FILTHY DREAMERS AND EVIL SPEAKERS

Jude 8-10 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 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.

The ungodly men referred to in verse four, those that crept into the church of Christ unawares;those that turned the grace of our God into lasciviousness;those that denied the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ (Vs. 4);those that were as sinful as the Israelites that fell in the wilderness because they believed not (Vs. 5);those that were as rebellious as the angels, which kept not their first estate (Vs. 6);those that were as impure and unholy as the sinful inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorra (Vs. 7);to those,Jude, here in the lesson text, identifies as filthy dreamers and evil speakers. They were false teachers that had come into the body of Christ. They practiced and taught doctrines and opinions that opposed God's will. Those ungodly men are the same as the false prophets and teachers that the apostle Peter said had come into the church, and brought with them heretical teachings (2 Pet. 2:1). Such teachings, in that instance, as well as in the lesson text, were contrary to the truths taught by the chosen messengers of Christ Jesus, that had been inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.

A teacher that is a filthy dreamer, is one that has defiled and polluted God's Holy Word by worldliness, and suffers from the delusion of self righteousness; a teacher that dreams up methods and devices to support his own doctrine; a teacher that refuses to give heed to God's doctrine, or to any preacher that teaches God's doctrine. Such are ungodly teachers; filthy dreamers, (that) defile the flesh. Not only do they indulge in sins of the flesh, but they justify it, and preach it to all that are willing to listen, and heed their false doctrine. Such false teachers also despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. They rebel against, and speak derisively about, the civil laws of governments; they openly resist God's laws and His authority by selectively adding to, subtracting from, totally rejecting, or compromising the commandments of God. Worse than committing these sinful acts themselves, they openly teach others to do the same. Of such false prophets and teachers, the apostle Peter says that they walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities (2 Pet. 2:10). There is nothing good that can be said of such contemptuous, despicable soldiers of Satan that, for selfish, covetous, and worldly satisfaction, defy the commandments of the God of heaven and earth.

The lesson text contrasts these filthy dreamers - these rebukers of authority, with the righteousness of Michael the archangel. Jewish tradition holds that Michael was charged with overseeing, and protecting, the sepulcher of Moses in the land of Moab. He is referred to in the book of Daniel as a prince (10:13, 21, & 12:1). In the lesson text, Jude writes that Michael, himself, brought no railing accusation against the devil, regarding the body of Moses, but left the administration of justice up to God by simply stating:the Lord rebuke thee. The lesson here is that a Christian is not to rebelliously attempt to mete out justice for those in authority, even when they err, but rather leave it up to God to justly punish them for any sinful acts they may commit.

Even though false teachers do so, Christians are warned not to speak reproachfully against those in authority on earth, or against the will of our Lord in heaven. Such acts are sinful in the sight of God. False teachers, referred to here as filthy dreamers and those that speak evil, have their own minds corrupted and also corrupt the minds of others by the doctrine they teach. They deceive their audiences under the pretense of having "special knowledge" of spiritual things - those things unseen by all others. Like Jude, Peter also referred to such false teachers in a like manner. He wrote that these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption (2 Pet. 2:12). The apostle Paul wrote that false teachers became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools (Rom. 1:21-22).

Animals seek only the satisfaction of their natural, physical appetites. False preachers teach a false doctrine for the same purpose - to satisfy their own egos; their own selfish passions; their own sensual appetites for the pleasures of this world. They are filthy dreamers and evil speakers!