THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #70 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #52
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3753
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #70
THE LIFE OF MOSES #52
MOSES VS. KORAH ( PART 2 )
KORAH IN THE BOOK OF JUDE
Jude 1:11, ESV: "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 listed Korah as one of 3 false teachers.
What does Jude 1:11 mean?
In this verse Jude brings three indictments against the false teachers: (1) They were following Cain's example; (2) like Balaam, they had chosen profit above integrity; and (3) like Korah, they had rebelled against God.
During Israel's wilderness journey, Korah and his followers rebelled against Moses' authority and thereby refused to accept God's authority since God had appointed Moses as Israel's leader (Numbers 16).
Korah also presumed to take upon himself a priestly role, but God had appointed only Aaron to the position of Israel's high priest.
Consequently, God destroyed those rebels.
False teachers rejected the authority of Scripture and of those whom God had appointed to teach it. Their destruction was so certain that Jude uses the past tense to describe it.
Jude 1:5–16 describes the nature, errors, and fate of false teachers plaguing the Christian church.
Jude's readers seem to have been acquainted with Israel's history. This passage references Old Testament events to help explain the apostates' sins, the danger they pose, and how the Lord will punish them.
Jude references the unbelief of Israel after the Lord delivered them from slavery in Egypt, rebellious angels, the ungodly people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the dangers of allowing such people to mingle with other believers.
Jude's brief letter describes men at their worst and God at His best.
Believers are already on the victorious side.
These persons pose a danger to themselves and to any Christians they might influence.
In response, Christians need to focus on understanding the truth of God's written Word and submitting to His will.
