Jude 1:9 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters | Metropolitan Tabernacle

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Jude 1:9

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This is a mysterious account giving us a view into matters which we normally know little about. Deuteronomy simply says, 'And he (the Lord) buried him (Moses) in a family in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day' (Deuteronomy 34:6). Jude adds the extra information that the Lord did this by the hand of the archangel Michael. We are not told the nature of the dispute between Michael and Satan but in some way Satan tried to resist Michael's task. Some suggest that the location of Moses’ tomb was kept secret to avoid man-worship. However, the main point of the verse is about the way in which Michael, the archangel of God, responded to Satan. With perfect self-control he answered Satan not assuming a fraction more authority to himself than he had been given. The fact that he was so completely in the right and Satan was so utterly in the wrong did not excuse him from speaking strictly what was true. It did not permit him to make the slightest threat that he had not been authorised to make. We tend to think that great evil in our enemies, great wickedness in their behaviour, justifies us in responding in like manner. But Michael was confident that God would rebuke Satan far more effectively than he could. What is more, Michael had no warrant to take the position of judge over Satan, a position which the Lord alone rightly occupies. If Michael would not dare to offer a personal rebuke then what other creature may do so? He saw Satan's wickedness most clearly and yet he would not go a step beyond his remit, while Satan who continually does evil of which we only know a small part, watches with accusing eye for the slightest stumble of the righteous.

Application

We see in how some commentators handle the Book of Judges. How quickly and easily they take Bible characters like Samson and run them, in spite of what Hebrews says about him. Well, he did make a terrible, terrible error and sin, but for much of his life he was a man of faith, and yet they tear him down at every point. This is an example of just doing what you like with the Scripture, ‘speaking evil of dignities’.

Questions

And who is Michael? Revelation 12:7 says that he leads the angels of God in their battle against the devil and his angels. When the devil fell from heaven, he did not leave heaven in peace but he became an implacable enemy set on overthrowing the purposes of God and opposing all those angelic beings who did not rebel with him. In Daniel 12:13 Michael is spoken of as one of the chief princes (i.e. among the angelic beings) who was able to help overcome the demonic being that hindered the one sent to Daniel. Daniel 12:1 calls Michael, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your (Daniel’s) people. Michael is not another name for Christ, but he is an angelic being of high rank, indeed possibly the most powerful of the angelic beings who did not rebel against God.

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Introduction

Jude 1:9 Commentary and Bible Study