Waterless Clouds
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INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
The structure of this book is fairly simple.
Initial Greeting
The Warning for & against Apostates
The Description of Apostates
The Demise of Apostates
But “About” You - (Indicatives)
But You Should Do - (Imperatives)
Closing Benediction
We are dealing with number three, the “Description of Apostates”.
PROPOSITION:
PROPOSITION:
Jude provides protection through detail and description.
OUTLINE:
OUTLINE:
OUTLINE:
OUTLINE:
Vs. 11 - Help from History
Vs. 12 -Help from the Hidden
Vs. 12 - Help from the Hollow
Vs. 13 - Help from the Haphazard
HELP FROM HISTORY (vs 11)
HELP FROM HISTORY (vs 11)
Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
The way of Cain
The Detail…
but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
The Description: Cain refused to worship the Lord as prescribed and for it, God wasn’t satisfied with his offering.
The Warning: If someone isn’t willing to do what God has clearly commanded that we do, if someone has a light regard for the blood of Christ, take note of that person and be watchful.
2. Balaam’s Mule:
The Detail…
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”
Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.
The Description: Balaam, whose name means “not of the people”, desired selfish gain more than obedience.
The Warning: Even though Balaam chose the right way the first time, he eventually turned aside to chase after money.
3. Korah’s Rebellion
The Details...
Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us?
English Standard Version Chapter 16
Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us?
The Description: Korah and those that followed Him, Dathan and Abiram, with those within their camp, chose to reject the God given authority and usurp it.
The Warning: Be on the look out for those who more than the other two, reject authority not only by abstaining from the prescribed commands, not only by a lack of personal obedience, but also is willing to lead a rebellion against the truth.
HELP FROM THE HIDDEN
HELP FROM THE HIDDEN
These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
Hidden reefs at your love feasts…
The Details:
Just below the surface…
What is a “love feast”?
They have no fear…
The Description:
These are those who desire to topple the unity and love of the Church for selfish gain.
The Warning:
As hidden reefs are just below the surface so is the danger of the apostate. The consequence of their actions is really the only way to tell that they have actually been present.
Shepherds feeding themselves...
The Details:
Poimene - or shepherd must be understood from the light of self sacrifice.
The shepherd’s mantra is “other’s first”. The good shepherd thinks of ways to bless, feed, care for, and love the sheep.
Any man that purports to be a shepherd and yet consistently fails to see the plight of others, to reach out to others, and to tend to the sheep is no true shepherd.
The Description:
Shepherds are allowed to feed themselves. The implication here is not that they feed themselves, but that they only feed themselves.
This is a particular heinous apostate in that they propose to be shepherds, guides, protectors, providers, when they only provide for themselves.
The Description:
The Warning / Application:
We must not see 1 Timothy or Titus as the solitary qualifications for elders we raise up.
We must consider the whole counsel of God in order to weigh a man or men.
Here we see that there were and there are, shepherds, those who would declare themselves and might even be seen as shepherds, when all they ever do is feed themselves.
HELP FROM THE HOLLOW
HELP FROM THE HOLLOW
These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
Waterless Clouds, swept along by winds:
Proposing to be life giving, yet being empty themselves.
Boasting
Fruitless trees in late autumn:
Proposing to have much needed nourishment, yet having none.
Twice dead / uprooted:
Details: “twice dead”
Description: Those that are already dead in this sense are twice dead, they have been born dead in their trespasses and in their sins, and instead of being born again, it’s as if they are dead a new when they die.
HELP FROM THE HAPHAZARD
HELP FROM THE HAPHAZARD
wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,
Wild waves and wandering stars. Both are pictures of people that have no course. These are those who are purposeless and aimless.
Although they might even desire to help, it is from them you need help.
These wild waves inevitably cast up the foam of their own shame… meaning less that they are by it found out, but that you are covered by it and worse off because of it.
Stars were the means by which the lost person could find their way. A wandering star or shooting star is that navigation point that cannot be trusted. It is always shifting. It is always on the move. It is no sooner here and then it’s gone.
Jude’s point in this passage as we’ll continue to see next week is to detail describe and by that give us the tools to defeat the false teacher.
But on the other hand… In another way… Jude helps us see what kind of Christian we are as well. We must test ourselves according to these sorts of standards.
So let me pose as we close here this morning the somber questions: (And let me remind us that this is not a cumulative list. Each of these things stands alone as an individual not a compounding expression of apostacy.)
Do you refuse to worship the Lord as He has prescribed, thereby walking in the way of Cain?
Do you, even to your own downfall, disregard the desire of the Lord?
Do you defy the Word of God openly?
Do you lie just below the surface? That is, are you hanging out right outside of view? So as to obscure the love and unity of the church?
Do you consider others more than yourself? Or when it’s time for the portions to be divided are you first in line?
Do you desire the care and protection of the Lord’s sheep? Or are you merely interested in teaching for personal satisfaction?
Does your life quench the thirsty?
Does your life satisfy the hunger of those in need?
Do you have life in you or are you yourself uprooted?
Do you go about your life with purpose or is it scattered and meaningless?
Are you an apostate––one who has fallen away from the truth since they were never truly gripped by it in the first place?
(Share the Gospel)