Examples of Apostasy Pt. 7 "Korah's Mistake"
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Tonight, we will be taking a look at our third message out of Jude 11.
This one verse in the Bible gives us three examples of Apostasy. We went all through this book so far and we’re given example after example after example and right here in this one verse Jude 11, we are given three examples at one time.
We looked a couple weeks ago at the first part of this verse on the example of the way of cane, last week we looked at the second example we are given here on the error of Balaam, and tonight we will conclude this verse by looking at the gainsaying of Korah.
Looking back at the way of Cain - we saw that he rejected God’s way of salvation, Balaam rejected God’s will for separation, and tonight, we will see how Korah rejected God’s word through His servants.
Remember, an apostate is someone who has been taught the truth, they know the truth, but they reject the truth, and that’s something we have see in every, single example here in the book of Jude.
Look at verse 11, the Bible says
The Gainsaying of Core
The Gainsaying of Core
Jude 11 (KJV 1900)
11 Woe unto them! for they have...perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Jude gives his 3rd illustration in verse 11 that defines the apostate’s character and describes apostates conduct.
Jude’s audience would have been very familiar with all three of these Old Testament examples. They knew about the apostasy of Cain, the apostasy of Balaam, and the apostasy of Korah. Korah’s account is found in Numbers 16.
Jude accuses Korah of gainsaying...This word “gainsaying” is not really a word that is used much anymore...
(gainsaying) antilogia, an-tee-log-ee’-ah; dispute, disobedience, contradiction, gainsaying, strife. This word literally means “against the word.”
Jude tells us that Korah “perished.” The word is apollumi. It signifies utter and final ruin and destruction. It is used in this sense in John 3:16, where it is the opposite of eternal life. It signifies “to destroy completely.”
Korah was a Levite born of the tribe of Levi and was a prince in Israel. We learn from him what not to do.
You know what he did?
Korah rebelled against the appointed leadership from the Lord. He rejected God’s work through His servants.
Korah enlisted the services of Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab in his wicked rebellion along with 250 leaders of the congregation.
FACT: Apostates can always find support for their ungodly schemes. These men had influence with the people and they sought to undermine the authority of Moses and Aaron that God had placed in those positions. Korah challenged the leadership and accused Moses and Aaron of taking on the responsibility of leading on themselves.
Korah’s rebellious group said to Moses and Aaron,
Numbers 16:3 (KJV 1900)
3 ...Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?
Korah and his followers resented the authority God gave to Moses and Aaron.
In effect, he’s saying to Moses, what makes you so special that you are our leader? What gives you the right to stand on a platform above us and lead?
Now, A. B. Simpson said, “I would rather play with forked lightening or take in my hands live wires than speak a reckless word against any servant of Christ.”
When Korah said this, Moses fell on his face, knowing God’s judgment would soon come. Moses then proposed a test: each group took censers (for burning incense) and came before the Lord. The Lord Himself would choose which man He wanted to represent Him: Moses or Korah.
When they both came before God, the Lord told Moses to step away. Then,
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
After that, fire came down from heaven and burned up all of his supporters. They all perished.
Now, here’s something interesting!
Korah was a Levite, and not just any Levite - he was a descendant of Kohath, just as Moses and Aaron were, and the Kohathites were the most prominent of three Levitical families…
When the tribe of Levi was duly consecrated to full-time service for God, each family was assigned a special sphere of service in connection with the tabernacle and its furniture.
The most important and most sacred tasks were entrusted to the family of Kohath. They were to act first when the movement of the Shekinah glory cloud indicated that it was time for the camp to move on.
The Kohathites were responsible to take down the veil and cover the sacred ark with it. They transported the table of showbread, the lampstand, the golden altar, and all of the supporting implements (Num. 4:1–20).
Here’s the point, Korah had had his own God-appointed sphere of ministry, yet he was not content with it.
It wasn’t good enough for Korah...
He wanted to be elevated, he wanted to be powerful. There’s a picture here of Lucifer in Isaiah 14...
Korah wanted the ministry and the authority of Moses.
Korah needed to learn this essential lesson: we should work hard to fulfill everything God has called us to be and at the same time, we should never try to be what God has not called us to be.
God's method has always been that He has a man who He speaks through.
In our day, it is the pastor or evangelist.
That is not a deacon, Sunday school teacher or a youth leader, but it is the pastor. And he is the pastor over the whole flock.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
THE CHURCH IS TO FOLLOW THE MAN OF GOD.
7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
Korah rejected God’s authority by rejecting God’s appointed authority!
The sad thing is, as I mentioned earlier, an apostate always finds people to get with them...
Let me explain:
Numbers 16:21–34 describes what happened to Korah and the rebels who rejected God’s work through His chosen servants.
In verse 35 we learn what happened to the 250 leaders of the congregation who rebelled against God and were offering incense before the Lord. (they were consumed by fire)
Rebellion spreads through people and infects churches and Christians just as it did the people of Israel.
The next day the people of Israel rebelled.
Numbers 16:41–50 again emphasizes the cost of rebelling against God.
14,700 more Israelites died because they complained against the spiritual leadership.
What would happen today if that happened to people in the church who rebelled against and railed at the pastor.
22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, And do my prophets no harm.
God, in grace, often long delays His vengeance. It seems to move at a snail’s pace. The ungodly seem to have it all their own way. But, in the end, God settles accounts in full.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Rebellion is in the heart of us all to some degree that’s why we must come to the Lord Jesus in repentance and daily submission so that He will govern us and guide us.
Apostates will not come to Jesus as Lord and they reject the doctrines of the Bible and they reject God’s way of salvation, God’s will for separation, and God’s work through His servants.
The apostates have a rebellious attitude and they will perish like Korah did.
These three men came from quite different backgrounds: Cain was a farmer, Balaam was a prophet, and Korah was a leader in Israel.
Apostasy is never confined to one group of people. “There are apostates in the pulpit, in the palace, and in the poorhouse.”
Remember that all three of these men knew the truth, came to the truth and rebelled against the truth.
Cain - the way of Rejection (Rejected Salvation)
Balaam - the way of Compromise (Rejected Sanctification)
Korah - the way of Rebellion (Rejected Service)
Jude gives three illustrations of apostates. Cain, Balaam, and Korah serve as reminders to us of what apostates do, how apostates live, and what will ultimately happen to all apostates.
What way will we follow? The decision is ours, but we must choose wisely. Our decision will have a great impact on those whom we love.
We can choose to follow the Lord in the truth of His Word and gain His blessing.
Or we can choose to go our own way and bring upon us His judgment.
Which way are we going?