Jude Chapter 1 Vs. 14

 

Judgment on False Teachers

Verses 14-15: Enoch (see Gen. 5:19-24; also, Heb. 11:5-6). The prophecy Jude cites is preserved (in the non-canonical Book of Enoch 1:9). Ungodly repeatedly describes the actions and attitudes of those whom Jude denounces.

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,” Jude 1:14

And Enoch also... Enoch: This patriarch was raptured long before the Flood (Gen 5:18-24).

Jared Enoch's father... Hebrew: Yered, to descend or cast down (1Ch. 1:2; Luke 3:37). His name could be prophetic of the casting down or overthrow of the race by the flood. It is significant that his name was the first after the middle of ten names from Adam to Noah. In the day of his son Enoch, God foretold the flood as a judgment upon the apostate and corrupt race.

the seventh from... The Hebrew word (Chanowk) means "initiated" or "dedicated." Enoch was the only one mentioned as being godly in Seth’s line except Noah (cp. Gen. 6:9; 7:1). He was a prophet (Jude 1:14), and was translated by faith (Rom. 10:17; Heb. 11:5). His experience parallels that of Elijah (2Kgs. 2:1-25). Both were taken to heaven bodily without dying; both were prophets of judgment; both fought idolatry and apostasy; both knew the time and purpose of their "translation" (transporting) (2Kgs. 2:1-25; Heb. 11:5). Couldn’t they fulfill Zec. 4:11-14; Mal. 4:4-6; and Rev. 11:3-11? Heaven is a material place with food and inhabited cities (Exo. 24:11; Psm. 78:25; Luke 22:16, 22:18, 22:30; Heb. 11:10, 11:13-16; 13:14; John 6:31; 14:1-3; Rev. 2:7, 2:17; 4:4-6; 5:3-13; 7:17; 12:12; 13:6; 18:20; 19:1-10; 22:2). Couldn’t two prophets live in heaven all these millennia? Paul and John went to heaven (2Cor. 12:1-7; Rev. 4:1). All resurrected saints will eventually live there until they return with Christ to set up His kingdom (1Thes. 4:14-17; 1Cor. 15:51-58; Rev. 7:9-17; 19:1-21).

Behold, the Lord... The first New Testament prophecy in Jude (Jude 1:14-15, unfulfilled). Next, Jude 1:18. This refers to the second coming of Christ with all the resurrected saints who will have been raptured at least seven years before this (2Thes. 2:7-8; Zec. 14:5; Rev. 19:14). The angels of heaven will also accompany Christ to earth at this time (2Thes. 1:7-10; Mat. 16:27; 24:29-31; 25:31). By the phrase “behold the Lord Cometh” it seems evident that though Enoch prophesied of judgment to come in ancient times, this yet to be fulfilled prophecy relates to the Second Coming (see 2Thes. 1:7-10). Where Jude learned of this prophecy is not known, unless it was from the book of Enoch which was known in the early church. Origen, Tertullian, and others mention a book by this name. Although a similar statement is recorded in a non-canonical ancient work known as First Enoch (1:9), the Spirit of God inspiring Jude, is the real source of the prophecy.

ten thousands of... This is an expression of an indefinite number, as in Dan. 7:10; Rev. 5:11. Notice, the number is not ten thousand, but ten thousands. Of course, the number seven means spiritually complete. These saints are the Christians. We do know that the Christians are supposed to reign with Christ as His subordinates.

Again, This is the Enoch that walked with God, and was not, because God took him. He pleased God and was carried into heaven to be with God without going the way of the grave.

Again, The source of information was the Holy Spirit who inspired Jude. The fact that it was recorded in the non-biblical and pseudepigraphical book of Enoch had no effect on its accuracy.

Since both angels (Mat. 24:31; 25:31; Mark 8:38; 2Thes. 1:7), and believers (Col. 3:4; 1Thes. 3:13; Rev. 19:14), will accompany Him, it may refer to both here (Zec. 14:5). But the focus on judgment (in verse 15), seems to favor angels, who are often seen in judgment action.

While believers will have a role of judging during the Lord’s earthly kingdom and will return when Christ comes to judge (Rev. 19:14), angels are the executioners of God at the second coming of Christ (Mat. 13:39-41, 49-50; 24:29-31; 25:31; 2Thes. 1:10).

Pleasing Self

The judgment on apostates, already mentioned in Jude 1:4-7, 1:13, was now confirmed by a reference to a pre-Flood prophecy made by Enoch, the seventh from Adam (Gen. 5:4-20). However, scholars have puzzled over the absence of any reference in the Old Testament to this prophecy attributed to Enoch. Since Jude’s statement is similar to a passage in the apocryphal Book of Enoch (1:9) — written prior to 110 b.c. and thus probably known by the early Christians — many assume that Jude is quoting from that book. Others suggest that the difference between Jude’s words and the Book of Enoch indicate that Jude received the information about Enoch directly from God, or that under divine inspiration he recorded an oral tradition. None of these views affects the doctrine of inspiration adversely. If Jude quoted the apocryphal book, he was affirming only the truth of that prophecy and not endorsing the book in its entirety (cf. Paul’s quotation of the Cretan poet Epimenides, in Tit. 1:12).