The Apostle Jude wrote his letter to his “beloved” fellow saints just before the Roman destruction of Jerusalem which brought death and destruction to the Judahites (Jews–tribes of Judah and Benjamin). Following a national split within the Israelite tribes approximately 150 years earlier, the Jews, known as the Southern Kingdom called Judahites–” (Jews) had continued on the rebellious path the other ten tribes, known as the Northern Kingdom called Israel and Ephraim, which had resulted in their (Israel’s) defeat and enslavement by the Assyrian Empire. The Prophet Jeremiah had warned the Jews for many years that, if they did not repent and return to God, He would curse them as He had their northern brethren. Mockers among the Jews caused them to doubt that the prophet was hearing God’s voice. In the end the southern nation paid the same price, and for the same reason–rebellion against God’s Law. Read Who Are God’s People Today? and Who and Where is Israel Today? Key words–People and Today respectively.

the World’s self-titled “Christian nations” are those nations in which the ten tribes of Israel settled after being scattered throughout the world by the Lord. The above-referenced series explain how that phenomenon took place. Today there are a few true ministers of God who are warning the world’s Christian Nations that they are next on God’s curse list if they do not repent, turn from their wicked ways and embrace the Law of God by which He governs His true saints. As did, and still do, their Israelite ancestors, those receiving the warnings today are summarily dismissing them. Like their biological and spiritual ancestors, they have rejected God’s Law and are living as their ancestors had in the past prior to their national defeat and enslavement. Jesus warned that man, including churchman, would return to that spiritual condition in the last days of this world before He returns to earth (Mat. 24:37-42). This will be the time of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. But God has always had a remnant–a tiny group of true saints who obeyed His Law. These people will be “taken” to a place of safety (“her–the church’s–place”) where He will protect and provide for them during the Tribulation period. All others will be “left” to face the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. Read The Rapture. Key word–Rapture.

Of particular interest is the fact that the destruction of Jerusalem and the enslavement of the Jews (70 A.D.) took place just a year or so after Jude penned his warning epistle. His warning was ignored. Nothing has changed. The situation became horrendous. The people, being trapped inside the city and cut off from their food source, resorted to eating their own children (Lam. 2:20; 4:10). In Matthew 24 Jesus warns us that just before the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord God would send a famine that would affect the entire world, including the false church. This would be in combination with wars and so-called “natural disasters” such as earthquakes, pandemics and beasts of the world that would kill multitudes of people.

Authorities are predicting a famine that will ingulf the entire world in the near future. Also, earthquakes are taking place at an increasing rate with more projected in the near future. This is in line with Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24: 1-8. As he prophesied in verse eight, what we are experiencing today is merely “the beginning of sorrows.” What is coming on America and the world is projected to be worse than all of the calamities the world has experienced by mankind COMBINED. The Lion is Roaring; Is Anyone Listening? Key word–Listening.

The heavenly messages are clear: JESUS CHRIST IS COMING SOON. The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord loom just ahead of us. Read about that time of terror and death using the key word–Tribulation. As I have stated several times in the past, I believe we will see all of these things take place within the next eight years. Recall that Jesus prophesied of a time that life would be as it was at the days of Noah. Noah, “a preacher of righteousness,” ministered to the world’s people but his message was universally rejected. The result was the death of every human being on earth except Noah and his family. We are nearing a repeat of that era as people are leaving the lord in great numbers. Those who remain in the church are living according to their version of the Holy Scriptures. These two groups will suffer the same fate.

But God has always had a remnant of true believers who keep His Law and serve Him according to its commands. Jude was writing to spiritual people anciently and now, saying to them and us: “But you, beloved, build up your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (vs 20). Jude was concerned about the church of his day for whom he had great affection. Many in the church were turning away from God at that time, just as their descendants are now.

The apostle James tells us that: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.” (5:16). Note that FERVENT praying by a RIGHTEOUS man gets through to the Lord and accomplishes that for which it was spoken. Zeal and prayer of that type places one inside the heavenly holy of holies where God abides. Such prayer brings the saint into His presence on the spiritual level. Recall that, prior to the death and resurrection of Christ, only the high priest could enter that most holy room. Today every true, Law-keeping saint is a priest who can enter into God’s presence (Rev. 1:6).

In Jude 21 the apostle says to the true saint today: “KEEP YOURSELF in the love of God.” Note that he is writing to his “beloved” people who are in God’s true church. Can believers be removed from the love of God? Romans 8:35 assures us that nothing (he provides a long list) can separate us from the love of God. But notice that the entities on the list are all external to the believer. There is one entity that is not mentioned–man himself. Scripture tells us that 1) God is within the saint in the form of the Holy Spirit, and 2) man can separate himself from God by sinning (Isa. 59:2) which causes His Holy Spirit to leave. Recall that King David–“a man after God’s own heart”–pleaded with Him not to take His Spirit from him because of his sin (Ps. 51:11). Christ died to save us from ourselves by enabling us to overcome the temptation to sin using the power of the Holy Spirit which is awarded at the time of true conversion. We, like Jesus Himself, must obey God’s Law in order to keep ourselves in His love (Jn. 15:10) by using the Holy Spirit to resist Satan’s call to sin. Yes, you read that right–JESUS HAD TO OBEY GOD’S LAW IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN HIS LOVE.

In numerous verses the Lord tells us that in order to remain in God’s presence, and therefore in His love, we must obey the Law by which He governs His true saints. Let us allow God to govern us according to His perfect will, as expressed in His Word. Only those who do so will spend eternity with Him. L.J.