2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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THE CHARACTER OF APOSTASY (XI)
MONDAY, APRIL 20
Jude 14-15
Hebrews 6:1-9
“Behold, the Lord cometh …
to execute judgment upon all …”
THE CHARACTER OF APOSTASY (XI)
After comparing the apostates to the Old Testament characters of Cain, Balaam, and Korah, and describing them metaphorically in a series of vivid images, Jude now borrows the words of Enoch to emphasize once again their certain destruction.
It is interesting that Jude chooses the prophecy of Enoch, which is not elsewhere recorded in scripture. Moreover, Jude deliberately places Enoch as “the seventh from Adam” (Jude 14). It seems that Jude cites Enoch’s prophecy in line with what he has stated earlier ‒ these apostates “were before of old ordained to this condemnation” (Jude 4). Their condemnation, in other words, has been certain from the beginning: even Enoch proclaimed it, “the seventh from Adam,” so close in time that Adam was in all likelihood still alive when Enoch made this prophecy. (A simple addition of the numbers as given in Genesis 5 reveals that Adam’s death occurred a mere 57 years before Enoch’s translation.)
Enoch’s prophecy concerned the final judgment. The just and holy God will not allow sin to go unpunished, but He has appointed from the beginning a day of judgment; a day when He will come with His myriads of saints “to execute judgment upon all” (Jude 15). Notice however that while “all” will be judged, He will not “convince” (that is, convict or find guilty) all. Only those who are “ungodly among them” will be convicted for their ungodly deeds and ungodly words, because they have rejected the atonement of Christ.
God has made a way of salvation that is available for all. The blood of Christ is sufficient to cover the debt of sin for the whole world, all these apostates included. But these “certain men” who creep into churches, claiming to be under-shepherds of Christ and teachers of His Word, while preying on the flock, have stubbornly and finally rejected salvation. They “were once enlightened” (Heb 6:4), but they have fallen away, having never truly believed at all, and now they “crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Heb 6:6). Of this they will surely be convicted, on that appointed day.
THOUGHT: I will one day stand before God to be judged.
PRAYER: I thank Thee, Lord, for the gift of righteousness in Christ!