Loyalty is amongst the most valued qualities of a person and goes a long way to building lasting and quality relationships. Uriah the Hittite was such a man, loyal to the point of costing him his life. The name Uriah means “the Lord is my light.” He lived approximately 1040-995 BC and was born in the land of the Hittites, modern-day Turkey and Syria. Although his life was cut short by our way of thinking, he favourably left his place in the history of Israel.

It seems likely that Uriah migrated to Israel as a young man and joined David’s group of 400 fighting men at the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1-5). Uriah advanced in David’s army and was recognised as one of 37 great men (2Sa 23:39).  

By the time of 2 Samuel chapter 11, David had been crowned King of Israel, Uriah had married Bathsheba, and they lived in Jerusalem, close to the royal palace. 2 Samuel chapter 11 unfolds the admirable character of Uriah and the worst downfall in King David’s life. Israel was scarred, and the royal household of King David was never the same again.

It happened this way, as is often the case when people fail to see sin which is about to reap havoc. “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab…” with Israel’s army, and “they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch… he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful” (2Sa 11:1-2). Well, instead of doing the wise thing by walking away, David yielded to temptation, changing not only his life, but the life of the nation.

While loyal Uriah was off fighting the King’s battles, David searched out the woman he had seen bathing, it was Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. David, like so many before and after, gave in to desire, taking what was not his to have. He committed adultery with Bathsheba. Shortly after, Bathsheba sent word to David, “I am pregnant.” (2Sa 11:5). Again, David faced choices, and again he chose wrong.

David ordered Uriah to return home from battle in the hope of Uriah sleeping with Bathsheba, and thinking the baby was his. “But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants” (2Sa 11:9). Uriah’s internal decision-making process was driven by values, not by desires.

David asked Uriah why? To which Uriah replied, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? …I will not do this thing” (2Sa 11:11). Uriah was compelled by spiritual and moral integrity. So, King David ordered Uriah back to the battle, to the “forefront of the hardest fighting” (2Sa 11:15), where “some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died” (2Sa 11:17).

Uriah lived by high values, by loyalty to God and to King. He did the right things, because they were the right things to do, putting God and others before self. So significant was Uriah, that Matthew recorded him in Jesus’ genealogy, “David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah” (Mat 1:6), even though Solomon was not the child of David’s adultery with Bathsheba (2Sa 12:15-23).

The challenging example left to us by Uriah is to live right and leave the outcome to God. God’s purposes are larger and more focused than ours. What we view as tragic, God can transform into blessing.

Many of us know people of such influence that they are indelibly burnt into our memories. These people caused permanent change either directly or indirectly. They were key in forming our character and directing our values by either positive or negative input. These are either our heroes or our villains.

The same is true of biblical characters. We learn much from both the evil people as we do from the righteous. While God’s Word is God’s story, He employs the lives of real people from beggars to kings and queens in providing the human faces to His truths. Ultimately, the Bible reveals God’s Son, Jesus who “is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). While all other Bible characters fall under Jesus, I want to consider a few in the coming weeks which I hope will enrich us.

One such man was Malachi, who lived between 500 to 425 BC, approximately. He was the last prophetic voice for the Lord in the Old Testament period. Four hundred years of divine silence followed Malachi until John the Baptist emerged preparing the way for Christ (Mal 3:1; Jn 1:19-23). Courageous passion for God marked Malachi’s ministry, delivering hard hitting appeals for God’s people to return to their Lord in humble obedience.

The Lord begins Malachi’s ministry by reminding Israel of His love for them, only to get a sarcastic challenge in return. “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” (Malachi 1:2). Israel had sunk to an all-time low, where they felt entitled to judge God based on their fleshly appetites for sinful living. Unless God approved of their sin, they wanted nothing of Him.

Going to the root of Israel’s problem, Malachi hit the spiritual nail on the head. “And now, O priests, this command is for you. ² If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honour to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings” (Malachi 2:1-2). Israel’s people had been following the corrupt priesthood in their downward spiral of defiant living, making a joke of God’s law. Hosea 4:8-9 sums up the priest’s attitudes perfectly; “They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity. ⁹ And it shall be like people, like priest…”

Malachi also delivered Scripture’s most definitive statement on marriage through a rapid-fire series of rebukes (Mal 2:10-16). He fearlessly confronted Israel’s marital hypocrisy; “the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant” (Malachi 2:13-14). He presents five positive characteristics defining marriage through a negative format for a nation gone haywire. Marriage is a Sanctuary Relationship, a Faith Relationship, a Companion Relationship, a Covenant Relationship, and a New Identity Relationship.

While the fruit of Malachi’s life continues to this day, there was a revival among some of the Jews, who turned and feared the name of the Lord. “The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name” (Malachi 3:16).

Malachi was God’s man for his time and culture, just as we are in our time and our culture. May we follow his example; proclaiming God’s love, God’s holiness, and God’s call to receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Jude was passionate for the spiritual quality of believer’s lives. He was not a man for wasting words or dulling down truth so that the reader could not understand what he was talking about. Likewise, Jude did not over state facts in order to sound more impressive. He simply allowed truth to be truth. Even though Jude has majored on correction in this short letter, he concludes with a refreshing exhortation targeted at three groups.

This is a wonderful reminder for all Christians, that in the muck of life, keep your eyes open for the God given opportunities to show mercy. Jude :22-23 “And have mercy on those who doubt; ²³ save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” For the genuine believer in this Church, Jude says to watch for: (a) the doubters, (b) those who need pulling urgently from the flames of sin, and (c) those engrossed in sinful living who need nervous mercy.

Up until verse 22, Jude has only addressed the apostates and the authentic believers. In a church which obviously had extreme personalities and behaviours, you could be forgiven for thinking there were only the bad guys and the good guys. But no, mingled in the middle of the wicked and righteous extremes were three types of people needing merciful attention. We too, need to watch for these three groups of people which cross our paths from time to time.

First, are the doubters. These were sincere people who were legitimately questioning and possibly confused by the pretenders who had “crept in unnoticed” (:4) to spread their poison. These genuine people are often the soft-hearted ones who should be treated with compassion. They often assume the best of everyone and find it difficult to accept bad news about someone they know who is spreading biblical error or evil behaviour. God’s people need to show them patient kindness while firmly pointing them towards a solid faith in Christ.

Second, are those who need pulling urgently from the flames of sin. These are people who most likely appear genuine with their words, yet because of their unbelief they have become seduced into error and sinful living. These people often have a tenderness toward the gospel when spoken to directly by God’s Word. These still experience conviction. Therefore, snatch them from the coming judgement as your rescue mission for the Saviour.

Third, are those deeply engrossed in sinful living who need to be approached with nervous mercy. These people are typically insincere towards the Lord. They may laugh much of the gospel truth off as irrelevant. These have been well and truly lured into a lifestyle of sensual, worldly thinking and living. Jude is clear, approach them with caution!

While they are not beyond hope, be aware that they will try to swing the faithful believer into a life sin. They still require compassion from a soft hearted yet strong believer who steps into their world with Christ. They need a biblically decisive gospel call to repentance of sin. A call that says the Lord is returning “to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (:15).

Christian be encouraged, during these uncertain times, you are an ambassador of God’s mercy to all three groups of people. Prayerfully be on the lookout to rescue them for Christ.

Jude spends sixteen of his twenty-five verses identifying scoffers who sneak into the Church causing trouble. He also dedicates nine verses to equipping believers “to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude :3). Jude summons “those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (:1) to the battle for gospel truth. To actively engage in defence of biblical truth which defines “the faith.”

An integral part of this battle is the need to be proactively “building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21). Jude spells out spiritual preservation for his weary readers. Jude is not speaking of selfish withdrawal from spiritual battle but of taking responsibility to strengthen yourselves for more effective battle.

Notice that Jude writes here in the plural, “yourselves.” There is nothing individualistic about his exhortation. This is a call for unity within the body of Christ and for humble agreement in the Scriptures. This is a call for those who wish to be faithful to the truth to come together in Bible study, discussion, and selfless prayer enabled by the Holy Spirit. Such prayer “in the Holy Spirit” seeks to “glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:6), to bear witness about Christ (John 15:26), and all at the expense of self (John 3:30).

Unity in God’s Word is the beginning of keeping “yourselves in the love of God” (:21a). Love is the evidence of authentic faith in Christ. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,” (Galatians 5:22-23) which is always present when unity in the faith is alive. Selfless love is always the first working of the Holy Spirit to vanish when someone chooses to step out of unity. Love for others is to be nurtured, spoken of highly, and practiced frequently. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9). Therefore, self-centred desires, actions, and “I centred” speech gets removed for love to prevail.

Jude is not calling for believers to isolate themselves from God’s people because they can’t see eye to eye on everything. Instead, they are to lovingly sacrifice self for Christ to be evident in their relationships. This loving heart attitude which serves others recognises “how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalms 133:1).

Next Jude directs faithful believers to do all the above while “waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (:21b). Obedient, Christ centred living in unity with God’s people generates a powerful sense of expectation for the Lord’s return. Jesus’ return is the next supreme expression of His mercy believers wait for, bringing their eternal life to ultimate fulfilment. Again, this should be spoken of frequently, and prayed for earnestly as Christians encourage one another in spiritual purity and perseverance.

The point is this; God’s people are to be people of mercy, just as their God is a God of mercy. While waiting for Christ to return, believers enthusiastically live in and express the mercy of Jesus Christ.

Be encouraged my Christian friends, a congregation united in “the faith” is powerfully loving, mercifully expectant, and undeniably a force for Jesus Christ.

God’s Word has much to say for those who come to church with false teaching, hearts laden with sin, and worldly behaviour. Today, as in New Testament times, Jude reminds his readers of the warnings Jesus’ apostles issued, how that “in the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit” (Jude 1:18-19). These people did not have short-term lapses into bad behaviour. They had not stumbled into sin for a season. No, these were committed disbelievers who insisted on attending church.

Jude writes possibly the most concise and confrontational warning to protect believers from these troublemakers. He writes as one who feels both the pain and the offence caused by those deserting Christ yet stubbornly remaining in church attendance. Due to the seriousness of the damage inflicted by these agitators, Jude writes with a tone of exhortation for faithfulness, appealing for them “to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude :3). God’s standards for Christian lifestyle has not changed.

These were religiously motivated people who had never repented, never died to self, never confessed Jesus as their Lord, and never been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Jude lists the behaviour of these who had somehow “crept in unnoticed” (Jude :4), which reads more like a medical diagnosis of a body ravaged by malignant cancerous tumours.

They “indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desires” (:7), “relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones” (:8), “blaspheme all that they do not understand” and behave “like unreasoning animals” (:10). They spoke “harsh things” against the Lord (:15). “These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favouritism to gain advantage” (:16). These people fulfilled the apostle’s earlier warnings, being “scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit” (:18-19).

Can you imagine being one of these people when this letter from Jude gets read to the congregation? Whoever this Church congregation was, it had been infested by the enemy. Jude calls the believers to spiritual warfare in protection of gospel truth and the purity of Christ’s bride (the Church). Warfare is always messy, always has casualties, and always leaves scars. However, spiritual warfare also paves the way for times of healing, restoration, and purity in Christ. Cleansing brings an increased sense of identity in Christ, growth in unity of God’s Word, and richness of fellowship that could never be experienced without the pain of battle.

When the Church becomes infested, we believers realise that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The necessity to “put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11) becomes even more obvious.

Over the next couple of weeks, we shall explore the weapons Jude calls faithful believers to use in their defence. Jude never envisioned a passive or cowardice response, nor did he call God’s children to fight dirty. Instead, he calls for “the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left” (2 Corinthians 6:7), spiritual weapons which win spiritual battles with spiritual victories.