Miscellaneous Sermon #1937[i]

      Title:                     When Satan Raises Moses Up

      Text:                                  Jude 9

      Subject:               Michael the Archangel — (Christ Our

                                                Advocate) Disputing with Satan

      Introduction:

What do you do when Satan raises Moses up against you? Where do you turn when the fiend of hell roars against you, accusing you of sin, harassing you with your depravity, tempting you with the very lusts and blasphemies of your own heart? How do you answer when the prince of darkness assails your soul? Those are the questions I want to deal with in this message. The title of my message is — When Satan Raises Moses Up. Turn with me to the book of Jude. Let’s begin in verse 1.

(Jude 1:1-8) “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, [and] called: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.”

“3 ¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

“8 Likewise also these [filthy] dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.”

Filthy Dreamers

Jude denounces those false prophets who creep into the Church, claiming to be messengers of Christ as “filthy dreamers,” who “defile the flesh,” cast the flesh in another color, making works of the flesh works of righteousness. False doctrines are dreams. Those who teach false doctrine are dreamers (Jeremiah 23:25-28, 32).

(Jeremiah 23:25-28) “I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 26 How long shall [this] be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, [they are] prophets of the deceit of their own heart; 27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. 28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What [is] the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.”

(Jeremiah 23:32) “Behold, I [am] against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.”

“These filthy dreamers defile the flesh” by their nocturnal pollutions! False doctrine (the exaltation of man’s will, man’s works, and man’s worth) always leads to corrupt behavior.

These “filthy dreamers” also “despise dominions.” That is to say, they despise the fact that God is God, despise and refuse to bow to Christ the Lord. And they “speak evil of dignities.” A more literal translation would be, “blaspheme glories.” Jude is not talking about mere political revolutionaries, or men who speak evil of civil magistrates and political rulers. Jude is talking about those who blaspheme the glories of Christ our God.

·      Speak Evil of God’s Being

·      Speak Evil of God’s Providence

·      Speak Evil of Christ’s Accomplishments

Wicked religionists love and promote strife and contention. They are never reluctant to speak evil of and blaspheme God; and they are never reluctant to speak evil of other authority, especially of God’s prophets, Gospel preachers, faithful pastors.

God’s servants and God’s people do not behave in such arrogance. Our Lord tells us that the servant of the Lord “must not strive,” is not to be contentious, but patient, in meekness instructing those who oppose themselves. We are to scrupulously avoid those vain questions and endless strifes about meaningless things that commonly run rampant among religious people.

• Eschatological Theories
• Foolish Questions —— “Where did Cain get his wife?”
• Religious Traditions

Moses’ Body

In the first eight verses of his Epistle, Jude warns us against false prophets. Then in the 9^th verse he seems to shift gears. Really, it seems like he is going in another direction altogether. But that isn’t the case at all. Jude is continuing the same line of thought as in verse eight, teaching us that we are never to behave as godless reprobates, in rash unbelief, but as men and women who trust Christ.

(Jude 1:9) “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Jude here refers us to something that was obviously a matter of common knowledge in the early Church. In our day, that which Jude refers to here has become a matter of great debate and confusion because men love to find something new, something strange, or something unusual in the Scriptures. This love for the new, the strange, and the unusual is nothing but proud flesh seeking an opportunity to strut before men. God’s servants are not interested in showing you something new, but in declaring the old, old story of Jesus and His love. It is that old, old story of God’s great salvation in and by Christ to which Jude refers in this 9^th verse of his epistle. Here Jude is referring to a very well known example of God’s great salvation by Christ our Mediator, the Angel of the Covenant.

(Jude 1:9) “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Proposition: Here, in verse 9, Jude shows us, by the example of our Lord Jesus Himself, how we are to resist the devil, when he raises Moses up against us. — “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:7-8).

(Jude 1:9) “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

There are many who imagine that Jude is here referring to something passed along by Jewish tradition. Others suggest that he is referring to a fable recorded in an apocryphal book called, “The Ascension of Moses.” But God the Holy Spirit tells us that Jude wrote neither by tradition nor by apocryphal fable, but as he was “moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). Being convinced of that fact, we will look into the Book of God alone to find the meaning of Jude’s words.

Michael The Archangel

I.      First, let’s look into the Word of God to find out who this Angel is that Jude calls “Michael the Archangel.”

The word “Archangel” is used only five times in Holy Scripture (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9). Every time it is used, it is singular. There is and can be only one Archangel. And that one Archangel is named Michael in our text and again in Revelation 12:7.

(Revelation 12:7-9) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, (8) And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. (9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The name “Michael” signifies “one who is God.” The word “Archangel” means “chief or head of the angels.” Michael the Archangel is our Lord Jesus Christ who is, as our God-man Mediator, “Head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:10).

Without question, the work described in Revelation 12:7-9 is the work of Christ Himself (John 12:31-32; Revelation 20:1-3). It is He who bound Satan and cast him out. Notice the reproachful names given to our adversary in Revelation 12:9.

·  Because he is furious with rage, he is called “the great dragon.”

·  Because he is the deceiver of the whole world (2 Corinthians 4:6), he is called “that old serpent,” the one who deceived Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:1-6).

·  Because he ever accuses God’s saints and seeks to turn God against us and us against our God, he is called “the devil and Satan,” who as a roaring lion goes about seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

The accuser who was cast out of heaven has also been cast out of his power over the nations. He who held the Gentile world in bondage, idolatry, and ignorance throughout the Old Testament era was cast out by Christ, so that he could no longer deceive the nations (Revelation 20:1). Thus, by His death on the cross, the Son of God opened the way for the Gospel to be preached to the whole world, so that He might gather in His elect from the four corners of the earth (John 12:32; Romans 11:25-26).

(John 12:32) “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me.”

(Romans 11:25-27) “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

We should not be surprised to see the word “angel” used in reference to our Savior in His mediatorial capacity. The word “angel,” as you know, simply means “messenger.” Gospel preachers are called “angels” in Revelation 1-3. The “angel” of the local Church is the pastor of the Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the preeminent Angel of the Lord, the Head, the Chief Messenger of God.

• He is the Angel of the Lord who appeared to men in the Old Testament.
• Our Savior is called “the angel of His presence” (Isaiah 63:9), by whom we are saved.
• He is the Angel of the covenant (Malachi 3:1).

Our Lord Jesus is not a created Angel, but the eternal “Angel of God’s presence,” Who is Himself our God. He is that great Prince, the Archangel, before whom Daniel trembled, Who came to help Daniel, and by whose grace Daniel was given strength. It is He Who stands for His people as our great Advocate and Defender (Daniel 10:13-21; 12:1).

(Daniel 10:13-21) “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision [is] for [many] days. 15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 16 And, behold, [one] like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. 17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. 18 Then there came again and touched me [one] like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace [be] unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. 20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. 21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and [there is] none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.”

(Daniel 12:1) “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Jude would have us, as Daniel did, to “Behold, Michael our Prince,” as we look upon our Lord Jesus Christ in His office capacity as our Advocate, Defender, and Savior. Then, he turns our minds to behold Him acting as our Advocate.

The Contention

II.     The second thing mentioned in our text is the contention of our great Savior with the devil about the body of Moses.

(Jude 1:9) Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Now, if you are interested in reading a bunch of words about nothing, try reading what men say about this contention. These words, “the body of Moses,” are not referring to Moses’ physical body, but to the law of God given by Moses. That is precisely the way Moses is commonly used in the Word of God (John 5:45; Acts 15:21; 21:21; 2 Corinthians 3:15).

(John 5:45) Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

(Acts 15:21) For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

(Acts 21:21) And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

(2 Corinthians 3:15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

So the contention here spoken of was a contention that had something to do with the law of God. And the contention was something so commonly known among God’s people that there was no more need to specify it than there would be if Jude had said something about God bringing Israel across the Red Sea. —— The contention Jude is talking about between Michael, our great Archangel, between Christ our Advocate and the devil is described in great detail in Zechariah 3.

(Zechariah 3:1-5) And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. (2) And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? (3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. (4) And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. (5) And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

A.    First, we see Joshua standing before the Lord in filthy garments.

This Joshua, of course, is not the man who succeeded Moses as the great deliverer of Israel. This is Joshua the high priest, who came up out of Babylonian Captivity with the children of Israel. He was a primary instrument of God for the rebuilding of the temple in the days of Ezra. But before he could be an instrument fit for the Master’s use, his sin had to be dealt with.

Joshua and his sons had taken heathen wives to themselves from among the women of Babylon (Ezra 10:18).

(Ezra 10:18) And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

Here is this man, Joshua, standing before the Lord God aware of his guilt and sin. Joshua is here said to be “standing before the Angel of the Lord” (v. 1). In verse 3 we read, ― “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Lord.” — In verse 5 Zechariah says, “and the Angel of the Lord stood by.”

The Angel of the Lord standing by is our all-glorious Savior and Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As I said before, our Savior is not one of the angelic hosts that He created. He is called “the Angel of the Lord,” because He is Jehovah’s Messenger, the Angel of the covenant. This One who is called, “the Angel of the Lord” in verse 1, is Jehovah Himself. We know that because He is called, “the Lord” (Jehovah) in verse 2. This Man who is God, the Angel of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, is our almighty Advocate and effectual Intercessor (Hebrews 7:24-27; 1 John 2:1-2).

(Hebrews 7:24-27) “But this [man], because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”

(1 John 2:1-2) “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.”

B.    Second, we see Satan standing at Joshua’s right hand “to resist him” (v. 1).

Here is Joshua, standing before the Lord, fully aware that he is a sinful man, having broken God’s holy law, having defiled his garments as God’s high priest. And Satan stands at his right hand to resist him. Have you ever been there? I have been there many, many times. In fact, I find myself standing precisely where Joshua stood all the time, with Satan standing at my right hand resisting me.

How does Satan resist us when we stand before God? I do not need to tell you. Do I? Satan resists us by accusing us, by attempting to resurrect the body Moses. He resists us by attempting to resurrect the law to condemn us. He says…

• The law demands perfection; and you stand here filthy.
• Moses demands that you die; and you hope for mercy.
• The law demands holiness; and you know that you have none.
• Moses says, “It shall be holy to be accepted;” and you dare hope that the holy Lord God will accept you!

What a sad, sad picture we have before us, if that were all that the Lord God put into the picture. But, blessed be His name, that is not the whole picture!

C.   We read in verse 2 the thing to which Jude refers. — “The Lord said unto Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? “

Here is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ making intercession for His elect. Satan is our adversary. But Christ is our Advocate. Satan is our accuser. But Christ is our Intercessor.

Joshua said nothing. Joshua did nothing. He stood in silence before the Angel of the Lord; and the Lord pleaded his cause. (Read Micah 7:8-9, 18-20).

(Micah 7:8-9) Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. (9) I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

(Micah 7:18-20) Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. (19) He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. (20) Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

When the Lord Jesus here said, “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan,” He was not yielding ground to the devil, or implying any lack of self-sufficient omnipotence. He was speaking as Joshua’s Advocate in court, declaring the basis of Divine pardon. When our Lord Jesus contended with Satan, silencing forever his legal accusations against Joshua, He spoke as the Angel of the Covenant, as Michael the Archangel, our Mediator and Advocate, pointing to the irrefutable ground upon which Joshua must stand accepted before the holy Lord God. This is the thing to which Jude refers us in his Epistle.

(Jude 1:9) “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

The Lord Jesus “durst not” do it; not because He dared not, or had not the power, but because it did not belong to His character and office as our Advocate. Rather, as our Advocate, He pleads only righteousness and justice according to the very demands of the law which He fulfilled. Thus He sends Satan slithering away in silence and leaves Moses dead and buried. — “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4; 8:1, 4, 33-34).

(Romans 8:1-4) “[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

(Romans 8:33-34) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. (34) Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Three Reasons

Here the Angel of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior speaks to Satan, our accuser. And He declares three reasons why Joshua the high priest and every believing sinner must be cleared of all charges, three reasons why God cannot impute sin to His elect.

1.    First, our accuser is silenced by the Word of Christ, our Advocate and Substitute.

When “the Lord said unto Satan, the Lord rebuke thee, O Satan,” it is as much as if he had said, “God will forgive My people because I said it” (1 John 1:1-2).

(1 John 2:1-2) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

The merits of Christ forbid the possibility of condemnation for His people (Romans 8:1). His presence in heaven is a perpetual plea for our pardon.

2.    Second, our accuser is silenced by God’s purpose of grace in election.

Our Advocate says, “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.” It is as though He laughed in the devil’s face and said, — “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?”

When you stand before the Lord God in filthy garments, you have nothing to fall back upon if you cannot fall back upon the finished work of Christ and God’s eternal purpose of grace in Him.

3.    Third, our accuser is silenced by the immutability of God’s grace and by the humble state and condition of God’s elect in this world.

Our Savior looked at Joshua standing there with his filthy, tattered garments, and said, “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”

When I read that, I thought to myself, “What kind of an argument is that? How can that help?” Now I know the answer. Our Lord is saying, “I will not charge my people with sin for these two reasons:”

(1.)         “I have saved them; and My grace is immutable.”

The Lord Jesus, by an act of omnipotent grace, has plucked us as firebrands from the fire. He will not cast us back into the fire (Malachi 3:6).

(2.)         “I am not done with them yet.”

It is as though the Lord had said to Satan, “What can you expect from a brand plucked out of the fire, but filth?” – “He remembereth our frame.”

·      He who plucked us out of the fire will finish His work in us and for us (Ephesians 5:25-27; Jude 24-25).

(Ephesians 5:25-27) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

(Jude 1:24-25) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (25) To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.

·      And He will never charge us with sin (Romans 4:8).

(Romans 4:8) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

When the time comes for you and me to pass over the sea into eternal bliss with Christ, our great Savior shall silence every foe. Satan may seek to raise Moses up to condemn us, but Christ will stand by His Joshuas and Moses shall have nothing to say!

(Exodus 15:17) “Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.”

If the Lord brought you out of Egypt, depend upon it He will bring you into the heavenly Canaan (John 10:26-28).

Compassed with trouble, in distress,

What fears possess my mind!

Savior, I long to see Your face,

For grace and peace Divine!

With broken heart, and waiting long,

Beneath this crushing load,

I own my sin, confess my wrong,

And stretch my hands to God.

My wretched heart, my God, I mourn;

And for my sin I weep!

With every lust obscene I burn,

And sink into the deep!

As Satan raises Moses up

And roars against my soul,

Lord Jesus, my poor cause take up

And make Your servant whole!

Arise, O Lord! Shine forth in grace!

Your precious blood apply!

Embrace my soul, dear Prince of Peace,

Blest Rock higher than I!

Speak, Savior, let me hear Your voice,

Show me, again, Your face!

Oh! Hear my inmost groans and cries. —

Revive my soul with grace!

Thank God, Moses is dead and buried. No one can ever find that dead body! Yes, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness unto everyone that believeth!” Satan tries, but he can never raise the body of Moses against the redeemed!

Michael’s Command

Now, look at the commandment given in Zechariah 3:4-5 by our great Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Michael the Archangel. — Here is a work of grace effectually accomplished.

(Zechariah 3:3-5) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. (4) And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. (5) And I said (Who is speaking here? ― Is it the Lord God? Perhaps. ― Is it Christ, the Angel of the Lord? Perhaps. ― It seems to me that the one here speaking is the prophet Zechariah. He seems to being saying, “Amen” to the Lord’s declaration of grace. Zechariah said, “Amen. Let it be done!”), Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre (Holiness to the Lord!) upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

The Lesson

III.   Now, let’s go back to Jude 9 and learn the lesson God the Holy Spirit teaches us in our text.

Jude is exposing the high arrogance and wickedness of those false prophets who dare turn the grace into lasciviousness, who by asserting that the Gospel of God’s free grace and free salvation in Christ promotes sin deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Those wicked men, those filthy dreamers, those work-mongers and religious legalists defile the flesh with their nocturnal dreams, despising God’s dominion as God and speak evil of the glories of God in Christ, the glories revealed in free grace redemption and salvation.

Application

Let me send you home rejoicing in three things clearly set before us in this sweet portion of Holy Scripture.

1.    The Lord Jesus Christ, the Man Who is God, our great Savior is the Archangel, the Prince, the Head of all principality and power.

2.    As such, He is our Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1-2).

(1 John 2:1-2) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

3.    What a great Defender He is! — With such a Defender, why would we ever imagine defending ourselves?

Rather, in every time of trial and heartache, when I mourn like a dove and my eyes fail, let this be my cry, “O Lord, I am oppressed. Undertake for me!” — “Be thou Surety for thy servant for good!”

Amen.

Don Fortner

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