Jude 1:14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16  These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

We read about Enoch in Genesis 5. Enoch was a man who walked with God and God took him. He did not live as long as others of that era. He only lived on this earth for 365 years. As noted in verse 14 of our text, Enoch was a man of God. He was given insight into the future far beyond his day.
There is speculation as to where Jude received this information about Enoch. Some suggest it came from an extra-biblical book called the Book of Enoch. That book is suggested to have been written about a century before the coming of Christ. That book is not accepted as inspired of God and is not part of the Word of God. If Jude did not get his information from that book, then where did he get it from? That question is actually quite simple to answer.

II Peter 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The writers that God chose to give us the written Word of God were holy men. They were moved by the Holy Ghost to write what they wrote. They did not write by the will of man. The book of Enoch is written by the will of man. Jude received his information from the Holy Ghost. That is what the process of the inspiration of Scripture is all about. God told Jude things about Enoch that were not recorded and preserved from that time. Enoch was a God-fearing man who warned the people of his day of the judgment of the Lord. Jesus Christ is coming with ten thousands of his saints one day. That day is still future to our day, but it will come because God cannot lie.
In verse 15 we learn further that the Lord’s coming with His saints will be to execute judgment upon the ungodly. Jude was directed to remind the readers of the deeds of the ungodly. Everything about these people is ungodly. Their speech is ungodly. Their actions are ungodly. Their very nature is ungodly.
Jude is directed to give us a sense of the speech of these ungodly people. They spoke hard speeches. The word translated as “hard” has the meaning of “harsh, and rough and stiff”. These people made statements that were in defiance of the true God. They assumed a place where they believed they could sit in judgment against God. That is truly a foolish place to be. God is not to be judged. He is the Judge. Those who think they can judge Him are guilty of eternal damnation.
Verse 16 tells us these people are murmurers. They are like Aaron and Miriam were at one point. They are like Korah and his followers were. Aaron and Miriam were judged for their murmuring and complaining. They did not die from that sin, but they were judged for it. Korah was hardened in his sin and he and his followers died by a special judgment from the Lord at that time.
Jude also wrote that these people are complainers. We do not always understand what God is doing, but we need to learn to trust Him and not complain about Him. He is a good God. He allows the devil to attack people in various ways. However, He also enables His children to endure affliction for a season. We know that the saints have a home in heaven. The lost will spend eternity in the lake of fire.
We read further that these ungodly people walk after their own lusts. We are all born as selfish individuals. We all have the idea that life is all about us. Godly parents will help their children to understand that life is not all about them. They are just one person of many. Ungodly people never get over this self-love issue. I thought that the month of June was designated as “pride” month. I understand that Steinbach, a city that used to be known as a Bible believing town, will be hosting a sodomite parade in August. That is people walking after their own lusts. It is wickedness, but they do not care. They have convinced the governments to defend them and to set up laws against those who would honour God.
In the U.S. a woman was taken to court for praying outside of an abortion (murder) clinic. She was praying quietly, but she was arrested and charged. The good news is that the judge threw the case out. Those clinics are a testimony to people walking after their own lusts.
There are many religious leaders who have re-written the Word of God to suit their ungodly lusts. They promote their evil ideas and they find a ready audience for those ungodly ideas.
Further we see that these ungodly people like to boast. They speak of things they know nothing about. They speak of doing things that they cannot do. That sounds like most politicians. But in the context it is directed to those who would lead people astray spiritually. These people try to cosy up to those who they believe will benefit them in their wicked goals.
In the political realm we know that our PM has worked hard to be accepted by Klaus Schwab. He also wants to be connected to the Chinese dictator. His father was good friends with Castro. All of that has been done to gain political advantage. His puppets all cancelled out their own brains and blindly follow this man because they want the power and the money that comes from corrupt governments.
That same attitude is found in religious circles as well. There is a pecking order that is important. Back when the church outside of Edmonton was under attack by the Alberta government, their building was seized and the pastor was imprisoned. He is a Calvinist and he gained the approval of John MacArthur in what was taking place. That was important for him because John MacArthur is one of the more successful Calvinists. He has stood up to the California government and won some battles there and he is admired for those who follow that false religion.
God warns about those who would deceive people. Spiritual deception is the most serious deception. Apart from knowing Jesus Christ as Saviour, there is no salvation. Apart from knowing Jesus Christ as Saviour, there is no peace.
Apostasy is no small matter. It is something that God cannot and will not bless. It is something that is under His judgment. We have many examples in the Scripture that God has given us to help us to see what apostasy looks like. We also see how God judged it in the past and is still judging it today. Eternity is a long time. Those who reject God’s way will spend eternity without Him. Right now they do not see that as a problem. Many are so blinded by their rebellious hearts that they will not see their wickedness. By the grace of God a few will finally be broken and see the truth and turn to God in repentance and be set free. If you are reading this and you are one of those who has chosen the path of deception, why not turn to God today and be saved? Look to Him Who gave you physical life, and trust Him for spiritual life! You will be forever grateful if you do that. You will be forever regretting your choice if you reject Him.
Pastor Bartel