Certainly not this evening. Last week, we had visitors from Australia. This week, the United States. Who knows next week where they're going to come from? Delighted to have you. Our friends have been doing some outreach work in the town. We thank them for their help, and we trust that the Lord will bless their efforts in and around Rathfri Island. We're going to commence with 483 in a hymn book. Stand up, stand up for Jesus. You soldiers off the cross, lift high his royal banner. It must not suffer loss. And we'll stand to sing after we get the introduction. Announce the goat for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross. Lift high this royal ladder, it must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory, His army shall he lead, Till every foe is magnified, And Christ his Lord indeed. And up, stand up for Jesus, let wrong may fall away. For through the mighty conflict, in this his glorious day, Lead on, our men, our servant, against the numbered foes. Let courage rise with danger, and strength through strength oppose. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone. The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own. Put on the gospel armor, and marching on to prayer, Where duty calls or danger, be never wandering there. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, and strife will not be long. This day the noise of battle, then next the victor's song. Well, let's seek the Lord's help for coming together this evening. Let's pray. Our gracious, eternal, and loving Heavenly Father, as we gather in thy presence this evening, we thank the Lord even for opening him, reminding us to stand up for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord, we thank you indeed for our Savior. We thank you for his love to us. We thank the Lord for that love that was demonstrated at Calvary on that center cross. We thank you indeed that God commended his love towards us. and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Praise thee and thank thee, Lord, for that wonderful gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Lord, we thank you tonight that we're saved, we're washed in the blood of the Lamb, and Lord, we've access right through to the throne of grace here this evening. Lord, we commit this meeting to thee. Pray, Lord, again that we would sense thy presence. Pray that the Spirit of God will work in our midst this evening. Lord, we pray for help as we come to thy precious word. We thank you for this infallible book. And Lord, we pray as we would read it, as we would seek to expound it. Lord, that thou would grant us that divine enablement. And Lord, we pray that we may indeed be vessels in the master's use this evening. And Lord, that you'd be pleased to speak through thy precious, precious word. Bless all who are here tonight. Lord, you know the different needs, different burdens, different concerns. And Lord, we ask again that the truth of thy word would be a blessing and indeed find an abiding place in the hearts of thy dear people here this evening. Lord, do cover this meeting with a precious blood. May we really sense thy presence and know that thou art one of our number here this evening. We're mindful, Lord, of those who can't meet with us tonight, those who are unwell. We commit them lovingly and graciously to thee and pray, Lord, that thy hand would be upon them. Lord we're mindful too of our friends over in Chile and we pray Lord as they make their journey home tomorrow we pray Lord you'll be with them and Lord that you'll bring them back safe and well and we look forward again to renewing fellowship with them in a few days time and so Lord we look to thee to bless this meeting remember later on as we spend time around the throne of grace again Lord we pray for that liberty in the place of prayer and Lord may we truly have that sense indeed that we're in touch with thee here tonight so Lord be with us here this evening shut us in with thyself and speak through thy precious word for it's in and through our savior's precious name we pray amen let's come to the word of God and we're coming back to the book of Jude The book of Jude, we'll just read from verse number one. We've been making our way through this little epistle. The book of Jude, and we'll read from verse number one, please. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. Beloved, when I give all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God unto lasciviousness, denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. and the angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh and are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said the Lord rebuke ye. But these speak evil of things which they know not. But what they know naturally is brute beasts, and those things they corrupt. themselves. And we land at verse number 10. We trust the Lord will bless the reading of his precious and fallible, inerrant and inspired word to our hearts this evening. When we commenced this little book of Jude, we were trying to think of a title. trying to think of a title, and I suggested a dude called Jude, but I thought that was maybe just a little bit flippant, so we decided we'd go against that. I noticed someone called their series Jude the Obscure, but apparently that is a book, and it's not a great book, apparently, either. I was Googling about it, and so we decided not with Jude the Obscure. Someone has described it as the Acts of the Apostates. And that's a pretty good title for the book of Jude, the Acts of the Apostates. I'll just stick with studies in Jude. We'll just keep it simple this evening. As I said, this little epistle deals with the enemy within. Someone sent me a message this week that when a ship gets into trouble or a boat gets into trouble, it's never the water without where the problem is. It's if the water gets in. And this really is the problem in this little epistle of Jude. The problem is within the church. This is not so much about problems from without. This is from problems within. John MacArthur writes, there is a spiritual war going on. There's a war going on inside the church being waged in terrorist fashion because the enemy is disguised as an angel of light. because he clothes himself in sheep's clothing. What makes him so dangerous to the church is the same that makes terrorists dangerous to our nation. Of course, he's writing about the United States. One, we don't know who they are. Two, they don't mind blowing themselves up. And thirdly, they're willing to be destroyed by their own bombs. And really, that is a picture of the apostates. An apostate means to defect. It means to depart. It means to abandon. It's defecting from the faith. They have heard of the faith. They know the faith. They perhaps know the true gospel. Perhaps they've even at a time professed to believe the true gospel, but they have abandoned it. This is not something new. We find it in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 32 verse 15. Writing about Israel, Moses records, but Jehosharon, which is just a name for Israel, waxed fat and kicked. They aren't waxed fat, they aren't grown thick, they aren't covered with fatness then. He forsook God. The idea is to forsake God. Jeremiah 17 verse five, thus saith the Lord, cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm, whose heart departeth from the Lord. The word forsook, the word depart. Ezekiel talks about turning away from righteousness. These are all words that we could apply to apostates. This little book is warning us about false teachers. The Lord Jesus said that there will be false prophets, and they will come in sheep's clothing, but they're ravening wolves. Matthew 7, verse 15, beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they're ravening wolves. Paul calls them grievous wolves. In Acts 20, verse 29, speaking to the elders at Ephesus, he said, for I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." Jude describes them as ungodly men, filthy dreamers, brute beasts. Sam Gordon writes, men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself. but because it contradicts them. Historical view of biblical scholarship during the past century will reveal that the first to undermine the great doctrines of grace and glory has been those within the church. He goes on to say some take a Dalmatian theology holding that the Bible is inspired in spots here and there. Francis Schaeffer was right when he said, historic Christianity and either the old or the new liberal theology are two separate religions with nothing in common except certain terms with which they use totally differently. I want to look at verse 8 and 9 and 10. This evening we've spent some time already in the first seven verses and we want to break these down very simply here tonight. First of all I want to talk about an explanation if you look at verse number eight. Just notice the word likewise and I've just put down a little heading ditto. In other words whatever has been said before Likewise, this is similar. This is the same thing. Remember last week, we noticed that Jude had given us three examples of God's judgment on apostates. And Jude has been saying that they're going to be judged. And he says, just look back and look at some of the Old Testament examples. Remember in verse five, we read about Israel. "'I will therefore put you in remembrance, "'though you once knew this, "'how that the Lord, having saved the people "'out of the land of Egypt, "'afterward destroyed them that believed not.'" They were on the verge of the promised land, 11 days they'd be in it. They sent out the 12 spies. Remember, 10 come back and said, no way, we can't handle it. Two, Joshua and Caleb said, this is no problem to us, just trust in the Lord. And all they could see was the problems of 10. They listened to the 10. And because of unbelief, they perished in the wilderness, wandering around for 40 years. And so we have the example of Israel. Then we have the example of the angels in verse six, the angels, which kept not their first estate. And of course we went back to Genesis chapter six and how the sons of God went into the daughters of men. And what a mystery it is. But yet in some way, these demonic creatures were able to impregnate these women. And this race was created, this race that Satan wanted so that the lineage of Christ would be destroyed. And the Messiah, it was promised in Genesis 3.15, would never come to the fore. But of course, God stepped in. We saw the example of Israel, the example of the angels, and then we had the example of Sodom and Gomorrah in verse number 7 and how we know all about Sodom and Gomorrah and how indeed God dealt with them in the fire and brimstone. There are perhaps three features that are common to all three. There's immorality, There's insubordination and there's irreverence. Israel engaged in immorality. You remember when Moses had received the Ten Commandments, he come down, they had set up the golden calf and they were dancing around it and it was like an orgy. They were engaged in immorality. They were engaged in subordination. They disobeyed the word of God. They murmured and they complained against God. They engaged in irreverence. They worshiped an idol. And what we say of them, we could say of the angels. We've already mentioned that the angels engaged in immorality with the daughters of men. They were guilty of insubordination. They left their first estate. They abandoned God's order and indeed refused to obey what God had said. And also they were Irreverent, they defied God, and they defied the Word of God. And of course, Sodom and Gomorrah, they were engaged in immorality. Don't have to go into it this evening. They were engaged in insubordination. They didn't want to hear the Word of God. They turned against Lot. They engaged in irreverence, even trying to assault the two men, the two angels that come in, and even trying to rape them, if I can just say it plainly this evening. And so when we come to verse 8, we see likewise here, Jude talks about these filthy dreamers defiling the flesh. There's your immorality. Despising dominion, there's your insubordination. Speaking evil of dignities, there's your irreverence. And so you can see initially as we look for an explanation, you see the ditto here. And then you see the description here. Jude says likewise also, these filthy dreamers. The word that uses means a confused state of soul, an abnormal imagination, producing dreams in which the ego is controlled and held captive by ungodly and sensual confusion. They live in a land of make-believe. They embark on fanciful flights of imagination, taking them into fluffy clouds of sensual fantasy. Let me give you a few examples. I think so. replaces thus saith the scripture. In my opinion, replaces thus saith the scripture. I think as Warren Wiersbe said, they live in a make-believe world, and some of the false teachers, they really do live in a make-believe world. No matter what's happening, they always seem to be on a high, and they always seem to demand that we're always on this spiritual high, and their head often seems to be stuck in the clouds. But I think there's more here when we see this word dream this evening. The normal word for dream is the Greek word onar, O-N-A-R. It's used in the New Testament to speak of a dream, but the word that's used here is only used in one other scripture. Come back to Acts 2 just for a moment. I want you to see this for yourselves. Acts chapter 2. This of course is the day of Pentecost. and how God had given them the ability to speak in these different languages. And Peter stands up and he says in Acts 2 verse 17, and this is the only other use in the New Testament of this particular word. Acts 2 verse 17, it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Now, I just want you to, I'm not going to go into that this evening, and that goes back into Joel chapter two, verses 28 and 29. I think it's something that will be fulfilled in a future day. But what we're seeing here is that the word dream is associated with revelation, with a revelation from God. And I think what Jude is saying is these apostates will have dreams in the sense that they'll be having fresh revelations from God. Remember, when you live an immoral life, when your life's controlled by the flesh, you'll not get support for it in the word of God. But these people will talk about having a word from the Lord. And even though we know that scripture has been completed, and there's no new revelation, very often in charismatic circles, you have those who are still getting revelations and talking about how God is speaking to them directly. And if they want to justify immoral living, they can't go to the word of God, so they have to find justification through themselves. And they're having these visions. and they're having these dreams. When you hear speakers talking about God speaking to them in dreams and visions, well, you be aware, because this is what Jude is talking about this evening. See the explanation here tonight. You see something ditto. They're just like the three examples. You see the description of them tonight. You see how they defile tonight. Look again at verse number eight. Likewise, also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh. The word flesh here is talking about the physical, actual body. The word defile means to stain, to dye. It's like dyeing something. It carries the idea of polluting and corrupting, and generally it's used with immorality and particularly sexual sin. And so these dreamers, if you like, these apostates defile the flesh. As I've said every night I've stood in this pulpit, false spirituality cannot control the flesh. Only the genuine spirituality can control the flesh. And that's why we see an awful lot of these tele-evangelists and people who are engaged in charismatic activity, you see an immoral life. So often, one by one, they fall, they're caught with prostitutes, they're having affairs. Now, I know it can happen to people of God, I understand that. But I'm painting the general picture this evening. False spirituality can never control the flesh. Again, in 2 Peter 2, verse 10, remember, 2 Peter is like a parallel to Jude Peter says, but chiefly them that walk after the flesh, and the lust of uncleanness, the word uncleanness refers to the act of defilement. The idea is they give themselves over to unbridled lust. It's a serious charge that Peter is making and Jude is making. They don't make any attempt to justify it, which would tell me that the people knew this was going on. The people knew this was going on. You see, Jude is not going to go into their theology. He's not going to argue about what they believe and where they go wrong according to the Word of God. He's saying, just have a look at their lives. Just have a look at their lives. See how they live. Do they live like men and women who belong to Christ? Do they live like men and women who are walking according to this book and are filled by the Spirit of God? Jude says, see how they behave. He's not even getting into what they believe. And so you see the explanation here. You see the ditto likewise. You see the description, they're filthy dreamers. You see the defiling, they defile the flesh. Here comes the despising. Look at verse eight again. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh and despise or reject dominion. The word dominion means authority. They won't have divine authority. How can they have? If they want to live lives the way they want to live them, if they want to do whatever they want with absolutely no control, they cannot respect authority. They have to reject authority. Ultimately, they reject the authority of the Word of God. The word authority here is a Greek word, karyotata, and it's the word curious that catches our attention, because that word sometimes is translated Lord. They don't want Jesus Christ to be Lord of their life. They won't surrender to the Lordship of Christ. And so often in modern gatherings, you find a rejection of authority. And it's every man will do that which is right in his own eyes. And there seems to be a despising of authority, the eldership, the membership, whatever it happens to be. And ultimately the authority that's found in the word of God, they tend to be a law onto themselves and their whole ethos would be that laws are made to be broken. It's really a license to sin for them. They don't want to be boxed into any biblical parameters. We need parameters. Adam and Eve needed the garden to keep them safe. And even though we don't like sometimes parameters, we need parameters to keep us safe. It's telling us that God loves us, and God cares about us, and God wants to look after us. You see the ditto, you see the description, you see the defiling, the despising. And then we come to the dignities. Jude 1 verse 8 again. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Jude's not going to gloss over it, sure he's not. He's calling a spade a spade here. What's it mean to speak evil of dignities? Again, 2 Peter 2 verse 10, let me read it to you. And again, remember this is a parallel chapter. but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government, that's the authority again, presumptuous of their self-will, they're not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Now, some people take that to be people that God has honored, and I can see where that's coming from, but I believe that's handled in despising authority. I believe there's something else here. In fact, if you want to go back to 2 Peter 2, I want to tie it in with Jude. Keep your finger in Jude, 2 Peter chapter 2. I'm really sure that glass of water changes every time I go looking at it. I think it's got feet of its own. It's running away from me. 2 Peter 2 verse 10, but chiefly them that walk off to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government, presumptuous of their self-will, they're not afraid to speak evil of dignities. You can see the same thing. And then when we get back into Jude, Keep in second Peter 2, verse 10, because I'm coming to verse 11 in a moment. What does it mean to revile here, to speak evil? The word actually means to blaspheme. It means to speak disparagingly off, to mock, to ridicule, to denigrate, to degrade. The word here for dignities is the word doxa. From where we get the word doxology, it means glories, dignities. Dignitaries, I believe in the context we're talking about angelic beings. I believe that's the context. That's why I wanted you to look at 2 Peter 2 verse 11. Notice what comes next. Verse 10, he talks about speaking evil of dignities. Look at verse 11. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might bring not reeling accusation against them before the Lord. You can see angels mentioned here. Now, go back into Jude, and we were reading verse number eight, speaking evil of dignities. Notice again in verse nine, it talks about Michael the archangel. So we go from these dignities to angels in both these chapters. What I believe we're dealing with here is fallen angels, demons. And I believe what you see among the charismatic movement in particular is what I would call demon chasers. We've had it in our own province. We've had people who have been holding deliverance meetings, where people who are saved by the grace of God, washed in the blood of a lamb, are told that they've got demons that they must be delivered from. And these people will exercise these demons. These people will tell these demons to get out. I told you before about my brother-in-law, who was dying with cancer, and one of these chaps came along and told him the reason he had cancer is because he bought this mask, and this mask must have a demon. And he said, I am going to put this demon out, as if he could just tell the demon to get lost. He's speaking evil. of dignities. You see the explanation now. I think I can prove it tonight, but you can disagree with me. You're like, you have a right to be wrong, haven't you? Look at verse number nine. We're back in Jude. You see the explanation. And then you see the example here, because here is Jude given an example of someone who didn't speak evil of dignities. And he's talking here about Michael the archangel. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses. Durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuked thee. Here is an historical happening. Now, you'll search the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you'll not find where this took place. I'll get to that in a moment. Let me say something, first of all, about the archangel here, Michael. What do we know about Michael? Come back to the book of Daniel. I'm going to get you to do a wee bit of work just to show you something about Michael. Let me say this. Scripture never talks about archangels. Scripture only talks about an archangel. It's my belief that there only is one, and that is Michael, the archangel. You can disagree with me of that as well, but look at Daniel chapter 10. Here's a passage, and I'm not going to deal with it tonight, but I think it was Harry Ironside said, if it wasn't in the Bible, I wouldn't have believed it. Old Daniel gets down to pray. And the answer to his prayer is delayed because demonic involvement is holding up the answer to prayer. As Ironside said, I wouldn't have believed it only as in the Bible. Now look at Daniel 10 verse 13. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and 20 days. Here's Daniel speaking. But lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia. You can see Michael here fighting with the demons. He's the one that fights Satan. Now, look down to verse 21, again in Daniel 10. But I will show thee which is noted in the scripture of truth, that there's none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince." Now, what does he mean by your prince, Israel? I think Michael has a special relationship to Israel. I think Michael is contending with Satan, he's fighting with the demons, and he has a special relationship with Israel. Now go over to chapter 12 in Daniel. And you'll see again something about Michael the archangel, Daniel 12 verse one. And at that time, we'll see what the time is in a moment. At that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people. You can see, again, his connection with Israel. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to the same time. And at that time, thy people shall be delivered. Everyone is found in the book. And here, we're right in the middle of the tribulation period. And here's Daniel, here's Michael standing up again for the nation of Israel. Now, when we come into the New Testament, particularly when we've come to 1 Thessalonians 4, you can turn to it if you want. We're on our way back to Jude. 1 Thessalonians 4, we read about an archangel again, and it concerns the rapture of the church. 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 16. It says, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel. Now, it doesn't say it's Michael, but I believe it's Michael because I believe there's only one archangel. Remember, Michael, he's always contending with the devil, he's contending with demons, he's the one that has a special relationship with Israel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. I believe Michael's there to resist the devil. Perhaps the devil will try and hinder or hamper the rapture in some way. and Meg is there standing up. And I believe it also signifies that when the church is raptured and we have the tribulation period, God again will start to deal with Israel and God will turn his attention to the nation of Israel. Hamas can fire 5,000 rockets, but I'll tell you God's on Israel's side and God will look after his ancient people. We'll say a bit more about that on Sunday night when we look at the enemies of Israel. Over in Revelation chapter 12, just again to try in with the tribulation period, it says there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. You see him taking on Satan again. And the dragon fought and his angels. And here, again, you can see that Michael, the archangel, is warring with the devil. He's standing up for Israel. So let's come back into Jude verse 9. And here we read about Michael the Archangel in this little book. Yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses. Dost not bring against him a veiling accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke you. And here, I just want you to see, you've seen a little bit about Michael, a little character study in the Archangel. You can see that if anybody's going to stand up to Satan, he's the one that's going to do it. And so here you have Michael, his name means one who is like God. And we often say you get like the company you keep. And he has spent time in the presence of the Lord. No wonder he is like God. Now that's a little bit about the archangel. Now what about this argument in verse nine? Yet Michael the archangel, while contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses. When did that happen? Why did it happen? Well, we know from Deuteronomy chapter 34, So 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, over against Bethpore. But no man knoweth of his sepulcher unto this day." Moses had only one at his funeral, and that was God. It's quite obvious that God didn't want the bones of Moses to become a relic, didn't want his grave to become a shrine. And so Moses was hidden in secret, buried in secret, and no one knows where his grave is. God didn't want any shrines being established for Moses. What's the problem that Satan has with the body of Moses? What is the problem? Now, let me say this. We don't know, because the Bible doesn't tell us. All we have is suggestions. Some suggest because of Moses' sin. Do you remember he was to speak to the rock and he smote the rock? Do you remember he slew the Egyptian? Here's the devil saying, this man has sinned. You can't have him. And I'm the one that has the power of death. Is that what the argument is about? Some would take it back to Zachariah chapter 3 where Josh is standing in filthy garments and remember Satan is there to accuse him and the word comes the Lord rebuked. The exact same words is used here. So some say it's to do with the sin of Moses. Really, we don't know, but I remember someone preaching on it one time, and I rang my brother Kenny. He's got a memory like an elephant, but he was beaten, this one. Kenny was beaten. He says, I can't remember. I think it possibly has a connection with the Mount of Transfiguration, because Moses appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration. Was the devil saying, this body can't be resurrected? because Jesus Christ hasn't resurrected. This body can't be resurrected. Now I'm just suggesting that this evening. We don't know what the argument was about. We just don't know and we can only speculate this evening. You see the archangel, you see the argument. You see the accusation here, look at verse nine. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses. does not bring against him a railing accusation. Michael doesn't get into a row with the devil. He doesn't say anything about him. Now, remember the context? Verse eight, likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise this minion, speak evil of dignities. They're casting out demons left, right, and center. And I think Jude's giving us a contrast here. Jude is showing us how Michael, the archangel, If anyone would have had the power to do it, he would have. If anyone could have handled the demons, surely he could have done it. But here's Michael, and he doesn't speak evil. of dignities. He disputed about the body of Moses, does not bring against him a railing of accusation. And you can see, I believe, the contrast here and perhaps the context that we find in verse number nine. And then we have that little announcement at the end of verse nine. Yet Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, does not bring against him a railing accusation, but said the Lord rebuked thee. Michael knew the Lord had a plan to deal with Satan. Michael is content to leave it with the Lord. Michael's reaction and response says it all. He knew when to keep his mouth shut. A few years ago, our cattle were ravaged with that disease, foot and mouth. Sometimes as believers, we suffer from it. We put our foot in our mouth and we speak when we should shut up. and we are to be swift to hear and slow to speak. Michael is setting the good example this evening. And Michael's saying, we'll just leave it with the Lord. He wasn't going to jump in with both feet. There's a saying in business when people are cutting prices, sometimes people will join that race and it's described as a race to the bottom. And I'd say for God's people, don't join the race to the bottom. Don't join a race where you're using language that God's people shouldn't use. Don't join a race to the bottom when the tone of your language is language that God's people shouldn't use. Don't join a race to the bottom. We're better than that. We're better than that. Michael wouldn't even speak evil of the devil. Michael wasn't going to sinning with the devil. He says, I'm the Lord's rebuking. The Lord will sort the problem out. Here's what William Barclay says in the Daily Study Bible. He says, if the greatest of the good angels refuse to speak evil of the greatest of the evil angels, even in circumstances like that, Surely no human being may speak evil of any angel. The man is a fool who thinks he can play around with the devil and treat him with kid gloves. He's a dangerous enemy. We are to resist them, but remember what Peter said, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he made of our, whom resists steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. Now I want to move on. I want to get finished. You see the explanation. You see the example. And then you see the experience here. We have a further description of these apostates in verse 10. He talks about their ignorance but these speak evil of those things which they know not. But what they know naturally is brute beasts and those things they corrupt themselves. Let me read again 2 Peter 2 verse 12. Peter describes them as brute beasts as well, but these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption. They're described as unreasoning beasts, they're described as animals, they're acting on instinct and not on intelligent reasoning, animalistic cravings. some of the commentators describe them as. They speak evil of things they don't understand. They tamper in dangerous charity. And Paul likened them also in Acts 20, as I said already, to these grievous wolves, wolves that will first divide the flock, then devour the flock, and then destroy the flock. And young believers need to look out for these wolves that come in sheep's clothing. He talks about their ignorance, what they know, what they don't know. And then he talks about their instinct, but what they know naturally, they can, as I say, they can never rise above the flesh. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 14, the natural man receiveth not the things of God, for there are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. They want to bring God down to their level, Romans 1, 23, and change the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. They want to bring God down to that level. Indeed, they tried to do that a few Years ago, by behaving like animals, you remember, some of you may remember the Toronto Blessing, when people would lie on their backs and kick their feet in the air and pretend to be animals and say that somehow this was a work of God. Brute beasts. You see their iniquity also in verse 10, but these speak evil of those things which they know not. But what they know naturally is brute beasts and those things, they corrupt themselves. Because of their ignorance, because of their instinct, they are continually corrupting themselves. They're getting worse and worse. They've thrown away every vestige of the word of God. They are apostates. Their sinful acts, their vulgar vices, their gross immorality, their total disregard for any of the laws of God, even the laws of nature, have made them worse than the heathen around them. That's what someone has said of these men. It's not a pretty picture. It's not a nice picture that Jude paints here. Sin, when it's left to run its course, will take a man to the lake of fire. Do you remember we mentioned the word defile? It means to stain or to spoil. This is what someone has written. Sin will stain a man. spoil a man, and ultimately it will slay a man. As I said previously, when we read verses like this, Jude is very, very clear that these men were never saved. and these men are contemned to eternal darkness. He talked about the blackness of darkness forever. I can't put my hand on my heart and look around and say that some of the people preaching what I don't agree with, I can't honestly know whether they're saved or not. I just cannot know that. But I do know this, that I see many of these features certainly appearing in many of these places in these deaths. John MacArthur writes, they claim to be transcendent. They claim to go beyond the normal. They claim to have reached the divine realm. They claim to have true knowledge. They claim to have received revelation, vision, dreams. They think they are the highest. In reality, this is his words, they're as ignorant as a donkey. And their ignorance is so deep, so in their nature that they cannot only instinctively go for the food in the trap without reason or revelation. He describes them like an animal, like a stupid animal caught in a trap because he follows his desire for food. So they follow the lusts of their flesh, the insubordination of their hearts, their irreverence of their minds. And ignorance kills them like suicide bombers. They blow themselves up in representing satan by following their own ungodly instincts. It's not a pretty picture, sure it's not. You see the explanation, you see the example, you see the experience. Jude paints a very unattractive picture, and yet many of these apostates are very attractive and appealing to many people. And Jude is warning us just to have our eyes open. And when we see these things going on, Jude's saying, look at how they live. Look at how they live. Jude's language is uncompromising, the charges are serious, and the warnings real. We are to earnestly contend for the faith. Let's just bow in a moment's prayer. Our dear heavenly Father, we thank you for thy word to our hearts this evening. And Lord, we confess sometimes they're difficult verses to interpret and difficult to apply. And yet, Lord, thy word is profitable. And Lord, we pray that we may have profited from the study of thy word this evening. We pray, Lord, that our eyes will ever be open. Pray, Lord, that we will indeed try the spirits, that we will weigh these things up against the word of God. Lord that we will look at even behavior before we even think of other beliefs and say Lord of us in keeping with someone who's walking worthy of the Lord in these days. Bless thy word to our hearts this evening. Encourage the people of God and Lord keep us safe in these days. Lord especially put your arms around our young people. Lord preserve them from being drawn away. in the wrong direction and away from the arms of the Savior. For sin and through his precious name we pray. Amen. We're going to sing another hymn at this stage. 613, I am thy new Lord, I have heard thy voice, and have told thy love to me. And again, when we get the music, the introduction, we'll stand and sing 613. I will go to the door if some people have to leave before the prayer meeting, and Ronnie will come and bring the prayer request. Thank you very much. I'll find, O Lord, I have heard thy voice, and it's all thy love to me. Lord, I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer called to Thee. Call me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where love has died. Call me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, ♪ To thy precious bleeding side ♪ ♪ O say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ Call me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where love has died. Call me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to thy precious bleeding side. Oh, the purity, light of a single heart, that before Thy throne I stand. When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee my God, I commune as friend with friend. Call me hearer, Nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou hast died. O be nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to Thy precious bleeding side. There are depths of love that I cannot know till I cross the narrow sea. There are heights of joy that I may not reach till I rest in peace with thee. I'll be nearer. Mirror, blessed Lord, to the cross where love has died. Call me mirror, mirror, mirror, blessed Lord, to thy precious bleeding side.