Inductive Study: Jude 13

raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Jude 13

Dear Heavenly Father, I lean on you.  Though trials may come my way, no matter what happens, help me to lean on you.  Keep me humble, keep me grounded in your Word.  Thank you for all that you have given me, my family, and my friends.  Please guide me tonight to understand Your Word.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Jude continues to describe the fate of the false teachers.  To bring deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their companion or similar verses.

"Raging" in the Greek is agrios which means fierce, wild, savage, untamed, living in fields.  "Waves" in the Greek is kuma which means surge, billow, swell, impulsive and restless men tossed to and fro by their raging passions.  "Sea" in the Greek is thalassa which means lake, in contrast to land, seashore.  Isaiah 57:20-21 states "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 'There is no peace,' Says my God, 'for the wicked.'”  These false teachers will have no rest or peace.  They will be troubled and controlled by their untamed passions. 

"Foaming" in the Greek is epaphrizo which means foam out, seaweed and refuse borne on the crest of waves, vomit forth, casting, godless and graceless, compelled by restless passions they unblushingly exhibit in word and deed, their base and abandoned spirit.  "Shame" in the Greek is aischune which means disgrace, shamefulness, shameful deeds, bad character, baseness (lack of moral principles).  2 Corinthians 4:2 states "But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God."  These false teachers unblushingly vomit forth their lack of moral principles.  They handle the Word of God with deceit and malice.  Philippians 3:19 states "whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things."

"Wandering" in the Greek is planetes which means wanderer, operating without a moral compass and exploiting other aimless people prompting them to stray from God's safety.  "Stars" in the Greek is aster which means comets that have left the course prescribed by God and wander at will.  Isaiah 14:12 states "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!"  These dreamers have left God operating without a moral compass to lure the world away from God.

"Reserved" in the Greek is tereo which means keep, guard, observe, watch over, maintain, preserve, keep intact, kept in custody, hold firmly.  "Blackness" in the Greek is zophos which means murkiness, appalling gloom, so dark and foreboding that it is "felt," indescribable despair.  "Darkness" in the Greek is skotos which means the principle of sin with its certain results, dark place, unhappiness, unpleasantness.  "Forever" in the Greek is aion which means age, cycle of time, ages stretching to infinity, contrast present age with future age, time span, eternal, eternity.   2 Peter 2:17 states "These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever."  These dreamers are in sin's custody awaiting the heavy appalling gloom, unhappiness, unpleasantness, indescribable despair for time that stretches to infinity.

These false teachers exhausted by their untamed passions will, without regret, handle the Word of God with deceit to lure the world away from God.  Bound up in sin, they wait for the just and unquenchable fire that never ends.  The world owns them encouraging them to bring as many others with them as possible.  They are lost in a massive storm at sea casting off God's moral compass trying to survive on their own.  

Be grounded in His Word, trust in His provision, be free of the world. Spend your time on earth focused on Him and your heart will be full.  If you follow the world, anything you try to calm your heart will end in despair and unhappiness.  The world is a quick evaporating high that gets shorter and more painful the more you embrace it.

wild waves of the sea, flinging up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of deep darkness has been reserved forever.

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Inductive Study: Jude 12

These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;

Jude 12

Dear heavenly Father, please hear my humble prayer.  You are so giving and so merciful even to the least of those You called Yours.  I don't know if I can praise you enough.  Thank you for a successful surgery of my Mom.  I pray for a successful recovery.  I pray for my Mom-in-Law who will be going through a heart cath.  Please be with her doctors and nurses even now.  Let them be your healing hands and comfort her heart.  Thank you Lord for Your provision, help me be your witness.  In Jesus name I pray, A-men.

In the next few verses, Jude will be describing the fate of "these," the false teachers.  To bring deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their companion or similar verses.

"Spots" in the Greek is spilas which means hidden reefs, hidden stains, dangerous reefs, elements of danger to others, hidden rock, false teacher, flaw, stigma, ledge of rock over which the sea dashes, damage others, wreck, blemishes.  "Love Feasts" in the Greek is agape which means fellowship, benevolence, good will, esteem, love which focuses on moral preference, divine love.  Agape in plural means love feasts, poor mingled with wealthy at the expense of the wealthy, charity, feast expressing and fostering mutual love held before celebrating Lord's supper, feast of charity. 2 Peter 2:13 states "and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you."  These false teachers are hidden, kept in secret, elements of danger that will wreck others at the most communal time of believers.  They ruin the spirit of fellowship.

"Feast" in the Greek is suneuocheomai which means sumptuously (splendid, expensive looking) carouse (noisy, lively drinking party), entertain together.  "Fear" in the Greek is aphobos which means "without phobia."  Specifically, it means shamelessly, securely, tranquilly, without fear, without cause to be afraid, boldly without fear, qualm.  These false teachers are so secure in their destiny that they openly, shamelessly, raucously party with no fear of God's judgement.

"Serving" in the Greek is piomaino which means feeding, caring, looking after, shepherd, tend, herd, govern, guard, to cherish one's body, supply requisites for the soul's needs.  Ezekiel 34:2,8,and 10 state "'Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: 'Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks' . . . 'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock . . . Thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.'" These false teachers care only for their own bodies which they cherish above all.  They are only looking out for their own skins.  They leave their flocks open to the darkness, but God is against these false teachers and will feed and deliver the flock.

"Carried" in the Greek is paraphero which means blown, swept, turn aside, remove, carry away, I am misled, very closely felt, lead aside from the right path.  It is made up of para which means close beside and phero which means bring along, remove something.  "Winds" in the Greek is anemos which means applied to empty doctrines, gust of air, storm-like force, someone bent in a particular direction, very strong tempestuous wind, emptiness of teaching.  Proverbs 25:14 states "Whoever falsely boasts of giving Is like clouds and wind without rain."  2 Peter 2:17 states "These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever."  These false teachers are without the life giving living water and are being lead away from the narrow path by empty doctrines and beliefs.  Hebrews 13:9 states "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them."

"Autumn" in the Greek is phthinoporinos which means wane, waste away, dry, leafless, without fruit, unfruitful, worthless men.  "Fruit" in the Greek is akarpos which means darken profitless, not born of faith, a waste, destitute of good deeds, contributing nothing.  "Dead" in the Greek is apothnesko which means about to die, dying, separation that goes with dying off, ending, seeds that are perishing, rotting.  "Pulled up by the roots" in the Greek is ekrizoo which means plucked up by the roots, uprooted.  These false teachers will be like dry, wasting away, profitless trees that are perishing that will be removed.  Matthew 15:13 states "But He answered and said, 'Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.'"

These false teachers are dangerous and ruin the fellowship of believers by empty doctrines and beliefs with no fear of God's judgement.  These false teachers care only for themselves with no feeling of responsibility for their followers who are left vulnerable to the darkness.   These false teachers follow the same wide path of destruction as the world.  They are not of God and will be uprooted and thrown into the fire.  

If your life's focus is only for yourself, then you have fallen for the world's trap.  When you find yourself needing to be noticed or needing to hear yourself speak, when your desire to show your head knowledge not the Spirit's knowledge, when it is important that people know how you serve, when you don't hear what people are saying and only thinking of how the attention can be brought on yourself, you are on the wide path.  Life is not about what moth and rust will destroy or fame.  It is about Christ.  Be humble and serve.

These men are hidden reefs [elements of great danger to others] in your love feasts when they feast together with you without fear, looking after [only] themselves; [they are like] clouds without water, swept along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted and lifeless;

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Inductive Study: Jude 11

Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Jude 11

Dear heavenly Father, please hear my prayer.  Thank you for all that you've given me and my family, the provision, the healing, the mercy.  Most of all, thank you for Your Son who took my punishment so I can be reconciled to You.  Please keep me focused on what is important and not the noise that surrounds me.  Help me to understand Your word.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Again, Jude is referencing "them."  He has spent several verses describing their depravity and their corrupted source of inspiration drawing parallels with stories that the congregation in Jerusalem knows. "Them" are the false teachers.  To bring deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their companion or similar verses.

"Woe" in the Greek is ouai which means sorrow, alas, uttered in grief or denunciation (public disapproval of someone or something).  Jude starts out publicly shouting his disapproval of these "dreamers" who hope and desire against God's kingdom and then expect their personal aspirations to be granted.

"Way" in the Greek is hodos which means road, journey, path, footsteps, highways, streets, a traveled way, metaphorically as a manner of feeling, thinking, and/or deciding.  These false teachers have traveled the same journey that Cain did.  Genesis 4:5-8 states "but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.' Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him."  In an effort to "save face" over his anguish at his failure, Cain slays his brother.  In an attempt to retain respect and avoid humiliation, these false prophets seek to reduce God's majesty in an effort to make themselves feel more important than God, just like the playground bully who is envious of his classmates.

"Run greedily" in the Greek is ekcheo which means pour out, shed, bestow liberally, give up to wickedness, headlong.  "Error" in the Greek is plane which means a wandering sin, deviant behavior, departure from what God says is true, deception which results in wandering (roaming in sin), straying, wrong opinion, delusion.  "Profit" in the Greek is misthos which means pay, wages, salary, reward, recompense, punishment, compensation for particular decision (action), dues paid for work.  The false teachers gave themselves up to wickedness like Balaam's departure from God for a worldly reward.  2 Peter 2:15 states "They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness."

Balaam of Beor is mentioned in 62 verses in the Bible mostly in Numbers. Balak, the king of Moab, is frightened by Moses and the approaching Israelites.  He decides to hire Balaam, a well known prophet, to curse Israel so that he will be able to defeat them in war.  Searching for profit, Balaam agrees.  However, through God's plan, in the end, Balaam can only bless Israel.  

Other texts also describe him as a prophet for hire.   Joshua 13:22 states "The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them."  Joshua 24:9 states "Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you."   Nehemiah 13:2 states "because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing."

Numbers 31 describes his punishment for involvement in the Baal Peor (Numbers 25) where he is blamed for inciting Moabite women to entice Israelite men to sin.  Numbers 31:16 states "Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord."  Revelation 2:14 states "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality."  Jesus said in Matthew 18:6, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."  Through the example of Balaam, we can see what that punishment would look like.

"Perished" in the Greek is apollumi which means destroy, lose, am perishing, resultant death that seems certain, miserable end, permanent destruction, ruin, eternal misery.  These false teachers will meet a miserable eternal end like those of the Korah rebellion.  Numbers 16:1-3 states "Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 'You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?'"  Korah called out Moses convinced he was just as good.

God showed His plan in Numbers 16:28-35, "And Moses said: 'By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.' Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly."

These false teachers would go as far as murder if disrespected or humiliated.  They would do or say anything for worldly gains.  Anyone who seems more important than them, they will use any method to ruin their threat.  To these dreamers, no one and nothing is more important than them and they are entitled to all spoils to the point of being called a "god."  Focusing on yourself, keeps you from God and brings you only misery.  Be free.  Focus on God and His will.

Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of [mutinous] Korah.

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Inductive Study: Jude 10

But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.

Jude 10

Dear Heavenly Father, as I work on this study tonight, help me to put everything aside and let your Word speak.  Convict me of my missteps and help me focus on You.  Never again, do I want to use the excuse "I can't help myself."  I'm free through your forgiveness.  Thank you Lord.  A-men.

Jude starts this verse with "But these."  Who are "these."  Looking at the preceding verses, "these" are the dreamers.  "Dreamers" in the Greek is epupniazomai which means I dream (see visions) in my sleep, wrong kind of day dream, hoping (desiring) against God's kingdom and then expects personal aspirations to be granted, completely out of touch with God's kingdom, to be beguiled with sensual images and carried away to an impious course of conduct.  These are people who claim authority by dreams that they've had.  They rely solely on the strength of their dreams.  "These" are the false teachers.  To bring deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their companion or similar verses.

"Speak evil" in the Greek is blasphemo which means means use abusive or scurrilous (scandalous claims to damage someone's reputation) language about God, refusing to acknowledge good, revile, calumniate (make false and defamatory statements about), vilify, slanderous, contemptuous speech intentionally come short of reverence due God, mock, scoff, heap abuse.  It is composed of two words: blax which means sluggish or slow and pheme which means reputation or fame.  They are trying to slow down the reputation or fame of God.

"Whatever" in the Greek is hosos which means how much, how great, how many, all things, many, whatsoever, wherewithsoever.  "Know" in the Greek is eidu which means remember, appreciate, see with physical eyes, acknowledge, perceive.  They vilify all things that they don't acknowledge exists.

"Naturally" in the Greek is phusikos which means acting by mere instinct, in natural manner, under the guidance of nature, by the aid of bodily senses.  "Know" in the Greek at this part of the verse is epistamai which means standing upon, gaining knowledge through prolonged acquaintance, to be acquainted with, fix one's thoughts on.  It is made up of epi which is "fitting on" and histemi which is "stand."  They vilify all things that they are acquainted with under the guidance of nature.

"Brute" in the Greek is azogos which means senseless, contrary to reason, absurd, no logic, against divine reason.  "Beasts" in the Greek is zoon which means living creature or living being.  Their thoughts are contrary to reason.

"Corrupt themselves" in the Greek is phtherio which means spoil, ruin, deteriorate, decomposition, due to the corrupting influence of sin, moving down from a higher level, perish.  By their vilification of all things that they know are true but don't acknowledge and all things that they know by nature, by living in this world, these dreamers, false teachers become progressively worse through the influence of sin.

The companion verse is in 2 Peter 2:12 which states "But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption."

These false teachers make no logical sense.  They don't believe what they have seen, what is truth, and what exists in reality.  They don't believe what nature teaches them.  They are mindless, because they don't believe the things of God or the things of science.  They believe only what they want to believe.  In the end, we all have to believe in something.  Believe in the Truth that God supplies and the Truth that He shows us through His creation.  Don't rely on men.

 But these men sneer at anything which they do not understand; and whatever they do know by [mere] instinct, like unreasoning and irrational beasts—by these things they are destroyed.

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