Jude 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
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.
There are people who like to go surfing. They like to ride the waves. They think it is a challenge and it is fun. However, these raging waves in our text are no fun. They are destructive. They were people who hated God and sought to keep people from knowing the love of God.
The apostle Paul was on a ship that ran aground and the waves beat on the ship and tore it apart. Jude is referencing apostates who will tear people apart. They do not know what truth is. They speak lies and they only seek their own well being. However, they will be shocked to find out that they will be judged by the Judge of all the earth. God never makes a mistake.
These raging waves foam to their own shame. They expose themselves and they will regret it. They are like wandering stars that cannot be trusted to take the traveller home safely. God says He has a special place for this type of person. It is interesting that the lost will be cast into the lake of fire, and yet it will be blackness of darkness for ever. Fire gives light, but this fire offers no light. Sin is darkness. Those who want to lead others astray will answer for their wickedness. They could know better but they have shut the truth out.
There are thousands of people in that position today. Thousands who reject the truth. They take offence at hearing the truth. They insist on going their own way. They will regret that one day but it will be too late. God told Jude to write this as a warning. God would want people to turn to Him now while they still have opportunity.
In verse 14 God directed Jude to write about Enoch. He was the seventh generation from Adam. He did not die in the normal manner. He walked with God and he was not for God took him. Here we read that in his shortened lifetime, he was a prophet of God. He prophesied of the coming of the Lord. God revealed His Truth to good men. The Lord is coming back.
Jesus Christ has come once. He came as a babe in a manger. He grew up in a regular home and He began His public ministry at the age of thirty. He preached and taught for about three and a half years and then He laid down His life for the sheep. He died on the cross of Calvary. He shed His blood there, thus providing salvation for all who would turn to God in repentance and be saved. He was buried and rose again the third day. Forty days later He ascended back to heaven and has been there for the past two thousand years.
He is coming back at the end of the seven year Tribulation. He will establish His earthly kingdom for one thousand years. At the end of that time, He will destroy the devil. He will execute judgment upon all. He will open the books at the great white throne judgment. There He will reveal to every wicked person standing there, of their ungodly deeds. God has them all recorded. From the wickedness of Cain, the wickedness of Nimrod, to the wickedness of Hitler to all those who chose to commit ungodly deeds.
The ungodly do not just commit ungodly deeds, but they also give hard speeches against God. Our P.M. and Mr. Trump and many others will likely be there. There is still hope for those two men if they will repent toward God and be saved. If they choose to continue their current path, they will be exposed by the Lord Jesus Christ. No one will cheer them on then.
Verse 16 tells us they are murmurers, complainers. They are self-centred. They walk after their own lusts.
They know how to boast. They give fancy speeches to try to impress the gullible. Our P.M. gave what he thought was a great speech at Davos. Later he had to backtrack on some of what he spewed there. He is a lot of talk but there is nothing there. He knows how to persecute those he hates. However, he can only kill the body. God can kill the body and also cast the soul into the lake of fire. That is something no one can talk their way out of.
It is important for people to listen to the truth. Don’t settle for those who would scratch your itching ears.
Samson loved strange women. He loved it when Delilah would let him rest his head in her lap. As she played with his hair and massaged him, she broke him down. He loved that sensuality so much that he let his guard right down and gave away his secret. She ended up wealthy, and he ended up blind and grinding grain like an ox. A foolish choice indeed. There was no turning back from his foolish choices. He could not get his eyes back. He asked God to strengthen him once more, not so he could be set free, but that he could die with the Philistines and be avenged for his eyes. God granted his request, but he died in shame. His brethren had to come and get him and bury him as a slain man. He could have had a much different end, but he made some foolish choices.
Be sure you are listening to the Lord. Don’t make foolish choices. Ask God to open your eyes to see the Truth. If you are not saved, there is no better time to be saved than right now. Do not delay to know the Truth and follow the Truth.
If you are saved, then be sure to follow the Truth. Don’t waste time chasing imaginations. Follow the Truth. Build on the Truth. Glorify God with your life.
Pastor Bartel