The error of Balaam is the greed-driven sin of leading God's people into compromising their separation from Him, so that judgment falls.
Balaam, a false prophet, could not curse Israel because God would not let him. So he used Moabite women to seduce Israelite men, causing Israel to lose their separated character and bringing God's judgment. Jude 1:11 uses this as a warning about false teachers who run greedily after the same reward.
Jude 1:11 — This is the verse that uses the exact phrase 'error of Balaam' and connects it to running greedily for reward.
Numbers 25:1 — This records the historical sin into which Balaam's counsel led Israel.
The Bible uses three expressions for Balaam's influence: "the error of Balaam" (Jude 1:11), "the way of Balaam" (2 Peter 2:15), and "the doctrine of Balaam" (Revelation 2:14). Jude associates the error with a greedy pursuit of reward: "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward." Second Peter says Balaam "loved the wages of unrighteousness." Revelation 2:14 describes the content of his doctrine: Balaam "taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication." Behind these New Testament warnings is the account in Numbers 25. Israel "began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab" and "called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods" (Numbers 25:1-2). The apostle Paul later reminds believers not to "commit fornication, as some of them committed" and notes that "one day three and twenty thousand" fell (1 Corinthians 10:8).
Les explains that Balaam was a false prophet motivated by money. Balak the king of Moab brought him to curse Israel because he knew he could not defeat them militarily. But God would not let Balaam curse Israel. So Balaam gave a satanically inspired suggestion: "Put your prettiest girls out there where those Jewish young men can be seduced by them." It worked, and Israel lost their separated character. God's judgment fell, and 23,000 Jews had to be put to death. Les then applies this to false teachers. He says they "ran greedily after the error of Balaam" and are like Balaam—after money. Just as Cain rationalized his own offering, these teachers rationalize from the human side. Jude's instruction, Les notes, is that believers are to "earnestly contend for the faith."
Jude 1:11 is the only place where the exact phrase appears: "ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward." The same event is called "the way of Balaam" in 2 Peter 2:15 and "the doctrine of Balaam" in Revelation 2:14. All three refer to Balaam's harmful influence on Israel, which was to lead them into idolatry and fornication.
Les teaches that Balak knew he could not defeat Israel militarily, and God would not let Balaam curse them. So Balaam used Moabite women to seduce the Israelite men. This caused Israel to lose their separated character, and God's judgment fell. The Bible records in Numbers 25 that Israel "began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab."
Les says false teachers are similar to Balaam because they are after money. They rationalize their actions just as Cain rationalized his own offering. Jude warns that believers must "earnestly contend for the faith" because this kind of teaching is a threat. The error is not merely bad doctrine; it leads God's people into compromise and brings divine judgment.
Jude's Call to Contend for the Faith
Les points out that Jude wrote to urge believers to earnestly contend for the one true faith because of the same kind of satanic opposition Paul confronted.
Balaam's Seduction Scheme
Les describes Balaam as a false prophet who, unable to curse Israel, told Balak to use Moabite women to seduce Jewish men; Israel lost their separation and God's judgment fell, with 23,000 Jews killed.
False Teachers Run Greedily After Balaam's Error
Les applies Jude 1:11 to modern false teachers: they run greedily after the same reward that motivated Balaam and rationalize just as Cain did.
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Jude 1:11: "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 Core."
This is the key verse that uses the exact phrase 'error of Balaam' and connects it with greedy pursuit of reward.
2 Peter 2:15: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
This verse calls Balaam's influence 'the way of Balaam' and says he loved unrighteous wages.
Revelation 2:14: But 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.
This verse reveals the actual doctrine Balaam taught: leading Israel into idolatry and fornication.
Numbers 25:1: And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
This is the historical event behind Balaam's error, when Israel fell into sin with Moabite women.
1 Corinthians 10:8: Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
This New Testament passage records that 23,000 fell in one day because of Israel's fornication.
The error of Balaam was leading Israel into sin so they would lose their separated position with God and come under His judgment. Balaam did this for reward, and the same error is attributed to false teachers who run greedily after money.
No. God would not let Balaam curse Israel. Instead, Balaam told the Moabites to use their women to seduce the Israelite men, and Israel lost their separation, triggering God's judgment.
Les Feldick states that 23,000 Jews had to be put to death because they lost their separated character. This aligns with 1 Corinthians 10:8, which says 23,000 fell in one day.
Watch the Teaching: The Way of Balaam — The Bible's Warning About False Teachers