Reserved for darkness . . .

 

 

READ Jude

On Valentine’s Day, someone gave us another helium-filled balloon, this one shaped like a heart. We remembered the first one, thirty-seven years ago. It was metallic silver and shaped like a star with helium inside keeping it on the ceiling, at least for a while. That star began to wander and as it became partly deflated, air currents sent it gliding through the house, searching for a place to rest, but never seeming to find it. It was a bit eerie watching this star floating aimlessly, sometimes hiding behind doors or under the leaves of our giant silk palm plant. It made me think of a verse in today’s reading . . .

Jude uses “wandering stars” to describe people who understand the gospel, that “Jesus died for their sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures,” (2 Corinthians 15:3,4), but have said “no” to that message. They are described as “willful and presumptuous” with meaningless lives. They complain and speak evil against Christ. They are motivated by evil desires and have no spiritual goodness. Worst of all, these “wandering stars” have reserved for them the “blackness of darkness forever.” (Jude 13)

Jude wanted to write a different message, but the Holy Spirit motivated a warning about these wanderers:

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 3–4)

Today I notice that they were “designated for this condemnation” and my heart felt pain as I thought of the many people who are currently in this category. Am I praying for some who are without hope? Jude went on to describe these people in his time:

These are hidden (blemishes) at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever . . . . These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. (Jude 12–13; 16)

This reminds me again of that balloon. It wandered around our house, went downstairs, then came up the stairs from our son’s bedroom. Who knows where it went before getting hung up on a palm leaf in the living room. Years later, that gas-filled star is still a vivid illustration of people who deny Christ. They do not have enough substance to keep down-to-earth, nor do they have enough of the right stuff inside to rise to any heights. They just keep moving, tossed about by outside pressures and inside emptiness.

That image sticks in my memory as has Jude’s point concerning “wandering stars.” No one wants to have a life without purpose or direction. Jude reminds Christians to stick to our purpose — to love, serve and glorify Jesus Christ and to stay aware:

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. (Jude 17–23)

Jude ends with the positive reminder that is in great contrast to wandering stars and nearly deflated balloons. He says, “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24–25) For this, I rejoice!