1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: 2May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
3Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe. 6Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, having in the same way as these given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are shown as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. 8Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings. 9But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” 10But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. They are destroyed in these things that they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason. 11Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. 14About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.
17But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18They said to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.” 19These are those who cause divisions and are sensual, not having the Spirit.
20But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22On some have compassion, making a distinction, 23and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
24Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, 25to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
The story of Balaam in the Book of Numbers (chs. 22-24) is breathtaking. Who was this individual and what are we to make of his unusual account in Torah?
Here are some particulars:
- Numbers 22-24 describe the only narrative in Torah (excluding Genesis, of course) in which Moses is neither a participant nor even an observer.
- Names are so very important in narratives in Hebrew Scripture, Balaam’s name is one of a handful that does not have a positive meaning; “Balaam” (בִּלְעָם bil‘am) means “devourer of the people.” It is likely that his original name meant “The divine uncle brought forth” (W.F. Albright).
- Balaam is also one of a few Bible characters whose name is found in texts outside of the Bible; An inscription dated 880-770 b.c was discovered in 1967 at Deir ‘Alla, Jordan, that is attributed to “Balaam, son of Beor”—showing that he still had followers many hundreds of years following his death. Balaam was the true counter to Moses; God used this famous pagan to attest to His wonder and to validate Moses.
- One wonders if Balaam is a good prophet who went bad, or a bad prophet who went good. His seven oracles, each beginning with the words, “And he took up his oracle and said, . . .” (Num 23, 24), present some of the most beautiful poetry in praise of Yahweh and Israel in all of Torah; yet actually he did all he could to destroy Israel (Num 25; 31:16); observe his evaluation in the New Testament (2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14).
- In point of fact, Balaam should not be thought of in these terms. He was not a true prophet nor a false prophet in Israel; Balaam was a pagan mantic, completely outside the concepts of prophets in Israel. He was a baru prophet who used the liver of a newly slaughtered sheep to discover the will of the gods. Liver divination (hepatoscopy) was a practice of some diviners in the ancient Near East.
- Balaam was a pagan mantic whom Yahweh used to present His blessings on Israel. Balak the King of Moab hired this famous person to bring a curse on Israel. In a riveting account, this poser was given God’s words of blessing, to the chagrin of Balak and to his own shame. At one point he even expresses a bit of regret, “Oh that my latter end might be his” (Num 23:10).
- Thus the story of Balaam presents the height of divine inspiration. When one speaks truly for God, we would expect he speaks from deep, personal faith. But God can cause even an enemy to give voice to His praise!
See Ronald B. Allen, “The Theology of the Balaam Oracles,” in John S. and Paul D. Feinberg, Tradition and Testament: Essays in Honor of Charles Lee Feinberg (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), 79-119.
Dr. Ronald Allen is Senior Professor of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Allen wrote his massive study on Numbers 22-24 on the Balaam Oracles under Dr. Bruce Waltke at Dallas Seminary.