Exuberant Joy

True believers are promised exuberant joy.  Meditate on the benediction of the book of Jude if your joy meter is reading low.

Earlier this week I posted on the oft neglected book of Jude.  This book is a gold mine.  If nothing else read the beautiful benediction:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.  Jude 24-25.

The benediction is addressed to God who is able to present His people into his glorious present with “great joy.”

The word translated “great joy” is αγαλλίασις / analliasis. It appears only 5 times in the New Testament so we can easily review each of the other four:

“And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,(Lk 1:14).”

“For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.(Lk 1:44).”

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,(Ac 2:46).”

“You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”(Heb 1:9).”

Notice that two of the four uses reference the birth of our Lord.  The third is about the early church.

If you know Christ, then soon He will present you before His glorious presence and you will know exuberant joy.

And, why not read Jude?  It’s only 25 verses.