In three New Testament epistles Balaam is brought before us as a warning. Peter speaks of “the way of Balaam” (2 Peter 2:15). He is writing severely of false teachers—their evil doctrines, and their pernicious ways. The Apostle, with eyes anointed by the Holy Spirit, could see men of the Balaam type rising up amongst Christians after his departure. The whole chapter (2 Peter 2) should be carefully studied. That holy men such as the Apostles should have such “successors” is an appalling thought! Bad teaching can only produce bad living. “The way of Balaam” was the way of self-will. There was a certain course that he desired to pursue, which would yield him substantial gain if he were successful; but his soul knew nothing of humble subjection to the will of God. Let us beware! Above all things we must be careful concerning the doctrines that we hold and teach; but the truth of God must be allowed to humble us, and subdue every atom of self-will. Even a dumb ass rebuked the madness of Balaam. God forbid that we should lay ourselves open to such rebukes!
The Apostle Jude in his short epistle pronounces a threefold “woe” on the misleaders of the people. “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah” (vs. 11). Note the progression in these statements “gone,” “ran greedily after” and “perished.” The outstanding evils of Christendom are before us in this solemn passage. “The way of Cain” was (typically) the rejection of Christ and His death as the only ground of approach to God. Multitudes of persons in the religious world of our own time are following his ruinous example. “The error of Balaam” was the corruption of ministry for the sake of personal gain. Balaam has had no lack of successors throughout the centuries. Hirelings in abundance have asserted themselves, caring nothing for the glory of God, nor for the blessing of men. Their own advantage has been uppermost in their thoughts. “The gainsaying of Korah” is placed out of its historical order by the Apostle Jude, for he preceded Balaam in the history of Israel (Num. 16). But Korah's great sin is mentioned last in the passage before us because of its exceeding seriousness. Men who at the best are only ministers of God challenge the rights of Christ by pretensions to priesthood. The Lord Himself is thus affronted, and the foolish souls who submit to Korahites are kept in spiritual blindness and ignorance, and are cheated of the grace of God to their present and eternal damage. The people, alas, love to have it so. Gorgeously appareled officials, professedly doing everything for them, appeal to their superstitious folly. The more the study of the Word of God is neglected, the more readily men and women fall into priestly snares.
Many have noted points of similarity between 2 Peter 2 and the epistle of Jude, and some have suggested that one writer copied from the other. This is not correct. Each writer had his own line given to him by the Spirit of God, as everywhere else in Scripture. Peter deals particularly with the wickedness of religious leaders (abundantly proved in the pages of “Church” history); Jude has in mind their apostasy.
Pergamos was one of the seven Assemblies in Asia that were selected and addressed by the Lord Jesus in the second and third chapters of the Apocalypse. There were doubtless Assemblies in the cities named at the time the messages were given by the Lord, and each Assembly needed just the message that was sent; but these chapters are part of a prophetic book, and they come therefore within the scope of our Lord's words in Revelation 1:33Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (Revelation 1:3): “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Chapters 2 and 3 are as truly prophetic in character as the nineteen chapters which follow. The omniscient eye of the Lord discerned the path that the Church would tread from the days of the Apostles down to His corning. He beheld sunshine and shadow, faithfulness and treachery, and He laid it all out for the guidance of those who have ears to hear, and who desire to do His will.
Thus He “who has the sharp sword with two edges” said to Pergamos: “I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication” (Rev. 2:1414But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. (Revelation 2:14)). A fresh phase of the diabolical conspiracy of Balaam and Balak against Israel is here exposed. These men had zealously striven to array the forces of earth and Hell against the people of God, and their efforts had been turned to confusion by Israel's faithful Jehovah. The episode concludes in Numbers 24:2525And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way. (Numbers 24:25) thus: “Balsam rose us and went and returned to his own place; and Balak also went his way.” But before the soothsayer left his disappointed patron, he apparently made a vile suggestion to him. If Jehovah could not be turned away from His people, perhaps the people could be turned away from Jehovah! Balaam knew enough of God to be sure that if the people of Israel could be tempted into sin Jehovah's hand would come down upon them in judgment. Thus we read in Numbers 25:1-21And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. (Numbers 25:1‑2): “Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.” Balak was recommended by Balaam to bring out the women and girls of Moab, and thus cast a snare before the all too frail people of Jehovah! Moses became aware of this later, for he referred to it when reproving the people for sparing all the women after a campaign against Midian. “Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of Jehovah” (Num. 31:15-1615And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? 16Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. (Numbers 31:15‑16)). The record in Numbers 25:1-91And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. 4And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. 5And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor. 6And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 7And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 8And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. (Numbers 25:1‑9) is painfully solemn; a great lesson is here which we must not miss. As surely as Balaam sought to mingle the people of God with the ungodly in a by-gone age, the teachers of the doctrine of Balaam have labored to mingle Church and world together in our own era and they have been sadly successful. History is continually repeating itself. Satan first endeavors to destroy, then, finding this impossible he seeks to corrupt, for a pure testimony for God in the earth is abhorrent to him.
In the Apocalyptic assemblies Pergamos follows Smyrna. In Smyrna we have persecution. In the prophetic view, this refers to the second and third centuries of the earthly history of the Church when the Imperial authorities, urged on by Satan, sought to blot out the name of Christ. A change came when the Emperor Constantine made a profession of Christianity in the early years of the fourth century, and then decided to make the proscribed faith the religion of the State. We must think sympathetically of the saints of that period who, with their forefathers for at least two hundred years, had suffered cruelly for the name of Christ. What relief it must have been to them when the ruling power ceased to be hostile, and professed to be friendly! It was no longer discreditable and dangerous to be a Christian; instead, it became positively respectable, and the Bishops and clergy were welcomed at the Imperial Court. But the guile of Satan was in all this, little as the mass perceived it. There was doubtless a spiritual minority who realized the serious tendencies of the changed conditions, and who humbly sought grace from above to be true to their Lord. But the masses were blinded.
The Church was alas no longer to be distinct from the world. It was to be its agent and ally; indeed, one theologian defined the Church as “the nation in its religious aspect!” No wonder the Lord said to the Assembly in Pergamos: “I know where thou dwellest, where Satan's throne is” (Rev. 2:1313I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. (Revelation 2:13)). Satan's throne is in the world of which he has been the acknowledged prince since the true Prince was cast out (John 16:1111Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (John 16:11)). To be in the world is one thing; to dwell in it, that is, to settle down and be at home in it, is quite another. We are reminded of the stinging words of James 4:44Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4): “Adulteresses! Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
Let us remind ourselves that we belong to a heavenly order of things. The Church is an exotic in this evil world. On the evening before His death the Lord Jesus said to the Father in the hearing of His disciples: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14-1614I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:14‑16)).
To the disciples themselves He said: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:1919If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. (John 15:19)). In all His teaching the Lord sought to prepare them, not for the world's friendship and patronage, but for its hostility. One great object that He had in mind in giving Himself up to death was that He might have a people altogether for Himself; not bye and bye when earth of necessity has slipped away from us, but here and now. At great cost He purchased the treasure and the pearl; both are now His, and His exclusively (Matt. 13:44-4644Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (Matthew 13:44‑46)).
What could be plainer than the words of the apostle in Galatians 1:33Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, (Galatians 1:3)? “The Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from the present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” In conformity with this, he states his own position definitely in chapter 6:14 of the same epistle: “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” To the Hebrew Christians he wrote that Jesus in order “that He might sanctify the people with His own blood suffered without the gate” (Heb. 13:1212Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Hebrews 13:12)). He went “outside” in His exceeding grate and He wants His people “outside” with Him, confessing in all their words and ways that “here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”
The question may arise in some minds—What does Scripture mean by the world? Does it refer to the frivolities of the flesh, and to those lusts and abominations which many decent people would abhor? The scripture term means much more than this. It includes the whole order of things which Cain and his family established in independence of God as described in Genesis 4. That order has developed and expanded, with ramifications religious, social, political, commercial, scientific, and otherwise. “The world” may have different forms of manifestation in various lands, but in principle it is the same throughout, men determined to live and act in independence of God. The whole order of things here below which men love and pursue to their eternal ruin, is drastically described by the Holy Spirit in His warning to saints in 1 John 2:15-1715Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:15‑17): “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” Such language leaves no loophole whatever. Evasion is impossible. The world in all its manifestations is offensive to the Father, and it will come under severe divine judgment before long.
If the question be asked: “Has not the incoming of Christianity modified conditions amongst men? May we not now speak of a Christian world?” The opposite is the truth. The incoming of Christianity has made the whole position more serious than before. Men are not only as determined as ever to order their affairs without reference to God, but they have added to their sin and folly the rejection of His beloved Son sent in grace. The shadow of the cross is over all men's undertakings, and that terrible crime must yet be avenged. In Galatians 1:44Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:4) the writer speaks of this era as “the present evil age” (not “world”); and in 2 Corithians 4:4 he speaks of Satan as “the god of this age” (not “world”) who blinds men's eyes to prevent the Gospel of the glory of Christ shining into them. Satan was never spoken of in this way until he succeeded in banding together men of all classes to cast out of the world God manifested in flesh (Acts 4:2727For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, (Acts 4:27)). Having accomplished this, he has stepped into the place of the rejected One and is the world's god. Those who profess allegiance to the Lord Jesus, and who confess that they owe everything to His precious blood, should stand sternly apart from the world and its ways, and testify to its evil (John 7:77The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. (John 7:7)). What have the world's political parties, military enterprises, cooperative societies, unions, and combines to do with those who even now are in union with the glorified Christ in heaven as His body, who will shortly be presented to Him as His bride, and who are destined to reign with Him over all things above and below? “The doctrine of Balsam” would drag us down from our high places, and make us grovel in the dust with those whose interests are exclusively in things below. Definite separation becomes us, and the Lord's promise to those who overcome “the doctrine of Balsam” is singularly sweet and comprehensive. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Mark how individual is this appeal.) “To him that overcometh will I give of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it” (Rev. 2:1717He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17)).
The manna—God's gift to Israel in the wilderness—typifies Christ in His humiliation. An omer was to be placed in a golden pot and laid up before Jehovah in the sanctuary (Ex. 16:3333And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations. (Exodus 16:33)). This suggests that only God knows the whole truth concerning the Man Christ Jesus. A little has been told to us in the four Gospels; but John, when laying down his pen said that if all the things that Jesus did and said were written the world could not contain the books (John 21:2525And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. (John 21:25)). The promise to the overcomer in Pergamos means that He who was perfect in His separation to God will have much to tell us about His wonderful pathway when He gets us home. With what delight shall we listen to His voice!
The white stone, with its new name, private and personal to him who receives it, is the expression of the Lord's approval. Ample recompense for every one who has sought to follow His steps in separation to God, and in obedience to His will!
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The epistles to the Apocalyptic Assemblies reveal to us how very early destructive doctrines became established amongst the people of God. “The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes,” “the doctrine of Balsam,” and the vile teaching of the prophetess Jezebel! Of both moral wickedness and doctrinal evil it is written, “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:66Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (1 Corinthians 5:6); Gal. 5:99A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (Galatians 5:9)). Unwatchfulness leaves the door open for these things (Jude 44For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4).). May God in His, infinite mercy preserve both writer and reader in moral and doctrinal purity while we wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus.