CAIN, BALAAM, and KORAH

"Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah" – Jude 11, NKJV

THERE ARE CERTAIN DANGERS that face the people of God. They are not insurmountable, nor are they to be feared. We are, however, to be spiritually alert concerning them. Ranking high among these dangers are false teachers. By "false teacher," I mean a teacher that is not sent from God, has no message from God, and is not being blessed by God. Such men are not always apparent, and therefore we are especially warned concerning them.

JUDE IS UNUSUALLY POINTED in speaking of such intruders. He refers to them as "certain men who have crept in unawares," affirming they were "long ago designated for this condemnation." He says they are "ungodly men" who turn the grace of God into an excuse for despicable sins, and that they deny the Lord. He further identifies them as "filthy dreamers" who "despise dominion," and "speak evil of dignities." He further states they deride what they do not understand, acting like irrational animals (Verses 8-10). He then mentions three men of Scriptural record, who were pioneers of iniquity–men who championed the cause of the devil, while in the presence of the people of God. They were Cain, Balaam, and Korah.

CAIN is identified as "of that wicked one." He killed his own brother "because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous" (1 John 3:12). This was the first, but not the last, religious murder. Cain's record is found in the fourth chapter of Genesis, standing as a solemn reminder of the nature of "the flesh."

BALAAM was a prophet driven by a lust for money. It is said of him that he "loved the wages of unrighteousness," or desired gain that proceeded from doing wrong (2 Pet 2:15). Knowing the nature of the Lord, he taught the enemies of the God's people how to seduce them, causing judgment to come upon them. His record is found in the twenty-second chapter of Numbers, and stands as sober reminder of what a religious person can do for riches.

KORAH was man who dared to speak against the Lord's anointed. He is noted for "gainsaying," or rebellion. He gathered together 250 princes of the Israelites. With a brashness only flesh exudes, they challenged both Moses and Aaron, saying they had taken too much upon themselves. In response, the Lord opened the earth and swallowed them all, confirming His later word: "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" (1 Chron 16:22). His record is found in Numbers sixteen, confirming how Satan can cause men to challenge the very people sent by God Almighty.

THUS, AN UNHOLY TRIAD IS INTRODUCED TO US. They depict men who still attempt to infiltrate the ranks of the saints. They attack the saints like Cain. Their love for money moves them to bring a curse upon the saints. They are not afraid to openly challenge those who are blessed by God. As long as they are advantaged, they think nothing of hurting the people of God, or seeking to embarrass them before their peers. To them, personal profit supercedes the edification of the saints. God be praised, we will only contend with them for a while.

– Given O. Blakely