By Thomas N. Thrasher
Jude 14 says . . . .. Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.” Premillennialists assert that this statement refers to the return of the righteous to the earth at the end of the so-called “rapture” period. However, I deny this is the proper teaching of this verse. The Bible never mentions the “rapturing” of the righteous with their return to this earth after seven years. Who, then, are these “saints”?
Some Observations
1. The verse mentions “saints.”
2. These “saints” will accompany the Lord at His coming.
3. There will be “ten thousands” of them.
4. The purpose for this coming will be to “execute judgment.
“Saints” Are “Holy Ones”
The word “saints” is from a form of the Greek word, hagios, which means “holy” (Machen, p. 255; Davis, p. 255). This meaning is easily seen by consulting different translations of Jude 14:
A.S. V.: “ten thousands of his holy ones”
N.A.S.B. “many thousands of His holy ones”
R. S. V.: “his holy myriads”
Berry’s Interlinear: “his holy myriads”
Therefore, these mentioned are “holy ones.” In the New Testament, hagias is used several times in referring to angels; they are “holy angels”!
Matthew 25:31 “the holy angels”
Mark 8:38 “the holy angels”
Luke 9:26 “the holy angels”
Acts 10:22 “an holy angel”
Revelation 14:10 “the holy angels”
It is quite natural, then, to understand that the term “saints” (holy ones) in Jude 14 refers to the holy angels of God.
Angels Will Accompany The Lord At His Coming
As further evidence to this conclusion, let us observe that Jude 14 states: “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.” The word “with” refers to “accompaniment” (as in Luke 14:3 1; Robertson’s Word Pictures, VI, p. 193). That angels will accompany the Lord when He comes again is easily learned from the Bible:
Matthew 16:27 — “the Son of man shall come . . . with his angels”
Matthew 25:31 — “the Son of man shall come . . . and all the holy angels with him”
Mark 8:38 — “the Son of man . . . cometh . . . with the holy angels”
2 Thessalonians 1:7 — “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels”
“Ten Thousands” Of Angels Will Come
God has many angels: “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels” (Heb. 12:22). In John’s description of the heavenly scene, he heard “the voice of many angels . . . and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” (Rev. 5:11). Jude 14 says, “ten thousands.” The original word is muriasin, which is rendered “myriads” in several translations. When the Lord comes, all of His angels will come with Him (Matt. 25:31).
This Coming Is To “Execute Judgment”
Jude 14-15 states that this coming of the Lord with His “holy ones”is “to execute judgment upon all”! God’s word declares that the angels will be involved in this: “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire” (Matt. 13:41-42). “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire” (vv. 49-50). Hence, when the Lord comes with His angels, these angels will be involved in His executing judgment on mankind.
Conclusion
The “saints” of Jude 14 are the angels of God who will accompany the Lord at His coming to judge the world.
Are you prepared for this great event? If you are not a faithful Christian, I urge you to humbly obey the commands of the One who died for you, that you may one day hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matt. 25:21).
Guardian of Truth XXIX: 10, p. 297
May 16, 1985