Bible Passage Scripture Block

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. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

They (false teachers) are cursed since they act like Cain did (Genesis 4) and lose control of themselves for greed like Balaam (Numbers 22-24, 31) and perish in their pride like Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16). They are hidden dangers as they worship and commune with you, fearlessly serving themselves. They are nothing but waterless clouds swept by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead and uprooted. They are wild sea waves foaming up their shame and wandering stars for whom utter darkness is reserved forever.

Jude is writing a brief, but stern letter of warning “to those who are called” (vs 1) to “contend for the faith” (vs 3) and remaining obedient. He also warns about false teachers that apparently appear like great Christians since they have “crept in unnoticed” (vs 4). Jude proceeds to give several examples from the Old Testament of those that did not remain faithful (for various reasons) and were condemned as a result. It is these false teachers and generally those “following their own sinful desires” (vs 16) that Jude says Enoch was prophesying about in his statement of judgment for their “deeds of ungodliness” (vs 15).