By Grace Alone

“These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jude 12-13 ESV)

I. The Burden to Warn against Apostasy
A. Jude’s prayer (1:1–2): He asks God to grant His chosen people mercy, peace, and love.
B. Jude’s plan (1:3a): He originally planned to write concerning God’s wonderful salvation.
C. Jude’s perception (1:3b): He then realized that the Spirit wanted him to warn against apostasy.

II. The Need to Warn against Apostasy
Wicked apostates have secretly slipped in among the believers. (1:4a)

III. The Six Historical Examples of Apostasy
A. The nation of Israel (1:5): Apostasy caused by unbelief.
B. Fallen angels (1:6): Apostasy caused by rebellion.
C. Sodom and Gomorrah (1:7b): Apostasy caused by sexual immorality.
D. Cain (1:11a): Apostasy caused by religious perversion.
E. Balaam (1:11b): Apostasy caused by financial greed.
F. Korah (1:11c): Apostasy caused by rejection of divine authority.

Today There Are Six Metaphors for Apostasy
A. Hidden reefs that can cause shipwrecks (1:12a)
B. Shepherds that feed themselves (1:12b)
C. Waterless clouds (1:12c)
D. Dead autumn trees (1:12d)
E. Wild waves of the sea (1:13a)
F. Wandering stars (1:13b)

1. Hidden Reefs (being out of sight or not readily apparent, concealed) as they feast with you (join in the fellowship with the local church) without fear.

“suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.” (2 Peter 2:13 ESV)

2. Shepherds that feed themselves is an obvious reference to the prophecy of Ezekiel, where God pronounces woes upon the spiritual shepherds of Israel “who only take care of themselves” instead of God’s people (Ezekiel 34:2, 8, 10).

““Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?”
(Ezekiel 34:2 ESV)

“As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep,”
(Ezekiel 34:8 ESV)

“Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.” (Ezekiel 34:10 ESV)

3. A true shepherd feeds, leads, cares for and protects the flock – Looking to the chief Shepherd Jesus Christ as their example.

“shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:2-4 ESV)

4. A true shepherd feeds the sheep
“the whole counsel of God”

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:26-28 ESV)

5. A true shepherd gives instruction in sound doctrine.

“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”
(Titus 1:9 ESV)

6. By contrast, these false teachers are not caring for the members of the church, instead they expect support from them  – they take all and give the poison of false doctrine in return.

“I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert…” (Acts 20:29-31 ESV)

7. Jude describes these apostates with four metaphors taken from nature: “from the air, the earth, the sea, the heavens.”??

8. The first metaphor is “waterless clouds swept along by the winds” and represents “deception.”

“Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.” (Proverbs 25:14 ESV)
“These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.”
(2 Peter 2:17 ESV)

“Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” (Hebrews 13:9 ESV)

9. The second metaphor is “fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted” which represents “uselessness.”

“He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.” (Matthew 15:13 ESV)

10. The third metaphor “waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame” represents “unruliness.”

“But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.” (Isaiah 57:20 ESV)

11. The fourth metaphor is “wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever” and represents “disobedience.”

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!” (Isaiah 14:12 ESV)

12. In the last line of verse 13 Jude is not talking about the stars but about the godless men for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

The Gloom of Utter Darkness Reserved Forever

“These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jude 12-13 ESV)

Share on Facebook