1:12 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;
1:13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
1:14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
1:15 “to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
1:16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
Jude, continues his description ( it's really God's description and Word through Jude ) of these men who were creeping into the church to defile it. He has many things to say about them.
1. These are spots in your love feasts.
2. While they feast with you without fear.
3. Serving only themselves.
4. They are clouds without water.
5. Carried about by the winds.
6. Late autumn trees without fruit.
7. Twice dead.
8. Pulled up by the roots.
9. Raging waves of the sea.
10. Foaming up their own shame.
11. Wandering stars.
12. For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
What a description.
They participate with the church, but are spots, meaning, they are men who by their conduct damage others morally, and wreck them as it were.
They feast without fear. They have no true fear of God in them.
Serving only themselves. They are the primary focus of all their activities. It's themselves. Not the Lord, nor others. But themselves.
They are clouds without water. They are a fabrication of the truth. They may look as if they have something to offer, but in fact, they do not. They are empty of the truth.
Carried about by winds. They are driven by the winds of false doctrine. Rather then by the wind like ministry of the Holy Spirit. They are not guided by truth at all, only by error.
Late autumn trees without fruit. Again, an appearance, but no real truth. There is no fruit, there is no love, no love of God in them and through them.
Twice dead. Dead in sins as anyone else. But then dead once again in their determination to oppose the truth. They are separated from God by their sins.
Pulled up by the roots. They had no fruit to begin with, but are like a tree pulled out of the ground. It essentially will not live at this point, and it will not bear fruit. That's these men.
Raging waves of the sea. A horrible storm is created by these men. It's treacherous and dangerous to any who travel their waters.
Foaming out their own shame. Just as the sea water, of itself produces a foam, that comes from within, so, these men produce a shamefulness that comes out of them.
Wandering stars. They are not fixed, they are not rooted in the truth, they are moved about, being unstable.
For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. This is where they are going. This will be where they wind up. They will be in the blackness of darkness ( one of the many descriptions of hell given to us in the Bible ) forever. This is the fate of their own choosing. This is what the Lord will do with them.
Jude mentions a quote from Enoch. When Jesus comes back, He will come with the multitude of His saints. He will come to execute judgement upon these people. To convict them of all their ungodly deeds. And, please notice in verse 15 at the end of that verse, it says, "and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him"
This is the fate that awaits these men. This is the Biblical teaching of God's judgement. It's no wonder, for God loves His church, and does not take kindly anyone who seeks to destroy it, and to harm His bride. These are His children, and they are being troubled by these men who have crept into the church.
One last thing......in 1:16 it says These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
One last thing......in 1:16 it says These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
This is a further description of the ungodly. A number of things are said about them. They are first of all, grumblers. A grumbler, is someone who discontentedly complains against God.
They are also said to be complainers. This word is also translated "finding fault" and means to complain of one's lot, and to be discontented.
Going on, Jude says, "walking according to their own lusts" Which means, they are governed by their own desires, and are really doing what they want to do naturally. They are not allowing God to influence or guide them.
Finally, "they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage."
This of course does not need much explanation. It speaks for itself. They are big talkers, who are out to take advantage of people.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
