Capturing Monkeys

A tribe in India captures monkeys by putting peanuts in a can, sealing the lid, putting a small hole large enough for a monkey’s hand to go in, and securing the can to a tree. Monkeys smell the peanuts, put their hands in, and grab a handful of peanuts. Then they can’t take their hands out. If they let go of the peanuts, they can escape. But their instinct wouldn’t let them let go of the peanuts, and they get captured.

Hunters use similar tactics to capture various animals. When I watch those shows, I want to caution those animals: “That’s a trap; don’t get caught.” But, of course, they can’t hear me, and even if they do, they won’t understand me or avoid the trap.

Peter described the false teachers in despicable ways.

“Like those speechless animals that are born to be captured and destroyed naturally, these people are ignorant in the things that they speak-ill-of, destroying in their destruction, 13 harming themselves in their unrighteousness, living in hedonism and luxury in the days, carousing in stains and blemishes, sumptuously feasting in deceit while they are with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and unceasing sin, enticing unstable souls, having greediness – cursed children – 15 forsaking the good path, they wander off.” (2 Pet 2:12–15a)

He began by equating the false teachers who speak ill of others with speechless animals. Just like those animals were easily captured and destroyed (skinned or killed), the false teachers, too, were heading to their destruction by their actions. Some of their actions stemmed from their crazy and luxurious lifestyle. Their licentious living drove them to forsake the good path, which in turn, led them to wander off from the truth of the gospel.

Sadly, they didn’t know they were wandering off. In that, they resembled others in the past who wandered off, not knowing they were wandering off!

“They were following the path of Balaam (son) of Bosor, who loved an unrighteous reward.” (2 Pet 2:15b)

Numbers 22–24 described the story of Balaam. When Balak, the king of Moab, saw a multitude of Israelites entering his country on their way to the Promised Land, he called on Balaam to come and put a curse on the Israelites so that he could defeat them and drive them out of his land. Balaam was an Israelite, but he conspired with Balak to prophesy against the Israelites. God wouldn’t allow him to curse the Israelites – every time he opened his mouth to curse the Israelites, he blessed them.

The false teachers thought they would influence God’s people to live in sin and immorality through their wealth, luxury, and licentious living. But they would soon find they were in danger of getting entrapped in their own lifestyles and facing destruction while God protected his people from harm and those false teachers, just like he protected the Israelites from Balaam’s “curses.”

In Balaam’s story, the wisest was the speechless donkey that spoke!

“He received a rebuked for his lawlessness by a load-bearing voiceless donkey that spoke in a human voice, stopping the prophet from doing unlawfulness.” (2 Pet 2:16)

A voiceless or speechless animal, including a donkey, was smarter than false teachers who tried to tempt God’s people to unlawfulness and licentious living. Unlike the donkey, they didn’t realize the destruction they were bringing upon themselves.

None of us plan to become false teachers. False teachings or lifestyles come gradually like a camel in an Arab’s tent. That’s why we must be on guard all the time!