The scheme for May – June can be found here

2 Sa 13-4; Jude; Psalm 43-44

The letter of Jude, a the letter to the Hebrews may seem a little strange to our ears. [Of course we should never presume a familiarity with the scriptures – always we are learners].

In it like the epistle to the Hebrews, we find fierce warnings as well as references to angels and uniquely in the New Testament, a reference to Enoch.

For those who missed him, Enoch turns up briefly in the canonical scriptures in the book of Genesis. [Chapter 5 vs 21-24]

He is the father of Methuselah – the one credited with living 969 years, and also one of only two figures in the scriptures of whom it is attested, they did not die. The other being the prophet Elijah. Like Elijah great traditions grew up around Enoch and there are three books of Enoch which were a part of the apocalyptic literature of the people of Jesus’ day. Indeed these books were read as scripture until the third century.

HOwever for all its strangeness, Jude covers much that is familiar – echoing Paul’s condemnation of false teachers, and asking that mercy and gentleness be shown to the wayward. But perhaps Jude will be most recognisable for its wonderful Benediction – the blessing pronounced upon God at its close. Still in use in many churches today, it reminds us that our primary calling as Christians is the worship and blessing of God. That to quote the Westminster confession, the reason for our existence is to ‘glorify God’.

Amen