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.
THE STUDY:
This verse
has so much packed into it, we will need to break it down and look at it over a
few days. This morning we want to look at the beginning sentence, “Woe to them!” In the Synoptic Gospels
Jesus’ frequent cries of Woe (e.g.,
Matt 11:21; 18:7; 23:13; Mark 14:21; Luke 6:24–26; 11:42) announce the coming
doom of certain people. As in Isa 3:11, Woe
was used especially by the prophets in the OT to announce the pain and distress
people would experience as a result of God’s judgment on them. Similarly, Jude
pronounces Woe upon the intruders,
anticipating the divine destruction awaiting them.
In quick
succession, Jude recalls three OT examples of individuals who disobeyed God and
were severely punished: Cain, Balaam,
and Korah. Jewish tradition
attributes more sins to Cain, Balaam, and Korah than does the OT. In Jewish
tradition, all three men became representative leaders in wickedness with
followers in their degenerate ways.[1]
We will start to look at these three examples individually.
Jude
pronounces woes upon his godless contemporaries and tells them that they are
heading for destruction. At the same time his words are a warning to his
readers not to permit these godless men to lead them astray.[2]
WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY
WITH ….
- We walk away this morning with the understanding that a warning can have an effect on three groups: the person/people it is warning, the person/people who is doing the warning, and the person/people who heard or seen the warning given.
CONCLUSION:
I have preached many times on sin
and the warnings God has given to us through His word. I have watched the Holy
Spirit come upon people and change their lives for the better through those
warnings. As a minister, there is no greater joy than to be a part of this. But
I have to admit, too many times, people don’t heed to the warnings from God!
They have the “Pitch Fork” Syndrome!
What is the “Pitch Fork” Syndrome? This
is a condition that is found mainly in believers who, while sitting in a church
service, will take the warning and/or message of God that is meant for them and
pitch it over to someone else in the congregation. They will say things like, “Mrs.
Jones needed to hear that” or “That was for my Sunday school teacher who is living
in sin.” (What
they believe is to be sin!)
Church, let His word reveal what needs
to be done in your heart first before you go and cast “Woes” on others. Jesus
addressed this very thing, “Why do you
see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is
in your own eye? 4 Or how can you
say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the
log in your own eye? 5 You
hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matt. 7:3-5)
Let us remember, the bible is to be
used as a mirror, not a weapon.
Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod
[1]
Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2
Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible
Commentary (279). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.
[2]
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 16: New Testament
commentary : Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude.
New Testament Commentary (389). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
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