December 6
“Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’ But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves,” Jude 8-10.
The apostle Jude again discusses the work and conduct of the false teachers. He refers to them as dreamers. They are people who are not spiritually awake. They are guilty of the most horrible unchristian conduct, such as sexual immorality. They do not have respect for God’s or man’s authority, and they speak evil of everything that is heavenly and divine. The apostle Peter also wrote about the false teachers with similar words: “(They) walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,” 2 Peter 2:10-12.
False teachers are exceedingly arrogant, and will even dare to do what the holy archangel, Michael, would not dare to do. Jude writes about an incident not recorded elsewhere in Holy Scripture. “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’” The death and burial of Moses’ body is reported in the Book of Deuteronomy: “Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day,” Deuteronomy 34:5-6. However, Deuteronomy does not report the dispute about the body of Moses between the archangel Michael and the devil.
We might use our imagination and dream up all kinds of things about which they could have argued, but that is all we would conclude – a man-made, dreamed-up theory, which has no spiritual value. What we do know is that the archangel Michael did not tell the devil, “Go to hell!” as some people might be inclined to express, but instead he reminded the devil that he was eternally rejected by God: “The Lord rebuke you!”
Jude reports that the false teachers, who think that they are intelligent, are exceedingly ignorant. They speak evil of things about which they know nothing. And in matters about which they do have some general knowledge, they also reveal their ignorance by living like animals. They are brute beasts – they kill, eat, sleep, and have sexual relations. Yes, indeed, there are many people who live like wild animals! Such people “corrupt themselves!” They reject the one true God, the God of mercy, grace, and forgiveness, and they reject the Son of God whom the heavenly Father sent to save sinners. With the shedding of His holy, precious blood on Calvary’s cross, the Lord Jesus washed our sins away. The Lord Jesus stands with outstretched arms and invites sinners, one and all: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” Matthew 11:28.
“Rise, my soul, to watch and pray, From thy sleep awaken;
Be not by the evil day Unawares o’ertaken.
For the Foe, well we know, Oft his harvest reapeth,
While the Christian sleepeth.
But while watching, also pray To the Lord unceasing;
He will free thee, be thy Stay, Strength and faith increasing.
O Lord, bless in distress, And let nothing swerve me,
From the will to serve Thee.” Amen.