And the archangel Michael, when contending with the Devil, disputing concerning the body of Moses, did not dare to pronounce a judgment of blasphemy, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you.”
Unlike the men who have crept into the Church who turn the grace of God into licentiousness and deny the only master, Jesus Christ, the spirit beings do not pronounce judgments against those who are higher in rank than they are (Jude 4).
The Slander, Lucifer the fallen Cherub, belongs to a class of spirit beings that was created higher than the angels. Michael, who is the highest-ranking angel, even with such authority, would not voice a judgment of blasphemy against Satan.
Because Moses disobeyed God while leading Israel in the wilderness, he was not permitted to enter the promised land (Deuteronomy 32:51–52). God permitted Moses to see the land, but not enter it (Deuteronomy 32:49). After seeing the land and proclaiming a blessing upon all the tribes of Israel, Moses died in the land of Moab (Deuteronomy 34:4–5). He was buried in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor, an area overlooking the Jordan Valley near the eastern ascent towards Mount Nebo. No one knows where his grave is located, because the Lord would not permit Israel to make an idol of him (Deuteronomy 34:6). Satan, on the other hand, sought to use Moses’ body for his own nefarious reasons. Although Michael stood against Lucifer, he did so not on his own authority, nor did he pass judgment against Satan. It was by God’s authority that Satan was not permitted to use the body of Moses.
In contrast to the manner in which angels respect authority, the men who secretly creep into churches, turning the grace of God into a license to sin, speak against those in positions of authority. Through their dreams, they claim the right to reject established positions of authority and speak falsely about those with high-ranking statuses (Jude 8). If anyone teaches contrary to the healthy words of our Lord Jesus, and the teaching of godliness, this one is proud, knowing nothing, obsessed with investigations and reasoning over words. They are the ones who use words and phrases that hold no real meaning or relevance to the believer’s piety. They modify the meaning of words to obfuscate authorities, the gospel, and other truths. e.g., implying repentance means turning from sin rather than its actual meaning of “a change of mind.” From such we are to withdraw (1 Timothy 6:4). These are among those who claim gain is godliness, also known as the prosperity gospel, while merchandising the saints (1 Timothy 6:5). Because we are in the last days of the Church on earth, many assemblies are full of these types of men and women. Women claiming to be pastors, rejecting the authority of Scripture. Men proclaiming tithing as a means of godliness. Worship services that are akin to worldly concerts to manipulate the emotions of those who attend rather than speak the truth. These are truly perilous times in which finding the truth has become a rare commodity (2 Timothy 3:1–5).
