Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
Jude 5-7
Jude isn’t messing around in this letter, he gets right into his indictment of false teachers and frauds. In this paragraph, he cites three Old Testament examples to make a point that his recipients hag best not listen to these people. There is an underlying premise in all this that isn’t entirely expressed, at least not for a modern audience. The only “new truth” comes from false teachers. Their new morality is little more than an old immorality (cf. Galatians 1:9; i John 2:19-28) If you are like most modern people, your defenses are up and there are warning lights going off in your head, but hang with me for a moment!
Jude mentioned in verses 3-4 that there are people in his readers’ midst who are trying to pervert the gospel message they have been entrusted with, just as John told his readers that they should hold to the gospel teachings they heard in the beginning; Paul gave to his readers similar warnings. So, if someone comes up with a different gospel, than it can’t be right, for the gospel is “once for all”. Leaving the gospel behind, along with the teachings of Christ will have certain consequences; Jude begins to make his case here with three examples from the past:
The first example comes from the story of the Exodus. God saved the people from Egypt and delivered the promised land to them, but they were too afraid to enter it. Only Joshua and Caleb entered the land ultimately, for God led the people through the Wilderness for the next 40 years in punishment for their disobedience. You might recall that this same example was used in Hebrews 3 and 4 to make the same point.
The next example is that of angels who rebelled against God. They fell from their high position and await their doom.
Finally, he uses the example of Sodom and Gomorrah where the people turned their backs on God’s ways and fell into immorality, the result apparently of a “new truth” discovery. They lost their relationship with God and were consumed by His judgment.
I would like to call to your attention to something that might not have occurred to some: In each of these three cases, those involved turned their backs on a relationship with God that they had. The Israelites refused to accept the promised land, a covenant promise God made to Abraham and his descendants who turned their backs on the covenant when they refused to enter. The angels mentioned had a high place in heaven, but they turned their backs on this relationship when they decided they would take God’s place. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah had favor with God until they turned their backs on Him and decided that they would decide what is right and what is wong.
Do you remember how verse 4 ends? Here’s the whole verse, pay special attention to the end:
For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord
Jude’s point is that these teachers with their “new truth” are trying to make the people deny Jesus Christ by their actions which would amount to a repudiation of their covenant relationship. In Scripture, this is always a very big deal! In life, it is the way to destruction.
Life Project Blog 
” .. he cites three Old Testament examples to make a point ..”
Don, on first reading there is the implication of a return to the smiting stuff. The smiting stuff of the grumpy God … pre-fluffy NT Jesus. Yet this phrase and the last paragraph – puts the fingerprints of love all over the “grumpy smiting God” we see (as we recoil in fear and trembling at being smited ourselves).
Seems to me that turning my back and being left to my own devices – the odds of self-destruction go up considerably. Don’t think it needs God to do the smiting.
You bring up a very interesting point that deserves a closer look. But not quite yet! To use your words, if there is smiting to be done, who actually does the smiting? It might just be the one who is smitten did it to himself!
I shall once again lurk. 🙂
Stress!
The commandment of Jesus is to love. In so many ways, the temptation to turn from that commandment is a temptation to take our own vengeance. It seems to me that so many expressions of my lust had their opportunity when I got out of grace and assumed a vengeful wist.
When I start imagining bite for bite and stab for stab, I start producing behavior that deserves the biting & stabbing- and, I start getting bitten & stabbed.
Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Honestly, the way of God is not “Thous shalt not bite or devour”. It is “Thou shalt serve by love”. If you deny Jesus in the loving, you can not draw near, again, by making all sorts of rules to mask your lack of love. You can’t keep ’em.
And, then, you find yourself in the “smiting” realm of the lawless.
Thank you Don for highlighting this very important message ! I tremble when I think how often I have tried to make God’s word fit my life, when in fact, it is my life that needs to mirror his word. Thank you ~ it is serious indeed ! ~ Joyfully HIs
Thank you! You really expressed an important truth!
Really enjoying the Jude study. I’ve read everything so far 🙂
Glad to hear it, thank you!
I am blessed to be able to read this lesson. We always need to rehearse the truths of the Bible. We are living in a world that demands our attention in some ways. We can become distracted by the things of this world. That is why we must study such epistles like Jude. It brings us back into true spiritual focus. We can easily lose sight of the truth of the gospel. We must remain steadfast and unshakeable when it comes to knowing the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That can only be accomplished through our close relationship with Jesus Christ and His Word. Thank you for this study!
Thanks Pam, I couldn’t agree more!
Dear Don: This is a good one, too. To me, the most dangerous ‘new truth’ is that, sometimes, “you have to choose the lesser of two evils. You just can’t afford to choose good. You just can’t afford to follow God like a dear child”. That’s the mystery of lawlessness, I think. How can one restore order by producing chaos?.
Faith cannot see any way to overcome the evil but by the good produced when God’s commandment is lived out among men.
I think someone said once that the lesser of two evils is still evil, a remark that is wise indeed! In truth a compromise like choosing the lesser evil is more about the easy way than the right way!