Jude 6-The Second Example from the Old Testament of the Lord Judging Those Who Rebelled Against Him
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday May 8, 2022
Jude Series: Jude 6-The Second Example from the Old Testament of the Lord Judging Those Who Rebelled Against Him
Lesson # 20
Jude 5 Now, I am prompted to desire to cause each and every one of you to be reminded (even though each of you are possessing a thorough knowledge about each of these examples) that Jesus, sometime after having delivered the people out from the land that is Egypt, destroyed those who would not believe. 6 Correspondingly, He is keeping by means of eternal chains under the control of total supernatural darkness for the purpose of executing the judgment during the great day of those who entered into the state of not keeping their own sphere of activity but in fact abandoned their own place of habitation. (Lecturer’s translation)
As we noted in our study of Jude 5, this verse marks a transition in the body of this letter and specifically, it marks a transition from the identification of the purpose of the epistle in Jude 3-4 to Jude 5-7, which presents three examples of a group of individuals that God judged in the Old Testament for their rebellion against Him.
The first of these examples appears in Jude 5 which speaks of the Lord disciplining unrepentant, apostate members of the Exodus generation who rebelled against Him by not trusting Him even after He delivered them from the bondage of slavery in the land of Egypt.
The second is found in Jude 6 and is the fallen angels of the antediluvian period who rebelled against the Lord by possessing the bodies of men in order to have sex with unregenerate women which resulted in the birth of the Nephilim and the resultant proliferation of evil in the world as a result of these individuals.
The third and final example appears in Jude 7 and is the Lord judging the unrepentant, unregenerate citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah who rebelled against Him by their immoral and unethical behavior.
The contents of Jude 6 are closely related to the concept taught in Jude 5, which we noted asserts that sometime after He delivered the Exodus generation out from the land of Egypt, the Lord Jesus Christ destroyed them as a result of their unrepentant unbelief, which manifested their rebellion against Him.
Jude 6 asserts that the Lord Jesus Christ is keeping by means of eternal chains under the control of total supernatural darkness for the purpose of executing the judgement during the great day against those angels who entered into the state of not keeping their own sphere of activity but rather in fact abandoned their own place of habitation.
Therefore, the concept, which is taught in both Jude 5 and 6 is that the Lord judges those who unrepentantly rebel against Him and therefore, this is the correspondence between these two verses.
Therefore, Jude 6 is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ judging the angels in the past.
In the twenty first century there is a lot of misinformation regarding the nature of angels and their activities and this is to be expected since we do live in the devil’s world who has been from the beginning and continues to deceive the entire world regarding his existence, and the nature of himself and his objectives for becoming like the Most High.
The only place where we can find the truth about the angels and concerning Satan himself is the infallible Word of God.
In terms of power and ability, the present angelic superiority to mankind is obvious in every passage of scripture in which they are described and this current angelic superiority significantly also extends to the area of longevity.
While mankind is enjoying a sequential residence on earth (generation following generation), angelic kind has been experiencing a continuum of existence in heaven, even before the creation of Man.
This longevity, combined with the fact that angels (though creatures like Man) are not subject to the same degree to the restraints and necessities of time and space that encumber mankind, undoubtedly contributes to their superior knowledge and wisdom as well.
By its very essence, therefore, the angelic nature is superior to our present earthly human nature in terms of appearance, intellect, power, mobility and authority (2 Pet.2:11).
However, just as our Lord’s humanity is, in resurrection, superior to angels in every way (Heb.1:4-2:18), so also we are destined to share that superiority with Him in our resurrection (1 Cor.6:3; Heb.2:5).
The involvement of angelic beings in human affairs is part and parcel of their role in promoting (or, in the case of the fallen angels, opposing) God's plan for human history.
On a more personal level, however, angels are also apparently extremely interested in observing human behavior in general and in the playing out of God's plan in particular (1Tim.3:16; 5:21; 1Pet.1:10-12).
The observation of human behavior is particularly true in the case of the Son of Man, our Lord Jesus Christ since they were present at His birth (Lk.2:13-14), temptation (Matt.4:11), resurrection (Lk.24:4), ascension (Acts 1:10-11), and return (2 Thes.1:7), evidence which underscores angelic interest in the most crucial phase of God's plan, namely the life and work of the Messiah.
By observation, angels are learning (to their joy in the case of the elect angels, to their sorrow in the case of the fallen angels) about the wisdom, the power, the grace and the mercy of God (cf. Lk.15:10; 1Cor.4:9; 11:10).
Angels are not to be disrespected (Lk.10:20; 1 Pet.2:10-12; Jude 8-10; cf. Rom.13:7), but neither angels are to be worshiped (Rev.19:10; 22:9; cf. 2 Kng.17:16; Jer.19:13; Col.2:18) and this is especially important in regard to fallen angels.
Therefore, although we are to have a healthy respect for the Adversary and his potential to oppose us (2 Cor.2:11; Eph.6:11; 1 Pet.5:8), we are not to be unduly terrified by him and his minions.
Angels are created spirit beings (Ps. 148:2, 5) and were created in eternity past, before the creation of the cosmos (Job 38:4, 7).
The Lord Jesus Christ created the angels in eternity past (Col. 1:16) and they are innumerable (He. 12:22) and are in eternity (present) a higher category of beings than humans are (Heb. 2:6-7).
Man cannot see angels for they are invisible but can be seen by man when God does one of two things: (1) He lifts the veil of the spiritual dimension (2 Kings 6:17). (2) He allows them to change their form to human (Hebrews 13:2).
Jesus Christ as the Lord of the armies is the commander of the angels and Michael is the prince of Israel according to Daniel 10:21, 12:1 and he defends the Jews in the tribulation from the wrath of Satan (Revelation 12:7) and he fought with Satan over the body of Moses (Jude 9; 2 Peter 2:11).
Gabriel is also an army commander who also functions as one of the kings of arms in the college of heralds.
In Daniel 8:16 and 9:21, he was sent to explain Daniel’s vision and he announced the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11), and the birth of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:19, 26).
Angels do not die and their number does not increase or decrease (Luke 20:36) and there are different ranks of angels (Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 1:16).
Therefore, there are now two categories of angels in the cosmos: (1) Elect (2) Fallen.
The Supreme Court of Heaven sentenced Satan and the fallen angels to the Lake of Fire forever (Matthew 25:41) and this sentence has not been executed since the Scriptures states that Satan is the “prince of the power of air” (Ephesians 2:3), and the ruler of this world (2 Cor. 4:4).
In Relation to God the elect-angels perform the following services: (1) Attendants around the throne of God and are waiting to serve Him and do His bidding (Ps. 103:20; Isa. 6:1f; Job 1:6; 2:1; Rev. 5:11; 8:1f). (2) Worshippers in praise of Him (Isa. 6:3; Ps. 148:1-2; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:12). (3) Observers who rejoice over what the Lord does (Job 38:6-7; Luke 2:12-13; 15:10), Soldiers in battle with Satan (Rev. 12:7). (4) Instruments used by God to execute judgments (Rev. 7:1; 8:2).
In Relation to the Nations, the elect-angels and non-elect angels perform the following services: (1) Michael, the archangel, is the guardian of the nation of Israel (Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9). (2) The non-elect angels rule over the Gentile nations (Dan. 4:17; Eph. 6:11-16) and seek to influence their human leaders (Dan. 10:21; 11:1). (3) In the Tribulation the elect-angels will be the agents God uses to pour out His judgments (see Rev. 8-9 and 16).
In Relation to Christ, the elect-angels perform the following services: (1) They prophesied of the birth of Christ (Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:26-28). (2) They announced his birth (Luke 2:8-15). (3) An angel warned Joseph to take Mary and the baby Jesus and flee into Egypt (Matt. 2:13-15), and an angel directed the family to return to Israel after Herod died (vv. 19-21).
In relation to His suffering, the elect-angels performed the following services: (1) They ministered to the Lord after His temptation (4:11). (2) They administered to the Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43), and Jesus said He could have called a legion of angels who stood ready to come to His defense if He so desired (Matt. 26:53).
In relation to His resurrection, the elect-angels performed the following services: (1) An angel rolled away the stone from the tomb (28:1-2). (2) Angels announced His resurrection to the women on Easter morning (vv. 5-6; Luke 24:5-7). (3) Angels were present at His ascension and gave instruction to the disciples (Acts 1:10-11).
In relation to His coming again, the elect-angels perform the following services: (1) The voice of the archangel will be heard at the translation of the church (1 Thess. 4:16). (2) They will accompany Him in His glorious return to earth (Matt. 25:31; 2 Thess. 1:7). (3) They will separate the wheat from the tares at Christ’s second coming (Matt. 13:39-40).
In Relation to the unbeliever, the elect-angels will perform the following: (1) Angels not only announce and inflict judgment (Gen. 19:13; Rev. 14:6-7; Acts 12:23; Rev. 16:1). (2) They will separate the righteous from the unrighteous at the 2nd Advent (Matt. 13:39-40).
In Relation to the Church: Hebrews 1:14 describes ministry of the elect-angels “servant-spirits who are divinely commissioned and repeatedly dispatched for service on behalf of those who are destined to inherit salvation.”
In this, however, Scripture points to a number of specific ministries: (1) The elect-angels bring answers to prayer (Acts 12:5-10). (2) They help in bringing people to the Savior (Acts 8:26; 10:3). (3) They may encourage in times of danger (Acts 27:23-24). (4) They care for God’s people at the time of death (Luke 16:22).