Jude 9 — The Lord Rebuke Thee

Many believers are taught to speak straight to the devil: “I bind you, Satan,” “I rebuke you.” Jude shows what the highest angel did instead. “Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee” (Jude 9).

Durst not means he did not dare. Michael, the chief of the angels, would not pass judgment on the devil himself. He handed the rebuke to Yahuah.

These are the same words spoken in Zechariah: “Yahuah said unto Satan, Yahuah rebuke thee, O Satan” (Zechariah 3:2). The rebuke belongs to Yahuah, not to the one standing before Him.

The believer’s part is given plainly: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Submit to Yahuah, resist the devil, and leave the rebuking to the only one who holds that authority. If Michael did not dare, a man has even less standing to try.