James Reed's FORGE

Welcome back everyone! I have been looking forward to this particular passage of scripture, because this is one of those places where we get a glimpse into the world of the unseen. I believe, as most Christians do, that there is a world beyond what we see with our natural physical eyes. There is a world of the spirit. There is a world where the rules of physics, science, and everything we think we know no longer applies. This world of the unseen is not truly unseen for it is our God who controls all things. He certainly sees it all, and reigns supreme there as much as He reigns supreme in this physical world. 

We have been talking a lot about false teachers and philosophies which are contrary to the word of God as we have been going through Jude. This discussion has led us to the exploration of apostacy, and we have seen many examples of this kind of behavior. For these next 2 verses, we’re going to look at apostacy in the supernatural realm. So, calm your mind. Get focused. Get your Bible and turn with me to Jude verses 9-10. Now, let us read and hear the words of the one true and living God.

So glad you’re here with me for another look at the Book of Jude. Today, we’re going to look at verses 5 through 8 and we call this section, “Apostates in the Old Testament”. So, as we have been going through this inversion pattern, be on the lookout for when this them gets repeated again in this short Book of the Bible. So, let’s get into it.

Welcome back friends of the Forge! In the last episode we only covered verse 3. We are working through this short letter following an inversion pattern, and I want to remind you that we’ve covered “Assurance for the Believer” in verses 1 and 2, and we’ve covered “The Believer and the faith” in verse 3. Now, as we focus on verse 4 we’re going to find “Apostates Described”. Just a short reminder—when I mention these divisions of this short Book, I encourage you to read ahead to find where the theme is mirrored. For example, even though we covered “The Believer and the Faith” in verse 3, you’ll find that same idea in verses 24 through 25. Likewise verse 4- “Apostates Described” is repeated in verses 17-19. So, for right now let’s focus on verse 4.

Several key points in this episode. First, we find in this single verse the overall theme of this wonderful and short Book. Next, we find that Jude started off with one subject in mind, and then changed his mind. We learn about shades of meaning in Greek words which draw our attention to the urgency in the subject change. We learn exactly what it means to be a part of this family of faith as we explore even more definitions of words. Finally, we can see that Christianity is worth defending. Indeed, God's grace toward His own does not give us an excuse to sit back and relax; it is His grace that compels us to earnestly contend for this faith!

In this episode, we will be covering only 2 verses. In just 2 short verses, the Christian finds a "blessed assurance". One possible way to outline the Book of Jude is by following an inversion pattern. I have included this outline in the show notes. Don't forget to check out my YouTube channel by the same name.

A. Assurance for the Believer v.1-2.

B. The Believer and the Faith v. 3.

C. Apostates Described v.4.

D. Apostates in the OT v.5-8.

E. Apostasy in the Supernatural v.8-10.

F. Trio of Apostasy v. 11.

E. Apostasy in the Natural v. 12-13.

D. Apostates in the OT V. 14-16.

C. Apostates Described v.17-19.

B. The Believer and the Faith v. 20-23.

A. Assurance for the Believer v.24-25.

So great to be back with you once again! This is an introduction to the Book of Jude. You may notice that there are no chapters in this very small Book of the Bible, but as we will soon discover, it's packed full of God's truth for the Church. So, once again, pick up your Bible and prepare your heart and mind for the study of God's word.

These are my final thoughts on Genesis. We will be taking a break for about a month, but we will be back with Season 3 and another Book of the Bible.

This great Book of Genesis ends with Joseph’s coffin awaiting the exodus. And that is the story of the second book of the Pentateuch. We will be taking a break from the OT as we begin the next season, but what is important is that the OT ends with the expectation of the Messiah who, when He came, by grace led His people in a second exodus from the bondage of this world.

Dear listener, the Book of Genesis is about blessing and grace. Through the Lion of the tribe of Judah, which you have heard me mention several times throughout our Genesis study, blessing and grace has come to you. As Christians, we have been blessed indeed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. But perhaps you are listening to this podcast, and you do not know Christ. You’re not a Christian. You have no idea what it is like to have the blessing of fellowship with the one true and living God. Your goals in life hold no true meaning. You find that you are living just to die. You can gain for yourself all the material wealth you can imagine, and then… what? But according to everything we have studied here, God’s word promises blessing and grace for all those who call upon Him in the name of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Is the Holy Spirit calling you into a relationship with God? This dear friend is good news. Repent today and believe the gospel.

“Joseph received the rights of the firstborn and the double portion through Jacob’s adoption and elevation of his two sons to the status of founding father among Israel’s 12 tribes.” RC Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (Orlando, FL; Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005), 85.