In today’s world, it’s crucial for those who believe in God to show Him just how much they trust Him and rely on Him! This is simply my version of what Jude is saying.
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In today’s world, trusting God can feel like walking through a storm, holding on to Him with everything we have. That is exactly what Jude was talking about in his short letter, written almost 2000 years ago, and it is just as urgent for us now.
Jude, whose Greek name was Ioudas (Ἰούδας), was not just anyone. He was the brother of James and possibly a brother of Yeshua, Jesus. But Jude never boasted about that. He simply called himself a doulos (δοῦλος), a servant who belongs fully to their Master and wants to obey Him with love. He wrote to people who were chosen by God, called kletos (κλητοῖς), which means chosen on purpose, called by name because God knows them and knows their hearts.
He began his letter with kindness and blessing, saying he wanted them to have more and more mercy, peace, and love. But then he stopped himself. He had planned to write about the good things they shared in following Yeshua, but something urgent came up. Something dangerous had appeared among them. He told them they needed to epagonizomai (ἐπαγωνίζεσθαι), to struggle hard, like a wrestler who refuses to let go, to protect the faith that had been given once and for all to God’s people.
Some sneaky people had slipped in without anyone noticing. They were using God’s kindness as an excuse to do whatever they wanted. The Greek word for that is pareisduno (παρεισδύω), like a snake silently creeping in through the grass. They whispered lies and twisted stories. (in the image, these are represented by the shadowy figures.) They laughed at warnings and flattered those around them so that no one would see the danger. They didn’t respect Yeshua. They acted like He wasn’t their Master at all, like He was just a distant idea.
Jude reminded his readers to remember what had already happened, so they would not be fooled. God had saved His people from Egypt, leading them through the sea and feeding them with manna. But those who refused to believe and rebelled were destroyed. Angels who abandoned their proper place, their archē (ἀρχή), were locked in darkness until the Day of Judgment.
Then there were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns around them, which chased selfish desires and unnatural pleasures. God destroyed them with fire. Today, if someone were to visit that land, they would see only barren desert, dry and cracked. There are ruins, burned foundations, and layers of ash that still show the heat of the destruction. The plain is harsh, salty, and empty, nothing like the fertile land it once was. Salt mountains rise nearby, with strange formations that hint at the catastrophe that happened thousands of years ago. Walking there, you can almost feel the silence of judgment, the echoes of life that was destroyed, and the emptiness that remains. That fire shows what happens when people refuse to turn back to God, when they make their hearts a place of wickedness instead of trust.
Jude said these sneaky people were acting the same way. They dreamed up selfish ideas, ignored the truth, spoke badly about what is holy, and did whatever their bodies wanted, even when it was wrong. Even the archangel Michael, one of God’s strongest messengers, did not act that way. When he argued with the devil over Moses’ body, he didn’t insult or threaten him. He said only, “The Lord rebuke you,” epitimēsai soi Kyrios (ἐπιτιμήσαι σοι Κύριος), which means let the Master stop you. Michael knew that justice belonged to God and that pride or harsh words would not help.
But the people Jude warned about didn’t even understand what they were doing. They acted like wild animals, following their feelings instead of the truth, destroying themselves in the process. Jude said “woe to them“, which means it will go very badly for them, and he gave examples. They were like Cain, who let jealousy grow in his heart until it used him to kill his brother, showing how envy can turn love into violence. They were like Balaam, who let greed blind him, trying to curse God’s people for money Numbers 22–24, showing how the love of gain can make a person betray God. They were like Korah, (Numbers 16:1-35), showing how pride and rebellion always lead to ruin; Korah, along with Dathan, Abiram, and 250 other leaders, rebelled against Moses and Aaron, questioning their God-given authority. As judgment, the earth opened up and swallowed Korah, his family, and all those associated with the rebellion, while fire from the Lord consumed the 250 men offering incense.
These people were dangerous even during worship. They were like clouds that promise rain but give none, making others thirsty for truth and failing to provide it. They were like trees with no fruit, dead and pulled out of the ground, useless for others and doomed. They were like wild sea waves, splashing shame everywhere, stirring the hearts of others into confusion. They were like stars wandering into deep darkness, shining for a moment but lost forever without direction.
When Jude quotes Enoch, he is referring to the same Enoch from Genesis 5, the man who “walked with God.” The book he quotes, called 1 Enoch, was written hundreds of years before Jude, and the part he uses; the warnings about angels, the wicked, and coming judgment, was already well known among Jewish believers. It wasn’t part of the Hebrew Scriptures, but it was respected as a reliable prophecy. The version we have today is said to be very close to what existed in Jude’s time, especially the sections about fallen angels and God’s judgment. So when Jude brings it up, he isn’t just quoting something new or strange. He is reminding his readers that God’s warnings that had been given long ago, that even in ancient times, faithful men saw the dangers of turning away from God, and that the same truths are just as urgent for us now.
These people were always grumbling, never satisfied, following their own desires, flattering others to get what they wanted, and sowing division wherever they went. But Jude reminded the believers that they had already been warned. The apostles had said this would happen. People would come in the last days, making fun of the truth and living in sinful ways.
Jude told them not to be like them. These sneaky people cause trouble and follow only themselves, not the Spirit of God. Instead, he encouraged them to build themselves up in the holy faith, to pray in the Holy Spirit, and to remain in God’s love while waiting for Yeshua to come back and show mercy. Be kind to people who are confused, pull them out of the fire if you can, but be careful not to get mixed up in their sin. Hate even the dirty clothes that remind you of it. The Greek word for that kind of mercy is eleeō (ἐλεάτε). It means caring about someone who is in danger and trying to help them while keeping yourself safe from the sin that traps them.
Jude ends his letter with something strong and beautiful, and what I say to you now. He said, “To the One who can keep you from falling and present you blameless, full of joy, in His presence, to the only God, our Savior, through Yeshua the Messiah, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, now and forever. Amen.”
Jude’s words are just as alive for us today as they were 2000 years ago. He shows us how important it is to stand firm, to watch for sneaky lies, to love and pray for those who are lost, and to trust God to keep us blameless. The dangers are real, the warnings are clear, but God’s love and power are even greater.
Everything in this story comes from studying the Greek words of the book of Jude. Each word holds meaning that adds weight to the story, like doulos for servant, epagonizomai for wrestling to protect faith, pareisduno for creeping in, and eleeō for merciful care. Even the references to Enoch help us see the depth of what Jude was warning against.
So I took the roots of the words and made sure each part of the story kept the power and warning that Jude was writing about without sounding scary or confusing to a kid.
It’s kind of like baking bread. I ground the grain, kneaded the dough, and gave you something warm and easy to eat, but it’s still made from the same flour the apostles used.
What I’m saying is This is a call to stay alert, to hold fast to God, and to live in His love while trusting Yeshua to return. That is what Jude wants every one of us to hear, and that is what will keep us standing strong in the storm.
May God’s blessings come to you most generously as you study His Truths.
PRAYER
Father God,
Keep us from being deceived by the lies and temptations of the world. Strengthen us in our faith, help us to struggle with diligence, and hold fast to Your truth.
Give us courage to love and help others, even those who are lost or confused, and to reach out with mercy without being pulled into sin. Protect our hearts from pride, envy, and greed, and help us to walk as Your doulos, fully devoted to You.
Lord, remind us of Your mighty power, like You reminded the angels and Michael, and let Your justice guide our steps. Keep us blameless, full of joy, and standing strong in Your presence while we wait for Yeshua to return in mercy.
May Your glory, majesty, power, and authority fill our hearts now and forever. Teach us to live in Your love, to shine as Your stars, and to remain steadfast, ready to face the days ahead with hope and confidence in You alone. In Yeshua’s name we pray. Amen Amen.
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