A fascinating article by Peter Leithart for Biblical Horizons:

But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you” (Jude 9).

Jude 9 raises several difficulties (though not insuperable difficulties) for conservative commentators. The event that Jude recounts does not seem to be drawn from the Old Testament, and most scholars claim, based on statements of Clement of Alexandria and Origen, that Jude borrowed this story from the Assumption of Moses, an apocryphal work.

If true, this raises the question of the status of apocryphal literature in general. We can, of course, defend the inerrancy of the canonical Scriptures even if this is the case. The Spirit, after all, might have led Jude to refer to this story, even though it came from a noncanonical book. But questions continue to nag at us. Is the story historical? Or, does Jude quote from a popular legend simply to support his theological point?

The difficulties with this verse do not end here, however. The event that Jude describes seems nothing short of bizarre, and Jude gives no explanation of its significance. Why would Michael dispute with the devil about Moses’ body? What is the significance of Moses’ body? Fanciful speculations have been offered, but none of them can be taken very seriously.

Perhaps some progress might be made toward a solution to this puzzle by tracing the origin of the quotation at the end of Jude 9: “The Lord rebuke you.” It is a quotation from Zechariah 3:1-2…

Continue reading at Biblical Horizons…

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.

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[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.