Jude, Strange Flesh

Jude 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

In verse 7 Jude offers the third and final example from Scripture to liken to the false teachers infiltrating the church. Interestingly, this verse is closely linked to the previous, and Jude uses the inordinate behavior of the Sodomites to further detail the conduct of the angels in Noah’s time in order to clarify his present point.

He begins with the five cities from the Genesis account: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar, or Bela, see Genesis 14:2. The context might superficially suggest that the surrounding cities took to sexual immorality like Sodom and Gomorrah, but such is not the case. The NASB renders this verse thusly: “Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” Even more to the point is the HCSB, which translates the verse, “In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions, just as the angels did, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” As if to put the question of the sin the angels committed beyond any possible doubt, Jude answers any rebuttal given to a natural argument for verse 6.

In verse 6 the angels left their proper place to cohabit with women; in verse 7 the men of Sodom and Gomorrah left the natural use of the woman to cohabit with other men, Romans 1:27. Jude writes of both the angels and men of Sodom, that they went after strange flesh.

The Greek word for “strange,” is, “heteros.” Strong’s defines the term as, “other or different, or one not of the same nature.” For the angels, they took human wives; for the men of Sodom they committed acts that were, “against nature,” Romans 1:26. Since God designed nature, and what should occur within it naturally, by its very definition, then it stands to reason that both parties (men and angels) took after strange flesh, or flesh different from what they, by nature should have.

The men of Sodom had become violent, insolent people. They brazenly practiced homosexuality and even formed mobs of a sort to rape travelers, Genesis 19:4, 5. When denied their desire, they attempted to break in and attack Lot’s family in order to accomplish their lust; even when the angels blinded them they did not cease from their efforts to find and win entrance, Genesis 19:11. Such is the power of temptation, lust and sin over our lives when it lays hold of us. Reason crumbles and desire surges. Whatever it is that ensnares us, that we fixate on to the detriment of logic or consequence, Romans 6:16.

And what became of these men? “Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground,” Genesis 19:24, 25. The men and their works were completely consumed in fire; not only their lives but their legacies were turned to ash in a moment so that nothing remained of who they were or what they had done; their evil and influence over others came to a sudden and total end. We read in Hebrews, “For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord…It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” Hebrews 10:30, 31. 

God is the judge of all the earth, and He will mete out judgment impartially and with the level of severity due the nature of the crime, coupled with the awareness of the one committing it. These men, who pretend at being Christian ministers, are well aware of Scripture’s truth since they can pass themselves off as fellow believers, at least on cursory inspection. Being aware of the gospel, and then weaponizing it for their own greedy and immoral gain is as twisted as Simon seeking to purchase the Holy Spirit with gold, Acts 8:18, 19. Sodom is held up as a sign that God will not always tolerate the sinful behavior of men; like He did in the days of Noah by putting a time limit on their wickedness (Genesis 6:3), there will come a time when God will cut the work short and finish it in righteousness, Romans 9:28. The eternal fire, of course, first represents Hell. The rich man’s spirit was in Hell, experiencing something akin to burning, Luke 16:24. It is not physical fire the rich man endured, but some sort of spiritual torment; this torment will only increase when unbelievers are judged at the Great White Throne and cast into the Lake of Fire, where, “Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched,” Mark 9:48. Yes, our Lord does speak of Hell in this passage, but Hell itself is eventually cast into the Lake of Fire: the eternal abode of unsaved men and fallen angels, see Revelation 20:14. The pain of regret and anger, and the corruption of our unpaid for sin will cling to us in that endless flame, kindling forever, without cessation, for eternity. Words fail here, hence the redundancy. False teachers and all people, be saved by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. His name alone saves, and it saves completely and forever. Believe in Him, and have life in His name. Do not, please do not take that broad road that leads to destruction. From it there is no going back.