The astral bodies signified those who are glorified and exalted. While this is true of all the saints, it is also true of all human rulers as well. Revelation 1:20 says that the rulers of the church are like stars, and Jude 13 says that apostate teachers are “wandering stars.” —James B. Jordan, Through New Eyes, p. 55.

Jude’s epistle follows the themes of the Bible matrix. In Adam’s pattern, the first half (forming) was good, but he forfeited the glories of the last half (filling). Like God, he was to create with a faithful Covenant word. His failure made him a false prophet, one who cries “peace, peace” when Leviathan is at the gate.

Jude’s pattern is the opposite. The first half is mostly bad, and ends with the apostates as stars in the centre (Day 4/wilderness). This is because Israel was threshed under the new Law, beginning at Pentecost (the Law of Moses was given at Pentecost). Those who were true Jews, with circumcised hearts, were separated from the false ones. Peter was sifted like wheat and so was Israel.

But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. (Romans 9:6-8)

As in Deuteronomy, a new generation is a new beginning, a new “resurrection” body. The old Tabernacle was torn apart and a new Tabernacle was built, as Eve was constructed from bone and flesh from Adam.

Sabbath – Greeting/peace/Word (Genesis)
…..Passover – Saved out of Egypt (Exodus)
…..…..Firstfruits – Christ versus Satan re body of Moses
……….(Leviticus – Covenant head) [1]
…..…..…..Pentecost – Beasts, Cain, Balaam, Korah,
……………wandering stars (Numbers)
…..…..Trumpets – Ten thousand saints
……….(Deuteronomy – Covenant body)
…..Atonement – Mercy of Christ, make a distinction (two goats),
…..hating even the (linen) garment spotted by the flesh
Booths – Jude’s famous doxology

Interestingly, even the central “wilderness” condemnation follows the pattern. The first century Jews and Judaisers were the Old Creation:

Light – Word – Sabbath – Genesis
But these speak evil of whatever they do not know;
(False Ark)

Firmament – Human Hierarchy Set Apart – Passover – Exodus
and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
(False Veil: this step often involves the mediator falling as dead before God.
These men were bowed as beasts.)

Land Grain & Fruit Plants – Priesthood Established – Firstfruits – Leviticus
Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. (False Altar) These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves (False Table)

Governing Lights – Temptation in the Wilderness – Pentecost – Numbers
They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; (False Lampstand, ie. false wind/spirit)

Swarms – A New Generation – Trumpets – Deuteronomy
late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
(False Incense. Their “spiritual offspring” were twice the children of Gehenna)

High Priest – Stands on crystal sea (Laver) – Atonement – Joshua
raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame;
(False Mediator: like Adam, they have no true covering)

Shekinah Glory – Covenant Succession – Booths – Judges
wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
(Their generations are cut off from the Covenant tree)

As the first century pattern was completed during the Jewish War, the wandering stars of the Jewish polity became falling stars. Like those who refer to themselves as Jews today, they defiantly remain in the darkness of the Old Covenant, despite the fact that the Sun of Righteousness has risen. [2]

So the literary structure of Jude looks like this:

Old Creation:
1
…..2
……….3
……………4:1
………………….2
……………0……….3
……………0………….:4
……………0……….5
………………….6
………………7

New Creation:
……….5
…..6
7

The sevenfold “Lampstand” at the centre of the pattern is the same one that confronted Adam in the Garden, the false Law-light of the accuser. In Revelation, the seven stars in Jesus’ right hand are Christian pastors.

_________________________________________________
[1] On “the body of Moses” as the Old Covenant church see Peter J. Leithart, Michael’s Dispute with the Devil.
On Christ as Michael, see James Jordan, Esther: Historical & Chronological Comments IV.
[2] For more on Old Covenant darkness, see The End of Shadows.

There is no other world to compare God’s world to. There is no “music” except God’s. It can be “played” well or perversely, but there are no other raw materials at hand. God’s personality is fully displayed in the world, but it is easy for us to become deaf to this fact.

The Bible tells us that this deafness and blindness is sin: “For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Romans 1:21). This verse describes the origin of secular philosophy. The sinner does not want to see God’s personality displayed in His works, and so he comes up with alternative explanations of the universe. The “universe simply is.” In philosophy, this “is-ness” is called “Being.” Ultimately, all non-Christian philosophy assumes that the universe is uncreated and made of neutral “Being.” Such a universe is silent.

For the Christian, however, the universe is created by God, and constantly speaks of Him… All the world has been made with God’s stamp on it, revealing Him.

The universe and everything in it symbolises God. That is, the universe and everything in it points to God. This means that the Christian view of the world is and can only be fundamentally symbolic. The world does not exist for its own sake, but as a revelation of God.

James B. Jordan, Through New Eyes, p.22-23