Exceedingly Great Joy in the Book of Jude
Reflective Reading: Jude 1
Most of you know that Jude is the last book in the Bible before Revelation, but did you know that the entire book is one big epic framing device, with an unusual change of themes at the end? Upon studying this hidden gem, I have been deeply blessed to find that there is so much more than meets the eye. Below, you will find a cursory overview of the structure of Jude. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, each correspond to A’, B’, C’, D’, E’, F’, G’, and H’, with I as the center point. The center point will help us to understand how the book means and what God is trying to reveal to us.
However, before you start studying, I encourage you to take a moment and read the book of Jude—don’t worry, it’s only one chapter! The Scripture will be the foundation for understanding the creative structure below. Ready? Let’s go!
As you can see from the chart, the center of the structure introduces three individuals: Cain, Balaam, and Core. Hmm. Why is God grouping these three individuals together? From my recollection, they don’t seem to have anything in common—or do they? Let’s go back in time and see what we can find.
Going back about 6,779 years ago, we meet the firstborn child—Cain! He is the firstborn because Adam and Eve were created. Can you imagine being the first child of all humanity? We don’t know how many years later that his brother was born but we do know a little about their character. From what we read in the Bible it seems like Cain was a typical firstborn. Losing center stage, what is on the inside of Cain soon starts to surface.
Cain was envious of his brother and bitter toward God because of God’s favor upon Abel. He, like the men that Jude is addressing in his letter, rejected God’s rule over his life. The rejection of God’s sovereign rule is one of the primary themes of the book of Jude. Jude compelled his readers to grapple with the question of whether or not they, too, were resisting God’s rule over their lives. Years have passed, kingdoms have collapsed and risen and mankind is still dealing with the same issue of submission to God’s sovereign rule.
In Psalm 2:2 we read,
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed…
Mankind has always been resistant and rebellious toward God’s rule over their lives. Jude is writing to help his readers understand the eventual inescapable consequences for those who don’t submit. The idea of submission is demonstrated to us in even greater detail with our next character, Core.
Core or ‘Korah’ (Numbers 16) is characterized by envy, jealousy, and greed. He was greedy of gain and envious of Moses and Aaron’s authority. Core argued that he and his relatives were just as holy as Moses and Aaron and had just as much right to be God’s spokesman as they did. Well, we know where that position got them—the earth opened up and swallowed their entire family and all who followed them. Plus, 250 of their ‘friends’ were burnt to a crisp by God. Furthermore, the text attributes the demise of Core to his ‘gainsaying.’ The word gainsaying in Greek carries the idea of someone who is ‘in continuous opposition’ or one who ‘refuses to believe something with a rebellious resistance.’
Regarding the meaning of the text and how this relates to us, we must ask ourselves if we have become oppositional to the authorities God has placed in our lives. We must face one key truth: do we believe that God has actually placed these authorities over us.
Over the past three years I have been going through an extremely difficult situation with a government official. I would say that this official has even broken the law to achieve his grip over my life. God certainly can extinguish his grip in the blink of an eye, but He has chosen, for some reason unknown to me, to allow me to endure this trial. Does this mean that I become a pacifist? God forbid. However, I must wait, pray, and seek Wisdom before I act, if action is even needed. Most of the time God works these things out in His timing as the lessons becomes more apparent. “What others meant for evil; God intended for good.” (Genesis 50:20)
Our last and most central figure is Balaam. If you know the story of Balaam (Numbers 22-24), then you can see how he is a perfect fit for the central focus of the book of Jude. In Numbers 22, God tells Balaam repeatedly not to curse Israel at King Balak’s request. But, because Balaam’s thirst for greed can’t be quenched, he comes up with a brilliant plan of compromise. By getting the daughters of king Balak’s nation to intermarry with the men of Israel, voilà!—a mixed multitude of fornicators and idolaters was born. This is exactly what was happening to the church of Jude’s time and why he felt compelled to write this urgent letter. The church was being infiltrated with men who did not respect authority jealous, envious, and greedy.
What is important to note, is that Cain, Core, and Balaam, did not escape God’s judgment. Each of these men fell from God’s grace and received severe consequences. The center of ‘how the book of Jude means’ is that of inescapable judgment for those who compromise and oppose God’s rule over their lives.
Surprisingly, Jude adds an addendum to his letter that is outside the structure. His letter changes in an instant from judgment to joy. Joy, you ask? How can the warning of compromise and opposition turn to the theme of joy? In light of all the catastrophic and inescapable judgments, Jude draws the attention of his readers to one of the greatest promises in all of the Bible:
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. ~verses 24-25
That’s—breathtaking! Especially when the entire book up to this point was so negative and defeating. So, how does this all tie together? We know how easy it is to fall into the trap of becoming oppositional, greedy, and jealous. Those roads lead to destruction, as we see in this structure:
H - Way of Cain,
I - Ran greedily after error of Balaam for reward
H’ – Perished in the opposition of Core
This structure lays out the progression of: Way ® Ran ® Perished. Essentially, what we run toward in life will ultimately determine whether the road will lead to blessing or destruction. The word ‘way’ represents Cain’s character. The word ‘ran’ represents Balaam’s haste and greedy motivation. The word ‘perished’ represents the consequences of those behaviors. Jude reminds us, however, these consequences can be avoided. How? Unto him who is able! Both NOW and EVER! He can keep us from falling! We can’t do this ourselves…but He can! He is a wise deliverer and has all the majesty, power, and dominion that is needed to keep us pure and uncompromising. Now unto him that is able…able to do what? Anything! Especially to keep us from falling, present us faultless, with exceeding joy!
Mark Hamby
D. Min.
Recommended Reading:
Little Threads (Ages 6+)
Hedge of Thorns (Ages 9+)
Manchester House (Ages 9+)
Crew of the Dolphin (Ages 12+)
Hand on the Bridle (Ages 12+)
Idols of the Heart (Ages 12+)
Palace of Deceit (Ages 12+)
