I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
JUDE 1:5KJVWhat does Jude 1:5 mean?
Jude 1:5 reminds the readers that although God once saved the people of Israel from Egypt, He later destroyed those among them who did not believe. The verse uses this historical example to warn that deliverance does not guarantee continued safety if faith is abandoned.
Jude, the writer, is addressing early Christians, urging them to remember what they already know from Israel’s history. He points out that God’s past actions show both His power to save and His seriousness about unbelief. Jude is setting up a warning for his audience by recalling how even those who experienced God’s rescue faced consequences if they turned away in disbelief.
The Greek behind Jude 1:5
- ἀπολέσας (apolesas, “destroyed”): This word means to ruin or bring to an end, often with a sense of complete loss. Jude uses it to stress the seriousness of the outcome for those who did not believe, even after being saved from Egypt.
- πιστεύσαντας (pisteusantas, “believed”): The negative form here (οὐ πιστεύσαντας, “not believed”) highlights that the destruction came specifically because of a lack of trust or faith, not just any kind of wrongdoing.
- κύριος (kyrios, “Lord”): This word can refer to God or Jesus as master or sovereign. Jude’s use of it here ties the Lord’s actions in the Old Testament to the authority he is appealing to in his warning.
Why Jude 1:5 matters
- Jude 1:5 clarifies that experiencing God’s deliverance in the past does not exempt anyone from judgment if they later reject faith.
- The verse sets a tone of warning for the rest of Jude’s letter, showing that God’s justice is consistent throughout history.
- By referencing a well-known event from Israel’s past, Jude connects his message to the larger biblical story, helping his readers see the seriousness of turning away from faith.