Jude 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Dean Alford, with many other commentators, says, "These words, 'wandering stars,' mean comets, which astonish the world for a while and then pass away into darkness." The Bible takes up this thought about comets, or "wandering stars," and applies it to certain kinds of people. Let us trace some of the features of similarity. I. In the first place, SOME FOLK ARE VERY MUCH LIKE COMETS IN THAT THERE IS NOT MUCH SUBSTANCE IN THEM. II. Notice, THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE COMETS IN THAT THEY ARE EASILY SWAYED OUT OF THEIR ORBITS. The metaphor applies to unstable men, driven hither and thither by temptations, whose life presents the strongest kind of contrast to the safe, well-ordered life of Christians, more fixed, like the orbit of a planet. (a) Young friends, keep to your orbit of purpose. Have an aim and stick to it. Many a life goes to waste and ruin simply because, like an abandoned and drifting vessel, or a wandering star, no guiding purpose directs its course. (b) More important, young friends, keep to your orbit of right. Let no Jupiter attraction sway you out of it. III. Notice, again, THAT COMETS GROW BRIGHTER AS THEY GET NEAR THE SUN AND DARKER AS THEY GO AWAY FROM IT. So do we all grow more bright and beautiful as we get near to Christ, and darker as we go from Him. IV. Notice, lastly, THAT SOME COMETS ARE TRULY "WANDERING STARS." As unstable, disrupted ruins, they are hastening forward to a final darkness. Surely this is very suggestive of the sad ending of sin. To die in one's sins is the darkest of deaths. (G. B. F. Hallock.) Parallel Verses KJV: Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. |
    |