JUDE, ENOCH, AND THE END OF DAYS: SESSION 2 OF 4

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints.” (Jude 1:3)

The book of Jude is one of the least read books in the Bible. This might be because of its size. Sometimes we unintentionally equate small with insignificant. In this case, nothing could be further from the truth. The book of Jude contains important end-time teaching and instruction, given for those God has chosen to live in them. I believe that is this generation.

This single chapter, 25 verse letter, is broken up into four main sections:

1. The Greeting ~ (verses 1-2)
2. Judgment on False Teachers ~ (verses 3-16)
3. A Call to Persevere ~ (verses 17-23)
4. The Doxology ~ (verses 24-25)

After a few preliminaries, we are going to focus primarily on the third section, “A Call to Persevere” and what it means for us today.

THE NAME & FAMILY

The name Jude is a Greek derivative and borrowing of the common Hebrew name Judah, which means “Praise.” Jude was the Brother of James the Just, who was also the Brother of Jesus. There are three persons named James in the NT. James the Son of Zebedee and his Brother John (aka “the sons of thunder”). James the Son of Alphaeus. And finally, James the Brother of Jesus. This book was written by the Brother of James, who was also the Brother of Jesus (Gal 1:19, Acts 15:13-21). Jesus had 4 Brothers and (at least) 2 Sisters (Mk 6:3).

THE CURRENT NECESSITY

Jude was a lot like us. He desired to write about Jesus, and the glorious Gospel He preached. The “comm

on salvation” as he called it. But something else was more needful. More pressing. Jude placed his own desires on the shelf, in order to be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirt, and to address the overwhelming need of the day; False teachers, compromise, and complacency in the Church, and how believers should respond to it.

JUDE 1:17-23

17. “But, beloved, remember ye the Words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18. How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19. These are they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20. But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21. Keep yourselves in the Love of God, looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life.
22. And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23. And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

HOW DO WE RESPOND TO INCREASING DARKNESS?

After reading verses 16-23, it’s easy to see that something had gone very wrong in the Church in Jude’s day (approx. 60-80 yrs after Jesus’ resurrection). At some point, satan had slipped in unawares, and convinced some believers that right was wrong, and wrong was right. Or if not right, at least wrong should be tolerated. Sound familiar? Things look basically the same today, because human nature does not change. However, neither does the remedy for fallen human nature—the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

There are many ways we can respond when seeing sin abounding all around us. Both the negative and the positive responses. First the negative, then the Positive:

The Negative Responses:

We can fear it. We can become angry about it. We can withdraw socially from it. We can become passive and uncaring, and start compromising our convictions about wickedness, because we feel we can’t do anything about it anyway. Then we can become despondent and bitter, even (God forbid), partaking in the sins we once took a stand against. All these things, of course, are not the way we are to respond to the Bibles prediction of increasing darkness.

The Positive Responses:

The Bible declares where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. (Romans 5:20). There is always a higher level of grace than there is sin in the world. So first of all, we must believe that, and expect that no matter how bad things may get, God is bigger and His grace is better then any thing the enemy can throw at us. There is always more grace than there is need.

Then, we are to “want” be like Jesus “seek” to be Like Jesus. Wanting or desiring is not enough. We must actually seek Him as the Scriptures often say. “Pursuit is the Proof of Hunger.” We do not find ourselves in this generation or season of time by accident. The opposite is actually true. You and I were placed here, by God, “On—Purpose.” Gods purpose.
We are here for such a time as this. Not to flounder and continually doubt our reason for being, but to rejoice that God has enough confidence in us, that what He placed in our spirit, will eventually come out and help others to find Him. Self-centeredness, Self-absorption, and the constant introspection and navel-gazing so commonly found today, is one of the biggest enemies of the work of the cross today. God wants to manifest Himself through you and I today. To shine forth His Love, Truth, and Supernatural Power in the midst of a fallen world. As it says in Isaiah 60:1-2:

“Arise! Shine! For your light has come, and the Glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon you, and His Glory shall be seen upon you.”

We are called to keep ourselves from the darkness, while shining the Light into the darkness, and thereby helping those who are trapped by the darkness. Nothing less will do in the final hours before the Lord’s return.

DON’T GET WEIGHED DOWN

Luke 21:33-36 ~ “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My Words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged [overburdened or weighed down] with surfeiting [excessive eating or fleshly indulgences], and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” [brackets are added definitions]

DON’T HAVE A COLD HEART

Matthew 24:12-13 ~ “And because iniquity [Lawlessness] shall abound, the Love of many shall wax [gradually grow] cold. But he that shall endure [lit. stay the same] unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

THREE THINGS TO TURN BAD TO GOOD

1. Build up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.

2. Keep yourselves in the Love of God, looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life.

3. Of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

THE GREATEST THING(S)

LOVE GOD: Matthew 22:33-38 ~
“And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at His doctrine. But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying, ‘Master, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.’”

LOVE PEOPLE: Matthew 22:39-40 ~
“And the second is like unto it, ‘Thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thyself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

1 Corinthians 13:13 ~ “And now abides faith, hope, Love, these three; but the greatest of these is Love.”

Loving God, and Loving people is the greatest thing. Loving people, even in the midst of their darkness is hard. Yet still, this is what we are called to do. Jesus Loves them even in their worst sin—and so must we. We cannot do it by ourselves or without His strength, but we can do it because He lives within us. But we make sure He does live within us, and that we can lead others to this reality. We can only give what we know to be true, and what we personally possess.

Someone once said: “As goes the Church, so goes the world.” And also: “The Church has become worldly, and the world has become churchy.” This can no longer be. There is such a thing as false Christianity. I don’t think Jude or the Apostles ever imagined a Christianity that didn’t include following Jesus commands, and seeking to become like Him. Being like Jesus is the core of what it means to be a Christian.

“Christ-ian” means little-Christ. And is one who comes to the Cross, repents and receives forgiveness of past sins, asks Jesus to come inside the temple of their own body, then takes up their cross and follows Him, seeking to be like Him for the rest of their days. It’s that simple. It is not saying a ritual prayer and then continuing to live the same way as before. Its real change once Jesus comes to live inside you. This is what the Scripture calls: “Conversion” or being “Born Again.” Yep. Its still called that.

Saved.

“And you will call his name “Jesus” for HE WILL SAVE his people from their sins.”