False teachers seem to abound today yet there is nothing new. We have three examples in Jude to look at.
The first example is found in verse 5;
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.
The first story is while Moses was on the mount getting the commandments from God, some started saying he was dead and wanted Aaron to make them a god to lead them. Those that headed up that rebellion and those involved were struck with a plague.
Next, in Numbers 13, we see that those who chose to not trust that God would take care of them as they entered into the Promise Land would not enter it because they chose to believe the reports of the spies that were not trusting God. Because of that, they were forced to wander in the desert just outside of the Promise Land for 40 years until those that disbelieved had died.
Again in Numbers 21:4-5, we see that the people started complaining again;
And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”
This time, we see that God caused serpents to bite them and they would die. It wasn’t until God instructed Moses to build a bronze serpent on a pole and set it up where everyone that gets bit can look to it and live.
Before we move on to the next example, one more example in Number 16. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rose up against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. They felt they could do a better job. Because of their pride, Moses instructed those that were not a part of them to move away. God will show who He has chosen. Then the ground opened up swallowed them, their families, and all of their belongings, closing back over them.
The next example that we see in Jude is the angels that rebelled against God. Jude says they are locked up in darkness. Paul in Galatians 1:8, warns that even “angels” can bring a false teaching.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
Last, example of false teaching is of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God told Abraham that He has heard an outcry because of the sin there was too grave. We know how Abraham bargains with the LORD to save the life of his nephew Lot. As a result, only Lot’s family was saved from the destruction. However, Lot’s wife didn’t heed the warning of not looking back and was turned into a pillar of salt.
What do all these examples have in common? Someone rose up against what God had said. They knew better than God. They all end up in destruction and loss of life.
Bonnie Sue Writes 