Lessons On Jude Part 4 Series

Part 4 (2/27/18)

But left their own habitation (in heaven). This seems to imply that they had invaded the territory and responsibility of others, and attempted to seize control of it. They lived in heaven; all bright and glorious, as opposed to the "darkness" to which they now are doomed. Their ambitious plans seem to have had a peculiar connection with this earth, of which Satan before his fall may have been God's vicegerent, whence arises his subsequent connection with it as first the Tempter, then "the prince of this world."

The word rendered habitation occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Here it means that heaven was their native abode or dwelling-place. They left it by sin; but the expression here would seem possibly to mean that they became dissatisfied with their abode, and voluntarily preferred to change it for another. If they did become dissatisfied, the cause is wholly unknown, and conjecture is useless.

He hath reserved in everlasting chains. That is, in a state of confinement from which they cannot escape. Peter says, "chains of darkness;" (2 Peter 2:4) that is, the darkness encompasses them like chains. Jude says that those chains are "everlasting," Paul says in *Romans 1:20, "his eternal power and Godhead." The word does not occur elsewhere. It is an appropriate word to denote that which is eternal. The sense is, that that deep darkness always endures; there is no intermission; no light; it will exist for ever. This passage in itself does not prove that the punishment of the rebel angels will be eternal, but merely that they are kept in a dark prison in which there is no light, and which is to exist for ever, with reference to the final trial. The punishment of the rebel angels after the judgment is represented as an everlasting fire, which has been prepared for them and their followers--“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

*(Romans 1.20) “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

Under darkness. Alluding probably to those dungeons or dark cells in prisons where the most notorious culprits were confined.

The judgment of the great day. The final judgment, when both angels and men shall receive their eternal doom--"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;" (2 Peter 2:4).

C. Pagan Apostasy. 7.

7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

The third Old Testament apostasy which Jude mentions is that of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them (Gen.18:1–19:29). The introductory word ‘as’ shows that the sin of the Sodomites had features in common with that of the angels. For both, it was gross immorality that was utterly against nature and abhorrent to God.

The specific sin of perversion is discussed by Paul in Romans: “Their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due” (Rom. 1:26b, 27). The men of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboi im were greatly addicted to homosexuality. The sin is described here as having . . .gone after strange flesh, meaning that it is completely contrary to the natural order which God has ordained.

Is it mere coincidence that many modern day apostates are in the vanguard of those who publicly defend homosexuality and campaign for it to be legalized as long as it is done between consenting adults? To all such libertines the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are exhibited as an example in suffering the punishment of eternal fire. That last expression eternal fire cannot mean that the fire which destroyed the wicked cities is eternal, but rather that in the thoroughness and vastness of its consuming power, it pictures the eternal punishment which will fall on all rebels.

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha.

What their sin and punishment were may be seen in Genesis 19. This is the third example to illustrate what is laid down in Jude 4. The apostle Peter wrote this about what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah: “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; “