Jude#8 Enoch said WHAT? v 15-16

As we push on through the epistle of Jude we come to a reference to 'Enoch.'

 14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Jude wants us to know that the Enoch he is referring to was the actual one who was taken by God.  This was the first 'harpazo,' 'snatching away' we find in scripture.  It is a type of Elijah's removal, Jesus ascension and the removal of the true ekklesia at the resurrection.  So we don't get confused about where this prophesy comes from, it is not from what is referred to as today's 'Book of Enoch.'  Just to confuse matters the Dead Sea Scrolls do have similar writings probably recorded by the Essenes at Qumran.  Today's book of Enoch may provide some interesting reading, as do most pseudepigraphical writings but are not inspired Holy Scripture.   

The Lord comes to Judge

Still, the real Enoch prophesied this!  The holy ones are either believers or angels.  It is the Lord who judges and this is Jude's point as he continues to slam the false brethren.  I sway towards Jesus accompaniment to be resurrected saints.  This is consistent with the return of Christ with the believers who have their resurrection bodies.  The first thing to happen is the tribulation survivors are judged as 'sheep' and 'goats.'  The sheep go on to live in the Millennial reign and the saints govern them with Jesus as King of the world.

The emphasis on 'ungodly'

I am comforted that Enoch specifies that the sinning, speeches, acts, are all ungodly in nature.  This is not applicable to the believers who still may have times when they don't walk well.   Judgement is not coming to the repentant believer who comes to the Lord in contrition.  Godly people get it wrong. Jude quotes Enoch who is specifically earmarking the ungodly who are unrepentant and defiant.  

What do you long for?

Verse 16 offers further descriptions of what to expect from these false teachers / brethren.  They bear the marks of the unregenerate, wilfully self-orientated heart.  An interesting Greek word for 'lusts' here is 'epithumea' which is better phrased 'longings.'  Their longings are to be at an advantage over others, in a better position and will flatter others while marketing self.  To me this speaks of today's false teachers whose message is to tell people they are alright (flattery) instead of delivering the Gospel, which is a sword to the heart.  They also market self presenting as an example of God's prosperity- supposed 'blessing.'   Don't forget all this was spoken about in the first century.  It is not a new thing.  What is a new thing is believers who are impressed by the fake and inspired by the counterfeit.  Jude says 'contend' while the majority of Christendom seeks to be 'content.'

Gary Ward