Ghost Light | Daily Devotion
“They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.” Jude 13 NLT
Isaiah 57:20 NLT says, “ ‘But those who reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt. There is no peace for the wicked,’ says my God.”
Peace is likened to a calm sea – a sea that is still. A restless sea, however, indicates unrest in a heart and mind – a soul churning up the acts of shameful deeds.
Jude likens these wicked false teachers to a restless sea. Now the ocean is powerful displaying majestic waves, but when it’s restless and the waves are wild so to speak – it’s powerful chaos that is very destructive. Jude illustrates the foam, which is the outcome of the crashing of the powerful wave, to be like the shameful deeds of these false teachers. Thus, the outcome of these false teachers and their deceitful power is destructive immorality. Immorality they appear to be fine with, yet they show to have rejected God and his holy, righteous ways.
God says in Psalm 46:10 NLT, “Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation, I will be honored throughout the world.”
A child of God has the ability and strength to stop what they are doing and be still because of the Holy Spirit given and the fruit of self-control. Those who are wicked, however, do not know God and they do not have the filling of the Holy Spirit and are slaves to sin, slaves to unrest and fear, slaves to immorality. They refuse to honor God with their life. While we Christians live our life seeking to honor God for all He has done for us.
Jude continues to liken these false teachers, who again parade as pastors, teachers and evangelists in the Christian church, to wandering stars doomed forever to blackest darkness.
Now we know that there are literal wandering stars that appear to drift between galaxies, not gravitationally bound to one particular galaxy. It’s said that astronomers can identify the wandering stars by their light, which they call a “ghost light” or “intracluster light”. More recently, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has identified “ten galaxy clusters as far away as nearly ten billion light years,” stating “the measurements had to be made from space as the intracluster light is 10,000 times dimmer than the night sky as seen from the ground” (Innovation news network “Wandering Stars found to exist billions of years ago,” 2023). There are different speculations and theories as to why the stars are not gravitationally bound to a particular galaxy. Some say they were removed from galaxies during mergers, while others say they were ejected from galaxies after a close encounter with a surpermassive black hole. A recent survey from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope suggests these wandering stars have been around for a billion years, indicating the “stars were already homeless in the early stages of the cluster’s formation” (Innovation news network, “Wandering Stars found to exist billions of years ago,” 2023)
I love how Jude, in AD 67 is talking about wandering stars. Filled with the Holy Spirit, granted the knowledge of God to declare truth, he likens these false teachers to wandering stars, stating clearly that they are not gravitationally bound to Jesus Christ – they do not believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior – they are not Christian. This is also witnessed in their ghost light. This ghost light, is very light and needs to be measured from space as it is 10,000 times dimmer than the night sky as seen from the ground. Thus, Jude blatantly tells us – these false teachers do not shine bright.
Now we know every star emits a different brightness of light, there are variations of light. The stars emit their own light; however, they also reflect the light of other stars.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” – John 8:12 NLT.
When Jesus is our Lord and Savior and He lives in our heart, we have His light within us.
In Matthew 5:16 NKJV Jesus tells us, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Let your light shine out for all to see the One true King who holds you securely.
Daniel says in Daniel 12:3 NLT, “Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”
Thus, if those who are wise shine as bright as the sky – we know that these false teachers, who are like wandering stars with ghost light that is 10,000 times dimmer than the night sky are not wise according to God’s standards. They are not like Jesus Christ – and that is the goal of every Christian, especially pastors, teachers, and evangelists – to become more like Christ with each passing day.
Moreover, Daniel states, “those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”
Clearly, these false teachers are not leading people to righteousness, as Jude states they are wandering stars not fixed in galaxies – they are not close to Jesus Christ – they have faded light, as Christ does not live inside of them, and are doomed to the blackest darkness. Whereas Christians who lead people to righteousness are close to Jesus Christ, positioned by Christ shining like stars forever – emitting their own light as Christ lives inside of them, but also reflecting the light of fellow believers – as iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend – Proverbs 27:17.
Will you pray with me?
Abba, thank You for all of the various illustrations You have given us in Your word to help us with understanding. Please open doors for us to enlighten others with the truths You have shared with us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
