Jude 1:11

A TRILOGY OF WOE

Jude 1:11

Text

11.

Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.

Queries

55.

Three examples of punishment are given in this verse. What are they?

56.

What was Cain's sin? (see Genesis 4; 1 John 3:15).

57.

What was Balaam's sin? (Numbers 22:7 ff).

58.

What was Korah's sin? (Numbers 16:1-3; Numbers 31-35).

59.

Motivations for the sin of Balaam and Korah are given. What are they?

60.

Write the three verbs describing the action of the apostates. Note the progress of action from one to another.

Paraphrases

A. 11.

How horrible is their impending doom! They have traveled the same way that Cain traveled. They have run helter skelter, hither and thither, like Balaam, chasing a sensual indulgence. They have been consumed by the same bold, haughty ambition of Korah.

B.*11.

Woe unto them! For they follow the example of Cain who killed his brother; and, like Balaam, they will do anything for money; and, like Korah, they have disobeyed God in the hope of gain and will die under His curse.

Summary

What a tragedy! They have thrown themselves to destruction like Cain, Balaam, and Korah.

Comment

Woe upon them! The exclamation expresses grief and/or denunciation. Jude neither gives the woe nor wishes it; but he sees it clearly in the three examples from the Old Testament. His heart is filled with grief over their plight. With saddened eyes he sees them sinning the sins condemned so long ago. Their wickedness has been proclaimed, and now he predicts their misery.

Cain's way was one of envy, hatted, and murder. These apostates disdain the welfare of the saints and use them to their own selfish purposes. Like Cain, they do not believe that God means what He says. They are walking the same road as this archtype of all bad men. Hateful and envious of their brethren, they are guilty of Cain's type of murder. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15)

One wonders how many Christians within the church today are beginning the same walk as Cain. Not willing to repent, they begin to dislike and even rebel at the example of godliness in their brethren. Soon their dislike will turn to complete disregard and hatred, and they will find the Christian examples about them unbearable. This is the road of hatred and murder. This is the road of Cain.

Balaam was looking for a reward from the king, and sold his life in a futile chase for money. He was drowned in destruction and perdition in attempting to curse the people of God. For money he would do what Cain did for hate. So it is that money figures largely in the motivation for these apostates. Doctrine is a matter of pay, not a matter of truth, and in reaching for the pay they depart from the truth. They ignore the warning of 1 Timothy 6:9-10: But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Korah rebelled against God's authority. He was envious and jealous of the authority God gave to Moses and Aaron; so he presumed to share in that authority. This was contrary to God's expressed instruction. With a terrifying finality and suddenness, punishment followed. The earth opened up and swallowed the wicked men and their followers. Fire from God consumed all the goods that pertained to these men. In a moment Israel learned a lesson that caused them to flee in terror.
How serious is rebellion against divine authority! How certain will be the result! With what fear and respect we should follow after the authority of God. These apostates did not do so. They ignored the authority of Jehovah, and worked out their own rules by which they conducted their lives. The doctrine in God's revelation they ignored, and were ignorantly content to create teachings that satisfied their own ears and pleased their own lusts.
Can it be that people today, even within the church of the living God, also ignore divine instruction? Will people today follow after the ways of Korah and invent offices, positions, and authority for themselves; contrary to the revelation of God? Korah was not the first, but his destruction should have been a lesson for all mankind. These apostates are not the last, for this seems to be one way for an evil heart. May God help us to find His authority sufficient, and like Michael submit ourselves to His will.
There also seems to be a progress in the action expressed in these three examples. The apostates went in the way of Cain, ran in the error of Balaam, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. Such is a way of sin, First one walks, then one runs; and finally one is consumed. The lusts of the flesh have the same process. First there is a sinful play with the fire. Then there comes a frantic chase after the sin; and finally one is completely consumed in his lusts. Sin is a snare that draws tighter with indulgence. Sin is not a single trap, but a series of traps, each one stronger and more vicious than the last. It begins with playful rebellion and ends with total destruction. Woe unto them!