But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” (Jude 1:9)
Who is more powerful, the archangel Michael or you, or me? Who knows Jesus better, who knows God better, the archangel Michael or you, or me? You know the answer.
So , why do we, when we feel threatened by demonic host, boldly assert, “I rebuke you in the Name of the LORD!”?
The reason Michael did not do this is given in this very verse. Michael “did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment.”
What? The fallen angel named Satan literally stands before the archangel named Michael to dispute about the body of Moses and yet Michael does not presume to pronounce judgment upon Satan! Why not? Because Michael did not know whether or not God had sent Satan to apprehend this carnal body once named Moses. Since he did not know, his pronunciation of judgment against him would have been blasphemous. Since he did not know he said, “The LORD rebuke you.” If God stood for Michael and against Satan, then Satan was rebuked. If not, then Satan took Moses’ body.
Consider the account of Job. Everything concerning Job was attacked, his children, his wealth, and even his body. If Job had simply said, “I rebuke you, Satan, in the Name of Jesus” he would have been blaspheming God. How? God gave Satan specific permission to attack Job in all these ways. If Job had rebuked Satan in the Name of his God he would have in essence been rebuking God himself. Thus his rebuke of Satan would have been a direct rebuke of God which would have been accounted as blasphemy, which is defined as “the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God.” See Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary.
Now consider Jude’s comments in context,
5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved[c] a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire,[d] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
We are like those people who Jesus saved out of Egypt. He has saved us out of this world… but have we returned to it? Have we “come out of Babylon” or do we cling to Babylon’s ways? If we cling to Babylon’s ways then we do not believe either. We will be accounted as those from Egypt who were destroyed because they “did not believe.” We will be judged and destroyed (we will suffer in the Lake of Fire) like them.
And yet, almost unbelievably, it is this very type of person who presumes to rebuke spiritual beings in his or her own authority, saying “I rebuke you in the Name of the LORD!”
Brethren, let us not assume more than has been given us. Let us model the Scriptures and not what we have been taught. Do we really know whether or not God has sent that person or spirit to test us? Are we greater than Job? Let us not presume authority the LORD has not yet given us. Let us simply say, “The LORD rebuke you!” when we believe we have come under demonic attack.
