Februrary 13 | Enoch - Jude 14-15 | Daily Devotion

Enoch | Daily Devotion

“Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, ‘Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 14-15

As Jude is exhorting Christians to defend the Christian faith and to be a holy nation, he reminds us of Enoch – a man of holiness who walked in close fellowship with God for 365 years. An example of steadfast faith.

Only Jude mentions what Enoch heard God say.

Imagine walking in close fellowship with God every day for 365 years. All of the various conversations – imagine what God shared. Think of your own life and the different conversations you have had with God.

Do you not see God’s love in your conversations?

God says in Jeremiah 33:3 NLT, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.”

Enoch obviously asked God because one amazing truth is God shared about end times with Enoch. Enoch received the revelation of Jesus before anyone else. Enoch knew the world would grow more evil and that Jesus Christ would come with His holy ones to execute judgment on those who do not believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Enoch knew the rapture would take place and the world would experience the tribulation and increasing sorrow. God obviously shared a lot of information with Enoch. And what’s crazy is Enoch himself experienced a rapture, as he did not die, but was taken directly to heaven.

Enoch’s prophesy is needed. “The Lord will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

This is a given. A promise. No evil escapes God’s notice. God will convict people of every evil act they have committed that they did not ask for forgiveness regarding and He will convict every ungodly sinner of the evil insults they have spoken against Him – those who have taken His name in vain.

So often, and as is the case with these false teachers – ungodly behavior is overlooked or justified. There continues to be a demonic spirit of persuasion, seeking to move people to be ok with unrighteous behavior. It’s illogical, and seeks to persuade emotion and comraderie in sin. There is something about social norm – when more people commit the same evil, people believe it is fine to do as they refuse to fear God. More often than not people look to social acceptance, not to God’s word and what He accepts. Or they fear man more than they fear God.

Today, the very act of making sinful behavior a social norm is the leaven seeping through the church as homosexuality increases, as marital affairs increase as well as all kinds of sexual immorality. Sinful behavior increases hate crimes and constant destruction on society and the church. Burdens and issues pile up seeking to defeat Christians.

God says these people are walking in the dark, not enlightened by Jesus Christ.

These are all chosen lifestyles that insult the holiness of God and definitely should not be found in positions at the church. Those who choose to defy God should not be paid by God.

Proverbs 29:16 NLT says, “When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will see their downfall.”

Wicked leadership does not correct sin to the point of change, they do not remove people who refuse to repent and change their ways, they do not protect people from the sinful behaviors of others – and throughout Scripture God says destruction is imminent for the wicked.

Unfortunately, many have the mindset Solomon speaks of in Ecclesiastes 8:11 NLT, “When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong." Immaturity, unfortunately, looks to circumstances to correct them and not to God’s word and His voice. They fail to realize, until it is too late that destruction is sudden for the wicked.

It’s in a blink.

Destruction will happen so fast; the wicked will not have time to repent.

I personally have asked God these past years, many times, “God, good people die – they die horrible deaths sometimes. Why can’t that happen to evil people?” And the fact is it does, we are just not aware of it. The truth is, the wicked will suffer eternally in hell if they do not repent of their sins and turn to Jesus Christ. Jesus does not smile upon sin. He died on the cross for our sins so that we would not have to suffer eternal death. But people need to recognize their sin and ask Jesus Christ to forgive them of their sin in order to be made right with Him.

The writer of Hebrews says that those who were once enlightened by God and experienced the good things of heaven and have shared in the Holy Spirit and then turn away from Him – nail Christ to the cross once again and hold him up for public shame – Hebrews 6:6. He also states, it’s impossible to bring such a person to back to repentance – Hebrews 6:4. Thus we can understand Jude’s short but detailed warning to Christians regarding false teachers. He’s warning Christians in advance so that they do not succumb to the false teachers’ evil doctrine, making it more difficult for themselves to return to Jesus.

There is something about that active choice of turning away from Jesus Christ after being enlightened by Him that hardens a person’s heart and closes their mind. They for some reason don’t care. Like the Israelites who showed contempt for God, they forget all of the miracles God has done in their life and the many blessings He has given and His agape love.

The writer of Hebrews also said in Hebrews 3:12-14 NLT, “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.”

There is something about deception that perfectly deceives – it catches mature Christians off guard. The warning the writer of Hebrews gives, and the warning Jude provides is not just to young Christians – it is actually to the mature Christian. Satan seeks to deceive believers to not believe in God and he will use any tactic that works to make someone question, he also tries to deceive Christians to believe God doesn’t love them – typically during trying circumstances or in the mundane life or in prolonged trials – to also believe God will not fulfill His promises, and that sin is ok to commit – God will just give grace.

But like Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, expecting grace for every sin you commit is actually cheap grace, not understanding the cost on God in the life of His Son.

That expectation cheapens the cross. We Christians don’t expect grace, we are thankful it is given. We recognize the great cost in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial act in laying down His life for us.

We Christians walk by faith and not by sight – 2 Corinthians 5:7. And our faith in Jesus Christ says – Jesus is never changing; His love pillars us through eternity and He invites us to be His best friend.

The psalmist David wrote in Psalm 37:34-40 NLT, “Put your hope in the LORD. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed. I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil. But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them! Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace. But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future. The LORD rescues the godly, he is their fortress in times of trouble. The LORD helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them and they find shelter in him.”