A Laser Beam at the Heart of the Church
A letter we don’t hear taught or preached on much is the letter of Jude. Jude’s letter is a laser beam aimed right at the heart of the church of his day, and it is frighteningly appropriate for the church of today.
Jude begins his letter saying he really wanted to write a nice letter about their shared faith in Christ, but he couldn’t do that because they had allowed God’s grace to be perverted into a license for sensuality,1 and they had denied the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Some of the strongest language of the New Testament can be found in Jude’s letter that, from start to finish, amounts to twenty-five verses. Jude accused the offending individuals of relying on dreams, defiling their flesh, rejecting authority, and blaspheming glorious ones.2
Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
– Jude 1:11, ESV
In this one, succinct statement, Jude has compared the church to three revolting examples from Old Testament history.
Cain
In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted?”
– Genesis 4:3-7a, ESV
Cain was the firstborn of Adam and Eve, a reality that gave him tremendous advantages in life. But rather than live a righteous life, Cain stained himself permanently by murdering his younger brother, Abel, an act that spawned an entire culture of rebellion against God. Some even suggest that Cain is being held up as the archetype of all evil men.3
The murder of Abel seems to have stemmed from an act of disobedience when both Cain and Abel came to offer sacrifices to their Creator. Cain came with an offering from the fruit of his labors while Abel came with a firstling from his flock.4 Abel’s offering was pleasing and accepted. Cain’s was not. The resulting jealousy within Cain cost Abel his life.
We aren’t given much information in the Genesis account regarding why Cain’s offering was rejected. We do know that Cain didn’t argue the point, indicating there was no question in his mind as to the cause of the rejection.
If we look at the great rollcall of faith in Hebrews 11, we find the Cain and Abel event described there.
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
– Hebrews 11:4, ESV
It is still unclear what it was about Cain’s offering that was substandard and there is much speculation about it, most of it suggesting that Cain, also, was to bring a blood sacrifice, reflecting back to the initial sacrifice by which God provided clothing for the first family.5 What is clear is that Abel took from the firstborn of his flocks while Cain brought “an offering.” Hebrews highlights the Genesis account, saying Abel’s offering was “more acceptable” and provides a witness that speaks even today.
Balaam
Balaam, the prophet, is a fascinating and, at times, confusing character. He was not an Israelite, but rather a man from Pethor, possibly by the Euphrates River in the Mesopotamian region. Despite not being an Israelite, Balaam was in communication with Yahweh6 and it would seem he had a reputation for accuracy in his prophecies.
The people of God were still wondering in the Sinai wilderness following their exodus from Egyptian slavery. God was with them, protecting them. When Balak, the king of Moab realized Israel was headed his way, he teamed up with the leaders of Midian to hire Balaam to come prophesy against the Israelites, lest they subjugate the Moabites and Midianites.
Through a series of negotiations, even though God explicitly told Balaam, “Don’t do this!,” Balak prevailed and Balaam began his journey from Pethor to Moab.
Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
– 2 Peter 2:15-16, ESV
Balaam knew that he could not prophesy against the people of God but he went anyway. He pressed and pressed until God said, “Fine! Go! But speak only what I tell you.”7
But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary.
– Numbers 22:22, ESV
And it is here that we read of Balaam’s infamous verbal exchange with his donkey when God enabled the donkey to speak.8 Despite this exchanage, Balaam persisted, building altars for burnt offerings, and attempting to curse the Israelites but proving unable to do so. Three times, Balaam attempted to curse Israel but ended up blessing them.8
Korah
Korah was a Levite who instigated a rebellion of jealousy against Moses in Numbers 16. God designated Moses and Aaron to be his spokespersons and Korah decided this was improper. He stirred up 250 other antagonists to rise up in rebellion against Moses and Aaron.9 This was an exceedingly bold and, arguably, stupid insurrection.
Rather than respond in kind, Moses instructed Korah to bring his entire rebellious company the following morning, each with his censer with incense on it, and Yahweh would choose between them. The following morning, Korah and his rebels appeared before the tent of meeting, and God spoke.
Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
– Numbers 16:21, ESV
God does not take it lightly that men claim to speak for God when God has not called them to do so. And note the implicit assumption on Korah’s part that if he could unseat Moses, somehow God would just tak Korah on as the new designated spokesman. Moses and Aaron attempted to intervene and dissuade God from consuming Korah and his rebellious crowd. But God would not be deterred.
Say to the congregation, “Get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
– Numbers 16:21, ESV
Moses delivered God’s message.
And as soon as [Moses] had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.
– Numbers 16:31-33, ESV
We need to give great care to adhering to God’s message and rejecting the Cains, Balaams, and Korahs of the world. We have God’s revelation in the pages of scripture, and we have gifted teachers who can instruct from that word. Anything that deviates from that revealed word must be rejected.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
– 2 Timothy 3:16, ESV
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
– 2 Timothy 4:1-5, ESV
1. Jude 1:4
2. Jude 1:8
3. Lange, J.P. and Schaff, P. (1868) A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Jude (p. 20). Logos Bible Software: Bellingham, WA
4. Genesis 4:3-5
5. Genesis 3:21
6. Numbers 22:20
7. Numbers 22:22-31
8. Numbers 24:10
9. Numbers 16:2
