The Lord Comes to Execute Judgment – Jude 1:14-16

I recently had a physician who was a Muslim and I looked for an opportunity to dialogue with him about Islam and Christianity.  I referred him to the Qur’an, surah 3:50, “So fear Allah, and obey me.”  I challenged him that he could not obey Jesus if he didn’t know what Jesus taught, and so he should read the gospels.  I do not believe that the Qur’an was divinely revealed to Muhammed, but he does, and I believe that what the Qur’an says about the need to obey Jesus is correct.  Jude is quoting from the book of Enoch, a book that was not recognized by anyone in his day as Scripture, but was highly regarded by many, including, apparently, his readers.  So he uses it to make a point, a point already affirmed by Scripture.

It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. (Jude 1:14–16, ESV)

The false teachers are ungodly, as Jude has pointed out, and so they will be judged.  They will be judged when God comes to execute judgment on all.  Like Israel in the wilderness, like the fallen angels, and like Sodom and Gomorrah, like Cain, Balaam, and Korah, because they are hidden reefs, useless shepherds, because they are waterless clouds, fruitless trees, wild waves, and wandering stars.

These false teachers are doomed to judgment.  But in the meantime believers must recognize them for what they are.  And characteristic of false teachers is that they sow discontent with their grumbling, they give in to their baser desires, they are arrogant and boastful, and they use flattery and favoritism to manipulate others to their advantage.  We must be ready to recognize false teachers in our days.

Of course, we must recognize that sometimes we do those same things, and we must judge ourselves and so avoid God’s displeasure.  Our goal must be to love others, not use them.