Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jude 1:3 KJV
In the tech world, when a developer makes additions to the code for an application, they deploy them in versions, so that if there was anything wrong with the newer code, they can always return to the last code that functioned properly. In Jude’s statement in the above verse, he implied that, as at the time he wrote this letter to the church, the common christian faith which was initially given to the apostles of the lamb had gone through various edits and had changed for the worse. There was introduction of ungodliness and extras, with people turning the grace of God into lasciviousness.
In Jude 1:5, Jude made reference to the departure of the Israelites from Egypt and Lot from sodom. Why? First these were written for our examples and were a warning to us. Also, the art of contending for our faith can also be likened to Israel’s departure from Egypt and Lot’s departure from Sodom. This alternated version of the faith has materialized into what can be referred to as Egypt. Revelations 12 and 17 speaks of two women, both were brides, although one had become a whore. In Revelations 18:4, a remarkable statement was made to the bride, or a set of people in that bride — Come out of her, My people.
How did God’s people get inside this woman and who is this woman? Jeremiah 3 gives us a hint. God was in a covenant relationship with Israel. His covenant was so intimate, that it could be referred to as marriage. Isaiah also cried out in Isaiah 1:21, how did this faithful city become a whore? Jeremiah said Israel had a whore’s forehead and had committed adultery with sticks and stones. This just meant, they had their mind set on worshipping idols and did worship idols, whereas, God was their God and husband. Hence, God called them a whore. In our case, the church is the bride of Christ. Therefore, when the church begins to go in the error and greed of Baalam, Cain, esteeming men in their hearts as a thing to be worshipped, etc as Jude 1 says, they are adding updates to the true version and are committing adultery.
The whore in Revelations 17 is also called Babylon and Sodom and Egypt, Revelation 11:8. Why? Babylon was an empire that would conquer nations and absorb their gods into themselves. This just symbolizes the infiltration of Jerusalem, where you could find sacred items from Solomons in the same temple as foreign gods, Daniel 5:1-6. In Sodom, while being evil, you Lot remained there, vexing his righteous soul, 2 Peter 2:7-8. Egypt was once a golden cup in God’s hand. God used Egypt to save the world from death by famine and preserve His people, yet she became an enemy of God. God had to send Moses to deliver His people from her and destroy Egypt.
The call to contend for the faith and depart from alterations from the true faith is like the call for Lot to leave Sodom and Israel to leave Egypt, not just the place but the practices and Idolatry that makes Egypt, Babylon and Sodom. When a christian concert, starts singing worldly songs in order to excite the people and then moves over to worshipping God, this is Egypt and Babylon. When a person serves God and Mammon, this is Egypt and Babylon. When men are exalted and reverenced as Idols or God’s representative above their brethren, this is Babylon and Egypt.
Beloved, search inward and look through the version of the faith you have as an individual. How aligned are you to the original faith committed to us in the bible? Look at your environment and associations, are you in Babylon or Sodom, vexing your righteous soul like Lot? This call is time sensitive. There is a judgment pronounced over Babylon, Egypt and Sodom as seen in Revelations 17 and 18. Those who heed now, will be used like Moses to deliver Israel, like the Abraham to deliver Lot, like Zerubbabel who exited Babylon to rebuild the true temple of God.
Prayer for today: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your word to me today. Lord examine my heart and see where I may have strayed from the true faith that You handed down to Your disciples. Show me any way I may have fallen short Lord, any infiltrations, any Babylon within and heal my backsliding. I choose to return to the bible and to live by Your word. Teach me Your ways that I may walk in Your truth. Lord If I am also like Lot, in a place that vexes my righteous soul, show me what I need to do and how do deliver my soul, that I will not partake of her sins and judgement in Jesus name, Amen.
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