Tonight, we are going to take only one verse out of Jude. He makes reference to three events in the OT that I want to make sure you understand those events and how they relate to what he is teaching in this epistle. Please turn to Jude 1:11
Woe to them!
The them Jude refers to are the false teachers who have gotten into the church.
Woe! Is a statement of warning and judgment. Most translations use woe, but the NLT said “What sorrow awaits them!” and the International Standard Version says “How terrible it will be for them!”
They have taken the way of Cain;
The different translations word the phrase a little differently:
• NLT - For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother.
• KJV - for they have gone in the way of Cain
• ESV - For they walked in the way of Cain
The word “way” refers more to his kind of thinking and deciding.
Those with the KJV have “have gone” or NIV follow or ESV walked – to set out or go on a journey metaphorically.
Cain’s story is told in Genesis 4:5-8. Please turn there.
Cain was the first-born son of Adam and Eve. The Bible tells us both Cain and his brother Abel brought gifts to the altar. God accepted Abel’s gift but rejected Cain’s gift. The various translations have:
• KJV – looked with respect
• ESV – looked with regard
• NIV – looked with favor
• NLT – accepted
It is essential we understand why?
Verses 3 and 4 tells us what they brought as their offerings:
3In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.
4And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering
You tell me what did Cain bring? “Some of the fruits of the soil”
What did Abel bring? “Fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock”.
The issue is twofold:
1. Type of offering
The type Cain brought was fruits of the soil when what God wanted was a blood sacrifice such as He had done when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. God killed an animal to use it skin to cover their naked bodies.
2. Quality of the offering
Look closely at the wording and you will see Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil compared to Abel’s firstborn of his flock. The phrase “fat portions” is another way of saying “the biggest and fattest lamb in the flock”. The best he had.
What does the “way of Cain” mean? The way of Cain is do it my way instead of God’s way. Cain rebelled against God’s authority in salvation and refused to bring a blood sacrifice to the altar. Hebrews 11:4 informs us Abel’s offering was “more excellent” than Cain’s. Abel’s faith motivated him to give more of himself in worship than Cain did. It is not a comparison, but each is reflective of two kinds of worshipers.
Cain killed his brother Abel rather than offer God the right kind of sacrifice.
Dr. John MacArthur said it this way: This presupposes that they had been told what to bring. He knew God required a blood sacrifice. But he wasn't interested in the way of God, he was only interested in the way of Cain. He rejected the way of God. He did what he wanted in the name of worship. He had a self-styled worship. He invented his own worship. He rejected revelation and followed his own desire and his own intuition. He had his own ideas. He defied the Word of God. He was disobedient, in a word, and the character of his heart which led him to disobedience is manifest in his anger, in his sullenness and in his immoral act by which he murdered his own brother. He is immoral. He is insubordinate. And he is irreverent. He is a model of an apostate mentality.
The false teachers in the church are doing the same kinds of things Cain did. Instead of teaching the blood sacrifice of Jesus, they are telling people to earn their salvation by good works.
they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error;
The different translations word it differently:
• NLT – Like Balaam, they deceive people for money
• KJV - and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward,
• ESV - abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error
Link key words together:
NIV - Rushed for profit
KJV - Ran greedily for reward
ESV - Abandoned for the sake of gain
At first, I was surprised at the use of the word abandoned. Usually I can see the similarity in the words from the different translations. Later, a phrase I have heard used in sports describing a player who was fearless, not concerned if he might get injured, he played with reckless abandon.
The kind of reward, gain or profit may not always be money, but men’s applause or popularity
Balaam’s story is found in Numbers 22:5-7 The way of Balaam is merchandising one’s gifts and ministry for the purpose of making money. The King of Moab, Balak, hired Balaam to put a curse on the Israelites so he could defeat them. Balaam went with the princes of Balak to get his money and God put an angel in the road to kill him and the donkey Balaam was riding saw the angel and veered off the road. This happened three times and each time Balaam beat the donkey. Finally the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey to speak in verse 28.
Balaam’s error is well known in the Jewish community. It is referred to in two other NT books:
• 2 Peter 2:15, 16
15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, f who loved the wages of wickedness. 16But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
• Revelation 2:14
14Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.
The false teachers in Jude’s church were greedy for material gain and like Balaam would do anything for money.
they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.
The different translation word it this way:
• NLT - And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion
• KJV - and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
The story of Korah is found in Numbers 16:1-3. Korah and his followers spoke against God’s established leaders – Moses and Aaron.
31As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”
35And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
After Korah's rebellion, Moses administered a test to prove the source of his authority. Korah and his followers did not pass the test. As a result, God opened up the earth and swallowed the rebels, their families, and all their possessions. Furthermore, “fire came out from the LORD” and consumed the other 250 men who were party to Korah’s rebellion
Spiritual application
1. Cain refused to follow God’s plan of salvation of a blood sacrifice. You and I must be saved by God’s chosen way through the blood sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Are you saved? Or are you trusting in good works to make you righteous?
2. Balaam rebelled to follow God’s authority in separation. He led Israel to mix with other nations. We must separate ourselves from the evil influences of the world. As Jesus worded it in John 17 we are to be “in the world” but not “of the world”.
3. Korah rebelled against God’s authority in service by denying Moses as God’s leader. We must pray for our church leaders and work with them to accomplish God’s plan for the church. If you disagree with them about something, talk to them privately to seek to resolve any differences.
Prayer
