For Christian Sisters

Enlightened by Cain, Balaam and Korah

25 February 2019 AnneT Blog, Jude An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

Jude - Ninth in a series

Ready insight. That is what we get when comparisons are drawn to well-known characters. In Jude 11 we gain deep understanding of the ungodly men by considering three examples from Scripture of like-minded misfits.

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jud 1:11)

The story of Cain brings out a number of traits of a man who would rival God.

  • Carelessly prideful - He did not show proper respect for God by his offering. (Gen 4:3)
  • Vain, temperamental - He was angry that his offering was unacceptable though Abel's had been approved. (Gen 4:5)
  • Obstinate - He did not value God's reproof and assistance to reform. (Gen 4:6, 7)
  • Self-willed - To act out his anger against God's remonstrances, he murdered his brother. (Gen 4:8)
  • Unrepentant - He would not confess his sin and by his words did not consider it punishable. (Gen 4:9)
  • Juvenile - When punished, he whined and moaned. (Gen 4:13)

This is not a man anyone would want to emulate or be likened to. Yet, he does model sins that we commit from time to time; at least, I know I do.

The ungodly men reminded Jude of Balaam in their goal to be paid for supposed religious or prophetic service. Balaam was approached by Balak, a Moabite king, to curse Israel as the nation neared the Promised Land. However, the Lord prevailed upon Balaam to bless his people instead. He was directly charged by the Lord not to curse Israel, and his donkey prevented him from spiritual blindness (Num 22:27, 28). The words he spoke to bless Israel are beautiful:

…from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations… Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! (Num 23:9, 10)… Surely [there is] no enchantment against Jacob, neither [is there] any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! (Num 23:21-23) … How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, [and] thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side… as cedar trees beside the waters… (Num 24:5 --)

Three times Balak urged Balaam to curse Israel, from one altar to the next, but Balaam instead blessed God's people and refused payment (Num 24:13), prophesying again of Israel's preeminence among the nations: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab… (Num 24:17) So, Balak and Balaam parted ways.

Then, after having been given the very words of God to bless Israel, and even though he had been in communion with the Lord in former times (Num 22:18-20), Balaam nevertheless revealed to Balak how to defeat Israel through luring them to eat food sacrificed to idols and to fornicate. (Rev 2:14) This advice succeeded to an extent, acknowledged by Moses (Num 25:3, 18; 31:16), Joshua (Jos 22:17), Peter (2 Pet 2:15) and John (Rev 2:14), as well as Jude. Balaam wanted his payment after all.

Thus, the evil men who infiltrated the church might find means of subverting some members. Perhaps, like Balaam, they knew God's mind to some extent, yet their motives were not pure. Maybe their proclamations would be successfully contradicted by strong pastors, but there is "more than one way to skin a cat." Where they failed in prophecy, they could succeed in persuasion by appealing to appetites so hard to deny.

In the early church of the book of Acts, the core group desired not to burden the new Gentile believers with regulations but offered four simple rules, two which recall Balaam's means of cursing Israel (Num 25:2, 3): abstain from meat offered to idols and from fornication. (Acts 15:29) The Moabites drew the Hebrews into idol worship by enticing them with meat, so tempting for men who had eaten only manna for nearly four decades. Then, once they had enjoyed the tasty and filling meal, their consciences could not find a reason not to fornicate, as part of the worship of Baalpeor… "Join our love feast!" For the early Christians, the two sins may not have been associated, yet either would gnaw away at conscience, leaving the soul to dessication.

The sin of Core, or Korah, was gainsaying, an old-fashioned word for contradicting or opposing. Core was proud of his ancestry. He was the great grandson of Levi. Why should he not rule along with Moses and Aaron who were his first cousins? (see Exodus 6:16-21)

Needless to say, ministry and calling have nothing to do with pedigree. The concept of men experiencing a call from God to the ministry is an important doctrine that needs to be promoted. While it is true that Christ's church is a "kingdom of priests," the man who would oppose a leader called by God must give good reason based on Scripture, not on personal opinion and boasting.

By considering the stories of Cain, Balaam and Korah, we will have discernment when imposters arise to trouble and harm the church and the body.

Respect for the Devil

18 February 2019 AnneT Blog, Jude An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

Jude - Eighth in a series

To recap, Jude says in verse 8: Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. This insight is supported in Jude 9 and 10: Yet 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. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

The apostates are experts in their knowledge of man's lower nature but lack spiritual discernment and so they underestimate the real power and strategy of Satan to ruin man and the church.

Had they godly wisdom, they would emulate the archangel who would not personally exhort Satan but stood behind the power of the name of the Lord, which is what we all should do when contending with the devil and his minions.

Because this story about Michael disputing with Satan about the body of Moses is not found in Scripture, commentators have despaired over Jude, as explained by Albert Barnes, a 19th century American Presbyterian minister:

This verse has given more perplexity to expositors than any other part of the Epistle; and in fact the difficulties in regard to it have been so great that some have been led to regard the Epistle as spurious… It has been supposed that the apostle quotes an apocryphal book existing in his time, containing this account, and that he means to admit that the account is true. Origen mentions such a book, called The Assumption of Moses, extant in his time, containing this very account of the contest between Michael and the devil about the body of Moses. That was a Jewish Greek book, and Origen supposed that this was the source of the account here. … Jude here refers to a prevalent “tradition” among the Jews… he has adopted it as containing an important truth, and one which bore on the subject under discussion. In support of this, it may be observed… there were many traditions of this nature among the Jews. (Mat 15:2) Though many of these traditions were puerile and false, yet there is no reason to doubt that some of them might have been founded in truth… an inspired writer might select those which were true… Thus Paul refers to the tradition about Jannes and Jambres as true history. (2 Tim 3:8).

According to Daniel, Michael was one of the chief princes (Dan 10:13), who helped the angel fighting against the princes of Persia and Grecia (Dan 10:20, 21). That nameless angel came to support Daniel in answer to his prayers, and revealed a store of prophecy to him. (Dan 10:14) Thus, we know that angels may be privy to God's mind, and it is no wonder that men at times desire to look to angels for special vision and support. Yet God has clearly stated that we should pray only to Him for guidance and help. If he should send an angel in response to our cries, that is his purview.

We do know that Michael was Israel's protector (Dan 12:1) and that he wrestled against Satan.

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him... Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short! (Rev 12:7-12)

How much longer will Satan be permitted to execute wrath on earth? Did Jude ever read John's Revelation? Is there an angel watching over you right now?

We can't know every mystery or even every fact, but we must know the important things and on these we will stand. We need to understand the deadliest threats to the faith and the church which Jude reveals.

Three rebellious types

12 February 2019 AnneT Blog, Jude An ordered list of links for each blog series is on the Archive page. (0)

Jude - Seventh in a series

Three rebellious types are outlined in Jude 5-7, and verse 8 pegs each of the types. This is a history lesson to refresh the memories of those who "once knew this" (Jud 1:5), that is, Jews who would recall their Scriptures, so it seems likely that Jude wrote to fellow Jews who had claimed Jesus Christ as their Messiah.

It is important for any with prior Bible knowledge to remain mindful of truths he or she has known and to build on them daily; otherwise we will become as those who forget and shrink back (Deut 4:9, 23; 6:12; 8:11, 19). But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Heb 10:39)

The three rebellious types are:

  1. The Israelites of Exodus who "believed not"
  2. The angels who broke from their appointed realm
  3. The Sodomites of Sodom and its surroundings.

In reverse order, verse 8 describes each type: they

  1. defile the flesh
  2. despise dominion
  3. speak evil of dignities.

These descriptions are like "Wanted" posters for the rebels who have crept in to the church. If we can identify the outlaws in our midst, we can avoid being taken as their hostages. So, let's take a close look at each one.

Jude 5: I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Israel's exodus from Egypt was accomplished by a series of miraculous judgments, ranging from swarms of frogs, lice, flies, locusts and grievous hail to massive darkness, and worse, that did not affect the Jews but only the Egyptians. Then, their journey across the dry river bed of the Red Sea whose waters engulfed the pursuing army; the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night that led their way; heavenly food rained down for sustenance; water pouring out of a rock for their refreshing — what privilege!

Even so, while Moses was on Mt. Sinai communing with God for forty days, they turned to worship a golden calf made from jewelry they had been given by the Lord as their plunder of the Egyptians for repayment after serving as their slaves. For this rebellion, 3,000 were killed, and none of the generation that continually doubted were permitted to enter Canaan. (Num 14:22, 23; 1 Cor 10:1-5)

Jude is saying that these Jews are analogous to those who witnessed the miracles of Jesus and either saw Christ or knew those who encountered him after his resurrection. How many miracles does one need to experience to secure his faith? Those who have stood near to Wisdom and Light will be judged more severely. (Mat 12:42) This is pointed at the intruders and to any believers who might be drawn away by their provocations.

In Jude 6 we read: And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
This verse may refer to Genesis 6 where the extreme evil in the world that was wiped clean by Noah's flood is explained thus: And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose… (Gen 6:1-4) There are varying views on this passage. Some commentators state that the "sons" referred to were Seth's lineage, but others point out:

  1. Cain's progeny could not have had all the good-looking gals,
  2. the same term is used in Job to describe the angels including Satan (Job 1:6),
  3. the unions produced giants, and
  4. the wickedness on the earth became so massive so quickly that a nearly universal elimination of humankind was necessitated.

We cannot know how the angelic intrusion into earth's marriage beds was "fleshed out" so to speak, but Jude makes plain that God has power to put an end to all such rebellion. Likewise, for any Jew or Gentile who either grew up or came to understand the boundaries of God's laws and then broke away and began tempting others to depart from God's dominion and join in their rebellion, condemnation is assured.

Some commentators explain that Jude 6 refers to the angels who accompanied Satan in his rebellion. (Isaiah 14:12-14; Rev 12:4). On the other hand, the Revelation passage could have reference to Genesis 6. In the Bible, some mysteries are not fully explained.

The connection to Genesis 6 is supported by 2 Peter 2:4, 5, For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast [them] down to hell, and delivered [them] into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth [person], a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly... This seems to associate the chaining of the rebellious angels to the time period prior to the great flood.

Jude 7 states: Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
This reference makes plain that the infiltrators of the Christian fellowship were sexual offenders in some aspect. They are described as lascivious (Jude 1:4) and as filthy dreamers (Jude 1:8).

All sexual sin explodes in a flood of tears for the repentant, and a raging, eternal fire for the reprobate.

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