Jude Chapter 1 Vs. 13

 

Judgment on False Teachers

“Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” Jude 1:13

Raging waves of... Apostates promise a powerful ministry, but are quickly exposed as wreckers of havoc and workers of worthless shame (Isa. 57:20).

wandering stars, to... This most likely refers to a meteor or shooting star which has an uncontrolled moment of brilliance and then fades away forever into nothing. Apostates promise enduring spiritual direction, but deliver a brief, aimless and worthless flash.

These waves are out of control. The stars are speaking of the same thing. These things out of the control of God are lost, just as we would be lost, if we rebelled against God. Notice, what awaits them. Blackness and darkness is for the evil, regardless of what that evil is.

to whom is... They are reserved and headed for eternal darkness (Mat. 8:12; 25:30, 25:41, 25:46).

Ref. None is lost, but Judas who fell from the apostleship by transgression (Acts. 1:20-25; Psm. 41:9; 69:25-29). Judas was certainly included with those whom God gave to Christ or language means nothing here (Mat. 10:1-20; Mark 3:13-19; 6:7-13; Luke 6:12-16).

Ref. lost... Greek: apollumi. Used in John: to lose (John 6:12, 6:39; 12:25; 17:12; 18:9); perish (John 3:15-16; 6:27; 10:28; 11:50); destroy (John 10:10); and die (John 18:14).

Ref. son of perdition... Literally, son of destruction, because he was destined to destruction. Used also of Antichrist (2Thes. 2:3), and in the Septuagint of children of transgression (Isa. 57:4). Hebrews and Greeks called anyone who had a particular destiny, quality, or trait, the child of that thing, as "children of the kingdom" (Mat. 8:12; 13:38); "of the bridechamber" (Mat. 9:15); "of hell" (Mat. 23:15); "of wrath" (Eph. 2:3); "of wisdom" (Mat. 11:19; Luke. 7:35); etc. Judas and Antichrist have no relationship to each other as to parents, birth, life, death, etc. Both are simply destined to destruction by their own deeds. Antichrist will die at the hands of Christ, while Judas hung himself (Dan. 7:11; Isa. 11:4; 2Thes. 2:8; Rev. 19:20).

The 11th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in John (John 17:12; Psm. 41:9; 69:25-29; 109:8; Acts 1:20-25). Judas was not lost that prophecy might come to pass, but prophecy foretold the fact of his willful sin and lost state. He was lost because he refused to be saved; lost through his own avarice and stubbornness to come back to Christ even after his crime.

Apostates

Like wild waves of the sea, raging back and forth and producing only froth on the shore, these apostates spewed their foam with nothing solid, edifying, helpful, or nourishing. What they produced was only shame, which their actions caused.

Wandering stars (shooting stars), move across the sky, shining briefly, and then vanish without production light or giving direction. Fixed stars help guide navigators, but wandering stars are useless to them. If any shipmaster would be stupid enough to follow one, he would be led astray. Similarly the prominence of apostate leaders is short-lived, useless, and false. They do lead unwary followers astray, pretending to be what they are not. They will therefore be swallowed up into the blackest darkness forever; eternal judgment is certain for them.

These apostates were not unfruitful believers, who would not receive rewards in heaven at the judgment seat of Christ. Instead they were impostors who would be judged according to their evil deeds.