From the pulpit they speak in elegant, flowery language of Jesus and heaven, and give great promises of blessings to their hearers, while they themselves [pg 418] are walking in sin and under bondage to the flesh.
It is not difficult for all who are not entombed in the mystic fogs of Babylon delusion to locate the fulfilment of this prophecy. Were Peter living today and should look over the Catholic and Protestant ministry he could not pen a better description of them than he has here done.
The Prophecy Of Jude.
“Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” Ver. 8.
“But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Ver. 10-13.
“These are murmurers, complainers, walking after [pg 419] their own lust; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.” Ver. 16.
We believe that comment here is unnecessary since commenting on Peter's prophecy. In verses seventeen and eighteen Jude tells us these are the mockers of Christianity that should come in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lust. Jude foresees the great dark beastly manism that was to darken the earth in the clear day, the same as was seen by the Savior, Paul, and Peter.
When quoting the twelfth verse the Spirit of the Lord referred us to the wonderful prophecy of Ezekiel: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flock? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed; but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” Ezek. 34:2-4.
These shepherds feed and clothe themselves. They are more concerned for their own personal gain than for the souls of the people. If they do not receive an [pg 420] ample salary they will leave the souls to perish. They are unlike Paul, who labored with his own hands for his support while he fed starving souls upon the words of life. He was a light in the world, and the covetous, greedy shepherds are creators of darkness. These prophecies are all true of the present day sectarian ministry. They are the hireling shepherds that flee when they see the wolf coming. When poverty comes, they flee to a place where they are better supported. The prophecies concerning the apostasy are more particularly against the ministry than the laity, because the ministers are the leaders, leading their followers on in darkness.