3 Bible stories I can’t remember from Sunday School

5 Now I want to remind you, although you came to know all these things once and for all, that Jesus saved a people out of Egypt and later destroyed those who did not believe; 6 and the angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deep darkness for the judgement on the great day. 7 Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns committed sexual immorality and perversions, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

8 In the same way these people – relying on their dreams – defile their flesh, reject authority, and slander glorious ones. 9 Yet when Michael the archangel was disputing with the devil in an argument about Moses’s body, he did not dare utter a slanderous condemnation against him but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you! ’ 10 But these people blaspheme anything they do not understand. And what they do understand by instinct – like irrational animals – by these things they are destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, have plunged into Balaam’s error for profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Jude 5-10

Introduction

I remember attending Sunday school as a small child. In particular, I remember aunty Edith. She was old. At the time I thought maybe she might have been around when Noah filled the ark. As a naughty little pastors kid I might have asked her that. But she was lovely. She loved us children and she loved telling us Bible stories. Stories about Noah and the ark, Samson and Delilah, David and Goliath.

Maybe right up front, parents, you have a responsibility to bring your children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. One of the ways we can come alongside you is when you bring them to Sunday school on Sunday morning (At the Hill after the service and at Arcadia before the service). Sunday school has kicked off for the year and the teachers are looking forward to equipping your children and partnering with you.

Now I remember a number of the stories from Sunday school. I remember the story of Creation. I remember the story of the Flood. I remember the story of the Tower of Babel… …and maybe as you think back to fond memories of Sunday school you do too?

This morning Jude is going to send his readers back to their own childhood memories of Synagogue school. He is going to remind them of three Old Testament Bible stories. But he is going to put a rather unique spin on them. Let me tell you what the stories we’re looking at this morning are about: 1.) The one where Jesus destroyed 1,000,000 people because of unbelief (5). 2.) The one where Jesus bound demons in chains because of rebellion (6). 3.) The one where Jesus annihilated cities because of sexual immorality (7).

5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it,

Jude turns his readers attention to God’s Word. Reminding them of what they already know. Stories they may have learnt at Synagogue school.

Three Old Testament Bible stories which show Jesus judges rebels:

The one where Jesus destroyed 1,000,000 people because of their unbelief

that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

This Bible story takes us back to the book of Exodus. At the beginning of Exodus a new king arose over Egypt and forced Israel into slavery. Israel [cried out] for rescue. And God heard their groaning. And God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. The rest of the book of Exodus tells us how God saved a people out of the land of Egypt. You’ll remember God raising up Moses. God sending plagues upon Egypt. God parting the Red Sea for the Israelites. God providing manna, quail, and water. God providing victory over enemies. God bringing Israel to the Promised Land.

But here’s Jude’s twist to the Synagogue school story: God, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt in Exodus, is Jesus! Jesus saved them.

But it was also Jesus who destroyed them. Jude reminds his readers of the book of Numbers. Israel sent spies into the Promised Land. They came back with a troubling report. The people should have said, “God is with us!” But instead they did not believe. And in unbelief they refused to go into the Promised Land. So God sentenced that generation to wander the wilderness until all were dead (Nu 14:32-33, 32:10-13). That’s what the book of Numbers is all about. The destruction of 1,000,000 people. Jude wants his readers to know that Jesus judges rebels. This isn’t baby Jesus, meek and mild. This is fierce Jesus. Scary Jesus. Jesus, the judge of Israel (Mi 5:1).

Three Old Testament Bible stories which show Jesus judges rebels:

The one where Jesus bound demons in chains because of rebellion

6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day-

The Bible story Jude references is Ge 6:1-4, 1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them.

Where are the angels you ask? Jo 1:6, 2:1, 38:7 call angels sons of God. The Septuagint is a very important Greek translation of the Old Testament. It translates sons of God in Ge 6:1-4 as angels. The sons of God were angels who did not stay within their own position of authority. These are fallen angels. Demons. These demons engaged in sexual intercourse with human woman. They produced some kind of hybrid-demonic-offspring. How? We’re not told. Angels have no gender. Maybe this was the result of some kind of demonic possession. Whatever the circumstances, God’s judgment was comprehensive. Judgment on evil men came by worldwide flood. And Jude says Jesus has kept these fallen angels in eternal chains. Jude wants his readers to know that Jesus judges rebels. The highest beings in the created order, angels, fallen demons, are subject to Jesus, the judge of all (He 12:23).

Three Old Testament Bible stories which show Jesus judges rebels:

The one where Jesus annihilated cities because of sexual immorality

just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

We read about Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities in Ge 18-19. It’s a sordid, grimy, gross tale. The Lord visits Abraham in human form. He says the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious. He sends two angels to Sodom and Gomorrah. They stay at Lot’s house. But, Before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, the whole population, surrounded the house. They called out to Lot and said, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have sex with them!” (Ge 19:4-5). Lot and his family flee the city. Then out of the sky the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah burning sulfur from the Lord (Ge 19:24).

Sexual immorality was why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Ez 16:50 says They were haughty and did detestable acts. Detestable is the word in Le 18:22 calling homosexuality an abomination. Sodom and Gomorrah are a warning throughout Scripture. God judges sin generally, and homosexuality specifically.

Now, Ge 18 is a Christophany. A Christophany is a visible appearance of God in human form in the Old Testament. A foreshadowing of the incarnation of Jesus. A pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. Jude wants his readers to know that Jesus judges rebels. God is holy. He will not tolerate sin. Jesus, the righteous judge (2 Ti 4:8), who executes vengeance on the unrighteous.

Three Old Testament Bible stories which show Jesus judges rebels: 1.) The one where Jesus destroyed 1,000,000 people because of unbelief (5). 2.) The one where Jesus bound demons in chains because of rebellion (6). 3.) The one where Jesus annihilated cities because of sexual immorality (7).

How this apply to false teachers (8-10)?

False teachers are rebels

8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

Jude appeals to the Bible to make his point. False teachers appeal to other sources. Phony visions produce fake doctrines from false prophets. Cults and sects almost always appeal to sources other than Scripture for authority. Roman Catholics to tradition and Popes. Jehovah Witnesses to The Watchtower. Mormons to The Book of Mormon. Seventh Day Adventists to the writings of Ellen G. White. Christian Science to the book Science and Health. Today’s apostles, and prophets, and charlatans to “God told me.”

“God told me” is no substitute for “It is written!” (Mt 4:4, 6, 7, 10). Because God has spoken! Because the Bible is complete.

Because the Bible is sufficient. Because the Bible is true. Because the Bible is authoritative.

False teachers and their false teaching result in false living. They defile the flesh. These false teachers turn the grace of our God into sensuality (4). They reject authority. This is the spirit of our age. The authority of the Bible is rejected. The authority of the church is rejected. The authority of parents is rejected. The authority of the state is rejected. Everyone [does] what was right in his own eyes. (Ju 21:25). False teachers are a law unto themselves. They blaspheme the glorious ones. It isn’t entirely clear what Jude is referring to here but what he means is clear in the next few verses:

False teachers will be judged by Jesus

9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

Judas describes a historical event not described elsewhere in the Scripture. Some sort of angelic warfare. The archangel Michael in one corner vs the devil in the other. There are parts of this verse that are beyond our grasp because of how little we know of the event. But, the main point, can be discerned. Even the greatest angel in Scripture, Michael, is careful to leave the judgment of angles to Jesus (4, 14, 17, 21, 25). Michael is not arrogant. Whereas these false teachers ooze arrogance. They’re puffed up. They speak boldly about spiritual matters they have no actual understanding of. They don’t soar to spiritual heights of understanding. They sink to the base level of animals in their sexual appetites. These ungodly men are destroyed as a continual state by their own sinful compulsions. They come to ruin.

Jesus judges rebels. False teachers are rebels. False teachers will be judged by Jesus.

Application

Application to new converts: I remember learning a song as a child in Sunday school. O be careful little eyes what you see. O be careful little ears what you hear. O be careful little heart whom you trust. Young saint, you’re in the midst of a spiritual battle. The world and the Devil want to sway you away from the centrality of Christ, the centrality of His Word. Be careful of the “Christian” books you read. Be careful of the “Christian” music you listen to. Be careful of the “Christian” TV you watch. Be careful of the “Christian” memes and videos you post on Facebook and share on Whatsapp. If you need help discerning material ask your small group leader. Ask an elder. Make yourself vulnerable and be discipled in this matter. Because this really does matter.

Application to maturing believers: Church member, Be alert. Judas’ letter is a red flag to every believer that loves our local church. False teachers creep in with false teaching and false living. And if they get a foothold in our church they’ll do terrible damage to this flock. This letter is to us. We must be alert. We must be on guard. We must be Bereans. We must test everything. We must always be ready to earnestly contend for the faith.

Application to old saints: Pray. Please pray for the shepherds of Central. For their holiness. For their wisdom. For their zeal. That they’d feed and defend this flock.

Application to backslides: Are you under conviction? Maybe you haven’t been careful of what you see? What you hear? Whom you trust? The “Christian” books you read? The “Christian” music you listen to? The “Christian” TV you watch? The “Christian” social media content you share. Stop it. Confess you’ve been exposing yourself to rubbish, stop exposing yourself to rubbish, and speak to your small group leader, your elder to find out what you can exchange it for.

Unbeliever: This morning you’ve heard a lot of judgment. Of vengeance. Of hellfire kindled. Jesus is coming soon to judge the living and the dead. And maybe this morning you realise He is coming to judge you. If you fear judgment, that is a good thing. You should fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Mt 10:28).

Friend, Jesus who comes to judge at His second coming is the same Jesus who came to save at His first coming. He came and lived the life you couldn’t, and then willfully went to the cross to die for your sins. On that cross the fires of God’s judgment burned themselves out on Him. So that all who are in Christ are safe forever. The wrath of God was satisfied in the death of His Son. And this was evidenced by the resurrection of Christ from the grave.

Jesus is able to save you from the wrath of God to come. Turn to Him! God is holy! Intolerant of sin! You desperately need a saviour. Jesus is mighty to save. Obey the heavenly calling. Confess your sins. Accept His offer of eternal life. Call on the Name of the Lord and you will be saved.

Amen.