PT-1 Introduction to:”The Coming Judgment on Apostates” (Jude 14-16)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/12/2025 9:30 PM

My Worship Time                  Focus PT-1 Introduction to:”The Coming Judgment on Apostates”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                           Reference: Jude 14-16

            Message of the verses:  “14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." 16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.”

 

            I think that I need to begin this evening Spiritual Diary by writing where we will be going for the next several days. As you can see in the “Focus” part of this Spiritual Diary that we will begin to look at a rather long introduction to these three verses from the letter of Jude, and I can say that I have become familiar with how John MacArthur writes his commentaries, as sometimes the introductions are very short, and sometimes they are very long, and this one is very long.  I have been lately just quoting from his introductions to show us where he is heading and this is what I will be doing for the next several days in covering this introduction.

 

            “Hell is certainly not a popular concept in Western society.  In an age of tolerance and acceptance, the topic of eternal punishment is taboo; the very mention of it is considered unloving.  After all, postmodern culture believes that everyone is basically good and expects that life after death (if the afterlife even exists) includes heaven for all but the most evil people.

 

            “Sadly, the political correctness and doctrinal ambiguity that characterizes the world has also permeated the church.  Even among those who call themselves evangelicals, hell is regarded as a theological embarrassment.”  Let me just stop here and ask you a question.  Now if hell is not something that is real then the question is why did Jesus Christ, the second Person of the godhead have to come to earth and suffer in a way that no one has ever suffered for this sins of mankind and then die for the sins of mankind?  “Passages that teach eternal destruction are often explained away, arbitrarily softened, or ignored altogether.  As a result, society’s erroneous views about God’s judgment are only reinforced.

 

            “In stark contrast to the contemporary ambiguity, God’s Word is unabashedly straightforward about the reality of divine judgment (cf. Gen. 6-8; Deut. 28:15-68; Isa. 1; 3-5; 13-23; Jer. 2-9; 46-51; Ezek. 20:33-44; 25-32; Joel 3:12-16; Zech 12:2, 9; 14:2; Mal. 3:2; Matt. 12:36; 25:31-46; Luke 12:48; Rom. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; 5:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:7; Col. 3:24- 25; Rev. 6-21).  Throughout its pages, themes of divine retribution, depicted in both temporal and eternal punishment, are impossible to miss.  That God has judged, is judging, and will judge sinners, both with death and eternal punishment, is unmistakable.  The New Testament’s treatment of future judgment is especially clear and includes at least seven primary features.”

 

            Now once again this introduction is kind of typical of MacArthur’s commentaries, especially the length that this one is in, and so I will break these seven “primary features” down as to what will be in the next several days.  I will begin with the first one, which as all will be quoted from John MacArthur’s commentary, and then Lord willing will see how far I can get beginning tomorrow.

 

            “First, the final aspect of God’s divine wrath relates to a specific future event—namely, the second coming of Jesus Christ.  At the end of the age, the Lord will return to earth to execute judgment: ‘He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished the proof to all men by raising Him from the dead’ (Acts. 17:31; cf. Matt. 24:29-30; Rom. 2:5-8, 16, 2 Peter 2:9 –b; Jude 6b; Rev. 6:16-17).’  No human knows the exact hour or day of the second coming—only the Father knows (Matt. 24:36).  But He has fixed the precise moment when His Son will return, an event which He promises will occur quickly (Rev. 22:7, 12, 20).”

 

8/12/2025 10:15 PM