2 Peter Chapter 2 Pt. 3 Three Examples Of God's Coming Judgment.

2 Peter 2:1-3  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2)  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3) And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 

The Spirit of God guided the apostle Peter to warn all generations of Christians about false teachers and heresy. 

He tells how they emerge stealthily from outside or crop up within the church, professing faith in Christ, but then secretly start to spread false teaching.

False teachers seek to have some level of control over their adherents, like a cult leader. Or, they seek to deceive believers, so that they can enrich themselves at their expense. 

People like Jimmy Baker, Robert Tilton, or Joel Osteen, are examples of men who live a lavish lifestyle, by promoting false teaching. They are making merchandise of their followers.

At this point, Peter speaks of swift and certain judgment that awaits those who lead God's sheep astray into spiritual error.

Fallen angels were punished for their sin against God. 

2 Peter 2:4  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Here we learn an astounding truth, that there were some angels in heaven who sinned. 

As a result of their rebellion against God, He cast them into Hell, and incarcerated them in eternal darkness, until the day of final judgment.  

The message for us is simple. God will hold them to account for their sins. Those of us who are born again will also give an account as to how we used our time, energy and resources. 

Did we consume time for ourselves, or did we seek to advance the kingdom of God?

Jude 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Jude also wrote of them as well. These angels kept not their first estate. One thing is certain. The angels who fell must have been in a state of probation, capable of either standing or falling, as Adam was in paradise. 

Whatever parameters God gave for them to observe, they did not remain faithful, though, like Adam, they knew the consequences of disobedience.   

The idea of leaving their first estate is comparable to the rebellion of Lucifer, who attempted to "be like the most High" and was ejected from heaven (See Isaiah 14:12-18).

The fallen angels attempted to displace other angels from the places of responsibility that God gave them. 

Peter tells us about this incident, because God did not withhold His judgment upon the angels that sinned. 

He cast them down to Hell, which is a very strong verb and there they will stay until final judgment day arrives.

The world of Noah's time was punished for rampant sin. 

2 Peter 2:5  And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;  

All people except Noah and his family, were ungodly and their evil imaginations led them into moral depravity. They also were punished for their sin. God did not spare both man and beast that fell into depravity and degradation.

The whole sordid account of a corrupt society, can be read in Genesis 6:1 through Genesis 8:22. 

Jesus said His return in judgment would be similar to the days of Noah. In that ancient time, sinners kept on eating and drinking. 

They married and engaged in depraved actions. They were blissfully unaware that their demise was coming (See MAtthew 24:36-39).

Job 22:15-17  Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16)  Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 17)  Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? 

Many may not know that the patriarch Job, spoke about the wickedness of those living when Noah lived. 

They were cut down in the prime of their lives, by judgment from God, in the form of a universal flood. 

Job noted their rebellion against God. They dismissed God from their lives by saying "Depart from us." They had no fear or respect for the LORD , and mocked Him saying "What can the Almighty do to us?"

Genesis 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 

The Genesis account tells us that man's wickedness was deeply ingrained and all their thoughts were corrupted by evil. 

Thus, all people except Noah and his family, were judged for their sins.

The Sodomites of Sodom and Gomorrah were punished for their sin.

2 Peter 2:6-8  And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7)  And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8)  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 

Only Lot and his two daughters survived this judgment. The angels of God led them to safety, before they unleashed fire and brimstone from heaven. 

Genesis 19:23-28  The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24)  Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25)  And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26)  But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27)  And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28)  And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 

God judged Sodom and Gomorrah for sexual perversion. 

Archaeologists excavating at the widely accepted sites for both these wicked cities, have found thick, solidified ash deposits, ranging from 3 to 6 feet thick. 

This evidence bears witness to the fiery conflagration of those places due to their sinful ways. 

Lot was Abraham's nephew and he compromised his testimony for God, by living in such a sinful city as Sodom. 

He troubled his soul by choosing to live in the midst of such a wicked, perverse people. Yet, He was a believer of Jehovah, and the Lord did spare his life from that terrible judgment. 

Romans 1:24-27  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25)  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26)  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27)  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 

Sinners like those of Sodom degraded their bodies with sexual perversion. They lusted after vile affections. 

Both men and women lusted after same sex relationships, and God judged them for it. He gave them up to reprobate minds.

The family unit was established by God and marriage is between one man and one woman in a lifetime commitment.  

Will God save someone who has committed such sins as these? His Word says that He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should repent and turn to Jesus for salvation. Those who repent and call out to the Lord for salvation, shall be saved.

However, when God gives us spiritual life, we are not permitted to live the same old sinful life that we lived before knowing Christ as Savior. Jesus spoke to a woman caught in the act of adultery, and we must heed His command to her. 

All sinners are reminded to "Go and sin no more" by our Lord, after He has regenerated our heart (See John 8:11).

Jehovah will always deliver His sheep from coming judgment.

2 Peter 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 

The Spirit of God guided Peter to put forth 3 different examples of God's wrath against mankind's sins. 

His point is that God has proven that He can deliver the godly out of wicked circumstances, even as He judges the wicked.

The preservation and deliverance of Lot led Peter to show that God knows how to save as well as to destroy. His goodness led Him to save righteous Lot, just as his justice led Him to destroy the rebellious.

Though God would destroy those false teachers, yet He would powerfully save His faithful servants from their destruction.

God will judge those who rebel against His societal institutions. 

2 Peter 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 

God will punish them that walk after the flesh by addicting themselves to sexual perversion, and who seek to satisfy the lust of their flesh.  

Those who despise government and the authority of  civil magistrates, are acting in rebellion against God. 

He sets authorities over us to enforce the law and to keep society generally safe (See Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; Titus 3:1-2).

Such troublemakers blaspheme civil government, they abhor the restraints of the law, and would wish all governments destroyed, so that they might live according to their lust.

Jude 1:8-9  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9)  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 

Jude also used similar terms of sweeping condemnation as Peter did, of those who live for the depravity and corruption that is in the world. 

Peter also gave an example of Michael the archangel, when he contended with the Devil for the body of Moses. 

Michael was involved in spiritual warfare as recorded by the prophet Daniel (See Daniel 10:13; 21; 12:1). 

Seems to describe our society doesn't it? Many are lawless and disobedient, spurning all human authority, and speaking contemptuously of all legal and civil institutions. 

In general, they despise governments, and wish to be under no control, so that they make chaos against the orderliness of society that God ordained for our good.

The holy angels, who brought an account of the actions of the fallen angels before the Lord in judgment, simply stated the facts without exaggeration. 

They did not permit any bitter, reviling, or railing spirit, to taint their accusations. 

Psalm 103:20  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 

The angels are ready to do God's commands, ready to hear and obey His voice. 

They are not always seen in this world, but the Bible contains many accounts of their activity. 

One day, Jesus shall return in flaming fire to take vengeance upon those who do not obey the gospel of Christ. All the angels of heaven will accompany Him. 

Matthew 8:28-32  And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 29)   And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30)  And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31)  So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32)  And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.  

Here is the first time recorded in Matthew's gospel that Jesus cast out demons. This is very typical of how demons reacted in the presence of Jesus.

They cried out with great fear, believing that Jesus had come to cast them into everlasting darkness. 

This group of devils asked Jesus to give them permission to indwell a herd of swine. Christ assented and they immediately infested the swine, and the whole herd ran madly off a cliff and perished in the waters below. 

Demons seek to destroy people's lives. They try to destroy our homes and families. Yet, they instantly obeyed the Lord Jesus when He encountered them. 

All three of these accounts teach us that God will judge sinners for their sins. 

Yet, as long as God permits the preaching of the gospel, sinners can repent and be born again, into the family of God.

My hope and prayer is that the Word of God will change many lives, as it goes forth in this blog.

I trust the Lord to do work in our hearts as we read and meditate upon His Word. 

Isaiah 55:8-11  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9)  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10)  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11)  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our heart be pleasing and honoring to God.

Bob