by the wind. The foam goes in all directions and finally there is nothing left of it.

This is what happens to these people and their teachings. Despite the noise that they cause, they show nothing more than their own shameless deeds which are visible on the top of the waves and which are being blown on the beach. The white foam seems to refer to cleanness, but it is the whiteness of the whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). There is nothing left of it, they leave nothing behind that has any value.

In their whole performance they still want to give the impression that you can take their life as an example to determine your direction, but they are “wandering stars”. They will end up where they live and that is in “the black darkness” and that will last “forever”. They will never more be able to deceive anyone there and they will also never be able to enjoy anything.

Jude 1:14. In the earliest days already there has been prophesies about these men, that they will be condemned. As a proof of that Jude quotes Enoch. To not confuse this Enoch with the other, the man with the same name who is a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:17-18), it is said of him that he is the “seventh [generation] from Adam”. He “prophesied” about the coming of the Lord Jesus to bring judgment on the wicked apostates.

This prophesy of Enoch is only found in this letter. In the Old Testament we do not find it. God’s Spirit has also revealed this to Jude, the same as what is written in Jude 1:9. Enoch prophesied in his days about the coming of Christ for judgment, whereby He will be accompanied by “many thousands of His holy ones”, which include all the redeemed of all times. This judgment has had a fulfillment in advance in the flood.

It is a nice thought that Enoch himself was taken away by God before the flood, without seeing death (Hebrews 11:5). In that way he is a picture of the church that will also be taken up into heaven before the judgments strike the earth. The believers will not come into judgment (John 5:24).

Jude 1:15. The judgment will be executed upon all unbelievers. Christ will judge all works as well as all words of the ungodly sinners. Do you see how the Holy Spirit emphasizes the nature of ungodliness? The people are ungodly, as are their deeds and ways and their harsh words which they “have spoken against Him”. Therefore every soul that has committed that sin will be personally punished by Him. Because judgment does not immediately follow after the deed, it may seem that God forgets to punish and man keeps on doing evil (Ecclesiastes 8:11). But the day of reckoning will come.

Jude 1:16. Their ungodly words have been uttered in grumbling language. They are dissatisfied, they always want more or differently, they complain about their destiny. They always blame God. Why does He allow the wars and miseries to happen? If He is that almighty, why does not He change the world?

Those are people who are “following after their [own] lusts”. They always seek to fulfill their passions. They speak “arrogantly”, using sensationalizing language, words that are haughtily and hypocritically spoken out. They crawl for people who are above them and they flatter them purely out of selfishness, in order to benefit personally. Meanwhile they follow their own hidden agenda, for they do not care about others. Only one’s own ‘I’ is important.

Now read Jude 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: Which examples of ungodliness does Jude present in these verses?

Revelation 15:7

Characteristics of Ungodliness

Jude 1:10. Again Jude uses that contemptuous “these”. In contrast to Michael these apostates audaciously and recklessly “revile the things which they do not understand”. That is arrogance and pride all over. Naturally, they have a knowledge which is also present with “unreasoning animals”. This knowledge concerns the natural instincts, needs which they do have, like eating and drinking and sexuality.

Animals act after their nature, their instinct. They cannot think, for they have no mind. These people behave just like animals. But just because they are supposed to be able to think of what they do, while they contrarily still act like animals in fulfilling their lusts, they abase themselves and destroy themselves in their way of acting. With the unreasoning of animals they indulge in sexual satisfaction.

Jude 1:11. The “woe” is spoken out over them, which is the only time that we find it spoken out in the letters. It is the language of the book of the final judgments, the book of Revelation. Using the example of some Old Testament wicked people, Jude describes the way that leads to this ‘woe’.

They have “gone the way of Cain”. They are like Cain and his way, that is the way of a religion that does not come from God’s righteousness, but from their own righteousness. Cain was the first who went this way and this way is still extremely popular. He believed in God, but believed he could honor God in his own way, with his own ‘good works’ (Genesis 4:3-8). God had to be satisfied with that. He did not think for a moment of coming with a bloody sacrifice. God Himself showed that after the fall (Genesis 3:21) which was understood by Abel (Genesis 4:4). This attitude of Cain, serving God with good works, an attitude which is normal for Gentiles, has crept in into professing Christianity and is imitated by countless people.

The next step is “the error of Balaam” (Numbers 22:7; Numbers 31:16). That implies their self-enrichment in the service of God. Balaam called himself a prophet of God, but he was greedy and wanted to sell his prophetic gift for money, which implied that he was willing to curse God’s people for money.

Like Balaam today’s false teachers are also good in using the tongue and speak for money what the people like to hear. They manipulate the truth for the sake of money. In that way they turn the house of God into a commercial market. To make merchandise out of the good that comes from God occurs frequently in professing Christianity, especially in the roman-catholic church where all the so-called blessings from birth to death cost money. Even the situation after death becomes a source of profit, for people are enabled to shorten their time in the fabrication of ‘purgatory’ with a duration that is dependent on the amount that is being paid.

The third and last step in the apostasy is the unmitigated rebellion against God, such as to be seen “in the rebellion of Korah” (Numbers 16:19-35). Korah rejected God’s choice of the priesthood and in that way His authority. He wanted to have the function of priest himself and wanted to take the place of mediator, through which he could exercise control over God’s people. We see that also in the most clear way in roman-catholicism. God’s judgment was executed on him and his companions. They descended in the realm of death alive.

All these three persons have in common that they arrogated something what they were not. In Cain we see a false worshiper, in Balaam a false prophet and in Korah a false priest. The apostasy of each of them had to do with religion. Also here the ranking is not chronological but spiritual: Cain went, Balaam rushed headlong and Korah perished. It shows the spiritual downturn and the end of the people who are concerned.

Jude 1:12. It is as if Jude is tiring himself out in looking for examples in order to make clear to you what kind of people these apostates are. In order to present the character and destiny of those apostates more clearly, he uses some examples from nature in Jude 1:12-13.

The first example is that of “reefs”. The word ‘reefs’ is derived from the word ‘cliffs’, which are rocks below the sea level, that may cause boats to sink when the helmsman does not watch carefully. He calls the apostates “reefs in your love feasts”. ‘Love feasts’ are the fellowship meals that the first Christians connected to the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20).

With these apostates, however, there is nothing present of Christian love and fellowship. During the love feasts they only think of themselves. They “feast”, without any fear to be found improper or greedy. They are feeding themselves shamelessly and in that way are the evident opposite of the Lord Who is seeking the well-being of the sheep. In Ezekiel 34, a chapter that deals with false shepherds, the ‘woe’ is spoken out over them (Ezekiel 34:2).

These people probably have, while enjoying all the goodies, spoken out all their edifying thoughts with nice talks. They have given a swirling show, but it seemed to be nothing more than the sparkling of soap bubbles. It promised to be a refreshment like clouds are expected to be producing water (the next example from nature), but they are “clouds without water”. They form a great contrast to Moses who as his desire regarding to his words, speaks out the following to God’s people: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2; cf. Isaiah 55:10).

There is no handhold in what they say, for they are “carried along by winds”. They behave themselves inconsistently and constantly come with other ideas, which do not make sense. They leave only disenchantment and hopelessness behind. What a difference with what Paul wishes to the believers: ”As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:14-15; Hebrews 13:9)!

They are like “autumn trees without fruit”, meaning trees out of which the life has gone and therefore are not expected to produce fruit. They are “doubly dead”. In the first place they are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and in the second place they are dead in their confession, for therein all life lacks.

They are dead from the root, there is in no way connection with life, which also cannot possibly come, for they have been cut off from the root. They have been “uprooted”. In this way the promised fruit will never come, just like the promised water from the clouds will never come. Such trees are to be cut down (Luke 13:9). These people are like trees that are uprooted, they have been taken away from the place of which they confessed to have. The only thing that is left for trees that are uprooted is the fire.

Jude 1:13. The following example Jude uses is that of the sea. He compares these people with “wild waves of the sea”. There is a complete uncontrollability with them like with a raging sea (cf. Isaiah 57:20). If you have ever seen a sea in the storm, you must also have seen white foamed waves, caused by the wind. Those white foam is blown on the beach by the wind. The foam goes in all directions and finally there is nothing left of it.

This is what happens to these people and their teachings. Despite the noise that they cause, they show nothing more than their own shameless deeds which are visible on the top of the waves and which are being blown on the beach. The white foam seems to refer to cleanness, but it is the whiteness of the whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). There is nothing left of it, they leave nothing behind that has any value.

In their whole performance they still want to give the impression that you can take their life as an example to determine your direction, but they are “wandering stars”. They will end up where they live and that is in “the black darkness” and that will last “forever”. They will never more be able to deceive anyone there and they will also never be able to enjoy anything.

Jude 1:14. In the earliest days already there has been prophesies about these men, that they will be condemned. As a proof of that Jude quotes Enoch. To not confuse this Enoch with the other, the man with the same name who is a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:17-18), it is said of him that he is the “seventh [generation] from Adam”. He “prophesied” about the coming of the Lord Jesus to bring judgment on the wicked apostates.

This prophesy of Enoch is only found in this letter. In the Old Testament we do not find it. God’s Spirit has also revealed this to Jude, the same as what is written in Jude 1:9. Enoch prophesied in his days about the coming of Christ for judgment, whereby He will be accompanied by “many thousands of His holy ones”, which include all the redeemed of all times. This judgment has had a fulfillment in advance in the flood.

It is a nice thought that Enoch himself was taken away by God before the flood, without seeing death (Hebrews 11:5). In that way he is a picture of the church that will also be taken up into heaven before the judgments strike the earth. The believers will not come into judgment (John 5:24).

Jude 1:15. The judgment will be executed upon all unbelievers. Christ will judge all works as well as all words of the ungodly sinners. Do you see how the Holy Spirit emphasizes the nature of ungodliness? The people are ungodly, as are their deeds and ways and their harsh words which they “have spoken against Him”. Therefore every soul that has committed that sin will be personally punished by Him. Because judgment does not immediately follow after the deed, it may seem that God forgets to punish and man keeps on doing evil (Ecclesiastes 8:11). But the day of reckoning will come.

Jude 1:16. Their ungodly words have been uttered in grumbling language. They are dissatisfied, they always want more or differently, they complain about their destiny. They always blame God. Why does He allow the wars and miseries to happen? If He is that almighty, why does not He change the world?

Those are people who are “following after their [own] lusts”. They always seek to fulfill their passions. They speak “arrogantly”, using sensationalizing language, words that are haughtily and hypocritically spoken out. They crawl for people who are above them and they flatter them purely out of selfishness, in order to benefit personally. Meanwhile they follow their own hidden agenda, for they do not care about others. Only one’s own ‘I’ is important.

Now read Jude 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: Which examples of ungodliness does Jude present in these verses?

Revelation 15:8

Characteristics of Ungodliness

Jude 1:10. Again Jude uses that contemptuous “these”. In contrast to Michael these apostates audaciously and recklessly “revile the things which they do not understand”. That is arrogance and pride all over. Naturally, they have a knowledge which is also present with “unreasoning animals”. This knowledge concerns the natural instincts, needs which they do have, like eating and drinking and sexuality.

Animals act after their nature, their instinct. They cannot think, for they have no mind. These people behave just like animals. But just because they are supposed to be able to think of what they do, while they contrarily still act like animals in fulfilling their lusts, they abase themselves and destroy themselves in their way of acting. With the unreasoning of animals they indulge in sexual satisfaction.

Jude 1:11. The “woe” is spoken out over them, which is the only time that we find it spoken out in the letters. It is the language of the book of the final judgments, the book of Revelation. Using the example of some Old Testament wicked people, Jude describes the way that leads to this ‘woe’.

They have “gone the way of Cain”. They are like Cain and his way, that is the way of a religion that does not come from God’s righteousness, but from their own righteousness. Cain was the first who went this way and this way is still extremely popular. He believed in God, but believed he could honor God in his own way, with his own ‘good works’ (Genesis 4:3-8). God had to be satisfied with that. He did not think for a moment of coming with a bloody sacrifice. God Himself showed that after the fall (Genesis 3:21) which was understood by Abel (Genesis 4:4). This attitude of Cain, serving God with good works, an attitude which is normal for Gentiles, has crept in into professing Christianity and is imitated by countless people.

The next step is “the error of Balaam” (Numbers 22:7; Numbers 31:16). That implies their self-enrichment in the service of God. Balaam called himself a prophet of God, but he was greedy and wanted to sell his prophetic gift for money, which implied that he was willing to curse God’s people for money.

Like Balaam today’s false teachers are also good in using the tongue and speak for money what the people like to hear. They manipulate the truth for the sake of money. In that way they turn the house of God into a commercial market. To make merchandise out of the good that comes from God occurs frequently in professing Christianity, especially in the roman-catholic church where all the so-called blessings from birth to death cost money. Even the situation after death becomes a source of profit, for people are enabled to shorten their time in the fabrication of ‘purgatory’ with a duration that is dependent on the amount that is being paid.

The third and last step in the apostasy is the unmitigated rebellion against God, such as to be seen “in the rebellion of Korah” (Numbers 16:19-35). Korah rejected God’s choice of the priesthood and in that way His authority. He wanted to have the function of priest himself and wanted to take the place of mediator, through which he could exercise control over God’s people. We see that also in the most clear way in roman-catholicism. God’s judgment was executed on him and his companions. They descended in the realm of death alive.

All these three persons have in common that they arrogated something what they were not. In Cain we see a false worshiper, in Balaam a false prophet and in Korah a false priest. The apostasy of each of them had to do with religion. Also here the ranking is not chronological but spiritual: Cain went, Balaam rushed headlong and Korah perished. It shows the spiritual downturn and the end of the people who are concerned.

Jude 1:12. It is as if Jude is tiring himself out in looking for examples in order to make clear to you what kind of people these apostates are. In order to present the character and destiny of those apostates more clearly, he uses some examples from nature in Jude 1:12-13.

The first example is that of “reefs”. The word ‘reefs’ is derived from the word ‘cliffs’, which are rocks below the sea level, that may cause boats to sink when the helmsman does not watch carefully. He calls the apostates “reefs in your love feasts”. ‘Love feasts’ are the fellowship meals that the first Christians connected to the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20).

With these apostates, however, there is nothing present of Christian love and fellowship. During the love feasts they only think of themselves. They “feast”, without any fear to be found improper or greedy. They are feeding themselves shamelessly and in that way are the evident opposite of the Lord Who is seeking the well-being of the sheep. In Ezekiel 34, a chapter that deals with false shepherds, the ‘woe’ is spoken out over them (Ezekiel 34:2).

These people probably have, while enjoying all the goodies, spoken out all their edifying thoughts with nice talks. They have given a swirling show, but it seemed to be nothing more than the sparkling of soap bubbles. It promised to be a refreshment like clouds are expected to be producing water (the next example from nature), but they are “clouds without water”. They form a great contrast to Moses who as his desire regarding to his words, speaks out the following to God’s people: “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2; cf. Isaiah 55:10).

There is no handhold in what they say, for they are “carried along by winds”. They behave themselves inconsistently and constantly come with other ideas, which do not make sense. They leave only disenchantment and hopelessness behind. What a difference with what Paul wishes to the believers: ”As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:14-15; Hebrews 13:9)!

They are like “autumn trees without fruit”, meaning trees out of which the life has gone and therefore are not expected to produce fruit. They are “doubly dead”. In the first place they are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and in the second place they are dead in their confession, for therein all life lacks.

They are dead from the root, there is in no way connection with life, which also cannot possibly come, for they have been cut off from the root. They have been “uprooted”. In this way the promised fruit will never come, just like the promised water from the clouds will never come. Such trees are to be cut down (Luke 13:9). These people are like trees that are uprooted, they have been taken away from the place of which they confessed to have. The only thing that is left for trees that are uprooted is the fire.

Jude 1:13. The following example Jude uses is that of the sea. He compares these people with “wild waves of the sea”. There is a complete uncontrollability with them like with a raging sea (cf. Isaiah 57:20). If you have ever seen a sea in the storm, you must also have seen white foamed waves, caused by the wind. Those white foam is blown on the beach by the wind. The foam goes in all directions and finally there is nothing left of it.

This is what happens to these people and their teachings. Despite the noise that they cause, they show nothing more than their own shameless deeds which are visible on the top of the waves and which are being blown on the beach. The white foam seems to refer to cleanness, but it is the whiteness of the whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). There is nothing left of it, they leave nothing behind that has any value.

In their whole performance they still want to give the impression that you can take their life as an example to determine your direction, but they are “wandering stars”. They will end up where they live and that is in “the black darkness” and that will last “forever”. They will never more be able to deceive anyone there and they will also never be able to enjoy anything.

Jude 1:14. In the earliest days already there has been prophesies about these men, that they will be condemned. As a proof of that Jude quotes Enoch. To not confuse this Enoch with the other, the man with the same name who is a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:17-18), it is said of him that he is the “seventh [generation] from Adam”. He “prophesied” about the coming of the Lord Jesus to bring judgment on the wicked apostates.

This prophesy of Enoch is only found in this letter. In the Old Testament we do not find it. God’s Spirit has also revealed this to Jude, the same as what is written in Jude 1:9. Enoch prophesied in his days about the coming of Christ for judgment, whereby He will be accompanied by “many thousands of His holy ones”, which include all the redeemed of all times. This judgment has had a fulfillment in advance in the flood.

It is a nice thought that Enoch himself was taken away by God before the flood, without seeing death (Hebrews 11:5). In that way he is a picture of the church that will also be taken up into heaven before the judgments strike the earth. The believers will not come into judgment (John 5:24).

Jude 1:15. The judgment will be executed upon all unbelievers. Christ will judge all works as well as all words of the ungodly sinners. Do you see how the Holy Spirit emphasizes the nature of ungodliness? The people are ungodly, as are their deeds and ways and their harsh words which they “have spoken against Him”. Therefore every soul that has committed that sin will be personally punished by Him. Because judgment does not immediately follow after the deed, it may seem that God forgets to punish and man keeps on doing evil (Ecclesiastes 8:11). But the day of reckoning will come.

Jude 1:16. Their ungodly words have been uttered in grumbling language. They are dissatisfied, they always want more or differently, they complain about their destiny. They always blame God. Why does He allow the wars and miseries to happen? If He is that almighty, why does not He change the world?

Those are people who are “following after their [own] lusts”. They always seek to fulfill their passions. They speak “arrogantly”, using sensationalizing language, words that are haughtily and hypocritically spoken out. They crawl for people who are above them and they flatter them purely out of selfishness, in order to benefit personally. Meanwhile they follow their own hidden agenda, for they do not care about others. Only one’s own ‘I’ is important.

Now read Jude 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: Which examples of ungodliness does Jude present in these verses?