Sat.’s Devo - Jude

Read: Hosea 10:1-14:9; Jude 1:1-25; Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 29:15-17
Israel had spread its prostitution of idols to the whole nation. Jeroboam had built two golden calves in Israel, one in Ephraim and one in Dan. Ephraim had become the most powerful tribe and was the seat of adultery. God was going to judge and bring down their idol worship until they sought him with all their hearts. Israel was God’s wayward child that he loved. They had chosen to rebel and worship Baal instead of him. In all their sin, God was still compassionate. He promised that one day they would return to him and he would settle them in their own homes.
Ephraim had become very rich and had build beautiful houses but they would be reduced to living in tents. The guilt of her sins had been stored up and kept on record. Judgment was coming and the only hope was repentance.
God knew they would not repent then but he also knew that over time, Israel would repent and know that God’s ways are right. Then he would heal them and love them.
It seems like every writer of the New Testament warned the church not to be deceived by the false teachers and Jude is no exception. Jude was one of Jesus’ brothers. He reminds us of the angels who overstepped their authority and left heaven to have sex with women on earth. They are in chains in darkness awaiting the Day of Judgement. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah ended in a huge fire that was a picture of what judgement will look like on the earth. These are pictures of what will happen to the false teachers who teach the church not to believe Jesus came to earth as God’s son to save the world. These teachers refuse to be in submission to authority, live lives of immorality and slander celestial beings. I find it interesting that both the angels and the Sodomites sinned in having sex with beings outside God’s law. We are seeing this rampantly in our world now. The other sin that these false prophets and teachers did was to take money for their spiritual gifts.
The antidote for deception was to pray in the spirit and to keep yourself in God’s love as you patiently wait for God to come. Our commission is to walk in truth and teach the truth. We are to have mercy on those who doubt but help save them from the judgement to come.
Thank you Lord, that you are able to keep us from falling. May your glory, majesty, power and authority reign on the earth through your Church.