The Pulpit Commentary — Jude — Section 31

Bliarne/ulness that lies buried in their wiclred hearts. "Boldly belching out their abomi- DRblo opinions e.nd their detestable doctrines;" but, above all, giving a free outlet to all licontiouijnees. Evil things come forth from" the evil treasure of the heart." 3. it is the lot of the Ohurch to live in the midst of these " rnging wa1,es" of wickedne.~.~ and folly. 4. The Ohurch is most disquieted by enemies within her communion. 5. The enemies of God proclaim their own shame, and brin,q confusion upon themselves. 6. The saints otiglit ever to pray that the peace of God may dwell in their hearts. V. MISLEADING GUIDES AND THEIR FUTURE DESTINY. "Wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness bath been reserved for ever." 1. These seducers were like stars, conspicuous by thtir position and their exploits. They were false lights to mislead the people in to error and destruction. 2. They were wandering stars, (1) because they kept no certain course; (2) because they blazed brightly for a moment, then went out in darkness. 3. They threw down no light upon the world lying in darlcness and the region of death. 4. It is a fearful thing to seduce others from the way of truth. "They which lead thee cause thee to err" (Isa. iii. 12). 5. God shows great forbearance even to seducers. He "endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction'' (Rom. ix. 22). 6. Divine fudgments are often in kind. The seducers who loved darkness rather than light will be plunged into still deeper darkness-" into 'the very blackness of darkness for ever." 7. Let believers be warned to seek the light- to walk in the light, to walk decently as in the day.-T. C. Vers.14, 15.-An ancient prophecy of fudgment against the wicked. I. THE PROPHET. ".And to these also Enoch, the seventh from .Adam, prophesied." 1. He was a pre- eminently holy man, who was ti-anslated to heaven without dying. 2. His descent is here mentioned, (1) partly to indicate the antiquity of his prophecy, as going back to the first days of man on earth ; (2) partly to distinguish him from Enoch the son of Cain ; (3) partly also to show the zeal of Enoch against wickedness in those early times. He was the seventh from .Adam, reckoning by generations. II. His PROPilF.CY. It is the coming of Christ to judgment. "Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones." We have here the historic tense of prophecy. 1. The Lord comes from heaven. "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven" to judge the world. 2. It will be in the end of the world, in a day utterly unknown to man or angel. 3. He will be accompanied by ten thousands of his saints, who will sit with him as assessors (1 Cor. vi. 3). "The saints shall appear with him in glory." They are called his saints, because they are so by redemption and by service. 4. This second advent is to execute judgment and convict the ungodly. (1) The last judgment is to be regarded as a matter of the greatest certainty. (2) It is foolish to expect an escape from judgmcnt through secrecy. (3) Words will be judged as well as deeds. ".All the hard things which ungodly sinners ;have spoken against him." Sinners reproach, mock, and condemn the just. 'rhe piety of the just does not exempt them from severe aspersions. Christ regards the words spoken against his disciples as spoken against himself. (4) The judgment will take account of the manner or motive of transgression. "Works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought." (a) The wicked devise mischief (Prov. vi. 14). (b) '!'hey delight and take pleasure in it (Prov. x. 30). (c) '!'hey persist in transgression in the teeth of all warnings. (d) Their sin does not spring from mere infirmity like the sin of the righteous. (5) The trua interest as well as thti highest wisdom of the sinner is to make a friend of the Lord against the day of judgment.-T. C. Ver. 16.-The cynical and dissat-i.vi,ed temper of these self-indulgent flalteries. I. THEY WERE LOUD IN THE EXPRESSION OF THEIR DISCONTENT. "'l'hese are murmurers, complainers." It was natural they should be so if they "walked after their own lusts," because these lusts were insatiable, and the means of their gratification were not always accessible. 1. The habit of murmuring argues unbelief and distrust in the Lord. W ben men can say, "'l'he Lord is my Portion," they will be likely to Rdd, "The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places." (Ps. :rvi. 5, 6). No fu lness of earthly blessing can still the complo.ints of an unbelieving heart. The lesson of contentment is not to be leRrnt in the school of great prosperity. 2. It argues unthankfulness. The humble believer, i.s he rec~ives his blessings, fays, "I am less than the least of thy mercies," 3. It 30 THE GENERAL EPIS1'LE OF JUDE.