Jude 7
Prophecy Before The Flood
We are turning once again to the small Letter of Jude in the New Testament. We have reached verse thirteen in which Jude describes false teachers as "wandering stars for whom blackest darkness has been reserved for ever. "
Jesus said, "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed". The planets in our solar system move in orbits around the sun designed for them by the Creator, whereas wandering stars have no set course; their destiny is outer darkness. Darkness in the Scripture speaks of the eternal judgement of God on all who reject or neglect the truth of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude says of these apostates, "for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever". In verse seven of this letter we read of "the punishment of eternal fire. " What a fearful warning this is to all who turn from the truth to another gospel or to no gospel at all; their punishment is eternal.
Jude has already described these apostates as like dangerous rocks and waterless clouds and as dead trees giving no fruit; they are like raging waves and wandering stars, but the true Christian is not like this. Christians are living stones, not lifeless rocks; they are channels of living water, not empty clouds; they are not dead trees, but trees of righteousness, a planting of the Lord; they know peace like a river and calm in the storm. True Christians will never experience the blackness of darkness forever but will, as we read in Daniel chapter twelve verse three, "shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. "
Now we come to verses fourteen and fifteen of the Letter of Jude. I am calling these verses "Prophecy before the flood". These verses read like this: "Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men, ‘See the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in their ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. " This statement is not found in the Old Testament. Moses recorded the story of creation and edited the first five books of the Bible, and whilst Enoch is referred to in the Book of Genesis, this prophesy that he made is not actually recorded there.
So Jude is giving us some new information about this man who is described in Genesis chapter five verse thirty-four as one who "walked with God". To tell us that Enoch was the seventh from Adam emphasises the antiquity of this prophecy. When Enoch’s son was born he was called Methuselah. His very name was a prophetic warning, for it means, "When he is dead it shall be sent. " Enoch was given a revelation from the Lord that when this child died every living thing on earth would be destroyed by a universal flood. And that is what happened, the flood came when Methuselah died after a very long life.
People did not face God’s judgement in total ignorance because they had Enoch the prophet, Noah the preacher, and Methuselah whose name was a prophesy.
There is, of course, a parallel with the days in which we are living. The world is under judgement from Almighty God for its sins. Methuselah lived for nine hundred and sixty-nine years, a long time even in an age of longevity. This reminds us of the long-suffering and patience of God. This present Day of God’s Grace is a long one, for now as then, God is not willing that any should perish but that all sinners should come to repentance, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation.
Enoch’s prophesy from God concerning the flood was given in a single word - the name of his son, Methuselah. The prophesy that Jude records for us in these verses has yet to be fulfilled and looks forward to the second coming of our Lord Jesus. There are four notable facts that are emphasised in Enoch’s prophesy:
- The certainty of Christ’s coming,
- The companions at his coming,
- The purpose of his coming, and
- The result of his coming.
Jesus’ coming again is CERTAIN. "Behold the Lord comes." Enoch was given a vision of the future, the veil was taken away and he saw this great event so clearly that he could describe it as though it was already passed. The first coming of Jesus Christ was in grace, to bring salvation. His second coming will be in judgement to judge the impenitent and unbelieving. It will also be to gather home to Himself all his beloved people. The first coming of the Lord Jesus was prophesied, and He came. His second coming is prophesied, and He himself said He would return, and He will.
Secondly consider his COMPANIONS at his coming. Literally this verse says , "He came with his holy myriads." It is written in the past tense as though it had already happened. Such is the certainty of this event in the purposes of God.
The second coming of Christ is mentioned in the Book of Zechariah chapter fourteen verse five: "Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him." Who are these holy ones, or saints, whom Enoch saw coming with the Lord? Moses described the great hosts that were with the Lord when the Law was given and all these holy angels will accompany Christ when He returns. But Christian believers are also to appear with Christ in glory when He returns with all his saints. So Enoch is referring to all the holy angels and to all the redeemed people of God.
What, then, is the PURPOSE of Christ’s coming? It is essentially to execute judgement. Who will be judged? All people, whether living or dead will ultimately face the judgement of God. The Lord Jesus said, "The Father judges no man, but has committed all judgement to the Son." Only those who are in Christ will be safe from this judgement because their sins have been atoned for by Christ’s death on the cross. Believers will be judged, not for their sins, but for what they have done for the Lord; for the way they have lived their lives since they came to Christ. Their salvation is secure in Christ, but there will be reward and there will be loss. This is the teaching of 1 Corinthians chapter three verses eleven to fifteen.
Finally what will be the RESULT of Christ’s second coming? Jesus Himself describes this judgement for us in Matthew chapter twenty-five verses thirty-one to forty-six. It is a solemn warning: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.' Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’."
May we heed the warning of this prophecy of Enoch and may we all be found as true believers in Christ at his coming again.