II Peter 2:4-11
Introduction
There are some comments in the previous file (on verse 3 at the very end of the file) that pertain to these verses of scripture.
In this section, Peter gives three indisputable proofs that God will indeed judge false teachers even though it looks like they are escaping His punishment:
(1) of the angels that sinned, Verse 4,
(2) the antediluvian world, Verse 5, and
(3) the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Verse 6.
In verse 7,8, and 9, Peter proves that God can deliver His children, even though they are disobedient (false teachers).
In verse 10, he gives the difference between saved Lot, who was a false teacher; and lost people, who are also false teachers.
Similarities and Differences in the Judgment Shown in Verse 4-6
1. All of these individuals wind up in hell, a place of eternal destruction.
2. There is a variance in warning given.
a. Verse 4 - The angels don't appear to have been warned at all.
b. Verse 5 - A man with an excellent reputation, Noah preached for 120 years to these unbelievers.
c. Verse 6 - A man with a bad reputation, Lot warned some of these inhabitants one time, and only one time.
THE FIRST PROOF THAT GOD WILL JUDGE FALSE TEACHERS
Verse 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;
I. For if God spared not the angels that sinned.
A. This scripture states emphatically that God will judge all who rebel, regardless of their past purity, station in life, or authority.
B. All of God's created beings do not sin.
1. Rev. 4:9 - The "beasts" are really "living creatures" for they are nothing like the beasts of Rev. 13:1 which is a "wild, untamed one".
a. The "living creature" represents Jesus Christ.
b. The lion represents Christ the king as shown in Matthew.
c. The calf or ox represents Christ the servant as shown in Mark.
d. The face of a man represents Christ as the God-man as shown in Luke.
e. The flying eagle represents Christ as the divine savior as shown in John.
f. The very nature of this beast makes it impossible to sin.
2. Some of the angels created by God did sin.
a. Jude 6 speaks of angels who left their first estate (an estate of sinlessness).
b. Rev. 12 speaks of Satan's rebellion in heaven where a third of the angels followed him. Rev. 12:7 speaks of an angelic conflict in heaven.
c. There is no evidence as to when this conflict took place, except that it took place before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.
d. I do not see any need to think that this fall took place after Genesis 1:1 and that these fallen angels wrecked God's creation causing Him to "recreate" it.
II. But cast them down to hell.
A. They were not left on the earth.
1. Rev. 12:4 records that a third of the stars of heaven (I believe this is angels) are cast down to the earth.
2. Rev. 12:7,8 records a battle that takes place in heaven between Michael and his angels and the dragon (Satan) and his angels. Verse 8 states that their place is not found in heaven any more.
B. The word for hell is "Tartarus".
1. This is the only time it is found in the New Testament.
2. The Old Testament uses the word "Gehenna" to refer to this place.
III. Delivered them into chains of darkness.
A. Evidently these chains are not chains of iron or steel.
1. Chains of iron or steel are physical and cannot bind spiritual beings.
2. Spiritual beings must be bound with spiritual things.
B. These are chains of darkness.
1. The spiritual darkness of the angels bind them into continual darkness.
2. It does seem that these angels are kept in a special place which is filled with the darkness contained within them.
IV. To be reserved unto judgment.
A. They were not judged immediately upon being cast into hell.
1. People are not judged immediately after death, although that is the next event after death.
2. II Tim. 4:1, The saved are judged at the coming of the Lord, and the lost are judged at the kingdom of the Lord.
B. The time of their judgment is not stated in the Bible.
1. Rev. 20:10 states that when the Devil is cast into the lake of Fire and Brimstone, the beast and false prophet are there.
2. There is no mention that there are any fallen angels in the Lake of Fire at that time.
3. I conclude, therefore, that the judgment of the fallen angels takes place after the Great White Throne Judgment and after the lost are cast into the lake of Fire, but before the destruction of this heaven and earth.
THE SECOND PROOF THAT GOD WILL JUDGE FALSE TEACHERS
Verse 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;
I. The reason God destroyed the antediluvian world.
A. Genesis 6:1,2 - Saved people were marrying lost people.
B. For a complete discussion of the conditions during that day, see my notes on Genesis chapter 6.
II. The destruction of the wicked.
A. The old world is referring to the world before the flood.
B. God will destroy the wicked, regardless of how many there are.
1. It would seem that a destruction of this magnitude would certainly wake up the wicked.
2. But instead of them realizing their wickedness and repenting and believing, they blame God for some "injustice", and die in their sins.
C. God destroyed the old world with a flood of water.
1. God, through the preaching of Noah, gave the people 120 years warning.
2. Compare II Peter 3:9,10 and Genesis 9:8-19 - God has given the generation after the flood about 4,000 years warning that He will destroy the world the second time with fire.
3. II Peter 3:3-7 - The antediluvian people didn't believe Noah, and people today don't believe preachers of righteousness concerning the destruction during the flood, or the fiery destruction to come.
III. The saving of the righteous.
A. God will save the righteous, regardless of how few there are.
B. Noah.
1. He was the eighth person.
a. Noah was the 10th generation from Adam, so "the eighth" wouldn't mean the eighth generation.
b. This may mean that Noah was the eighth person to get on the ark.
c. The other seven were his wife and three sons and their wives.
2. A good thought is that regardless of how many wicked there are, they will all be destroyed, and regardless of how few righteous there are, they will be spared.
3. He was a preacher of righteousness.
a. Hebrews 11:7 - Noah preached by his actions in building the ark.
b. I Peter 3:19,20 - There is no doubt in my mind that Noah also preached when he explained to the inhabitants of that day why he was building the ark.
4. Genesis 6:8 - Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
a. A lot of people believe Noah was a better person than the rest of the antediluvian people.
b. The word grace means unmerited favor, therefore, Noah was no different from anybody else.
c. Noah didn't deserve to be saved anymore than we deserve to be saved.
THE THIRD PROOF THAT GOD WILL JUDGE FALSE TEACHERS
Verse 6, 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;
I. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
A. Peter declares that he believes God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah by fire.
1. There were probably people in Lot's day that thought up "scientific" explanations as to what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah.
2. All believers know that God destroyed the wicked cities with fire and brimstone from heaven.
B. The overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah showed God condemned them.
1. It is interesting to note that what God is against, He acts against.
2. Those things that we know are wicked, we must act against, not just talk against.
II. God made an example of Sodom and Gomorrah.
A. An example to the people in that day.
1. God destroyed five cities in the plain on that day.
2. There is no record that any wicked person paid any attention to God's warning.
3. Genesis 19:30 - Lot was afraid to dwell in Zoar because:
a. He was needlessly afraid God would also destroy that city,
b. Or because he was afraid of the inhabitants of Zoar.
B. An example to the people of this day.
1. The only people that believe God still judges wickedness are God's people.
2. "Modern" people conjure many explanations of that long ago destruction, thus satisfying their own minds that God didn't do it. They willingly fool themselves into eternal destruction.
GOD DELIVERS THE SAVED WHO ARE FALSE TEACHERS
Verse 7-9, 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;) {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:
I. And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.
A. The word "just".
1. This word does not mean "only".
2. It is the Greek word "dikaios" which means "just or righteous".
3. This same Greek word is translated righteous two times in verse 8.
B. The word "vexed" is the Greek word "kataponeomai" which means "worn down".
C. Filthy conversation.
1. Filthy means lascivious; lewd, lustful, sensual, carnal, sensual, fleshly.
2. Conversation means way of life, not necessarily speech.
D. This teaches us that Lot wore down his righteous soul by continually being around the filth of this world.
1. We must understand that we can do exactly the same thing as Lot.
2. There are many saved people who play around with the wickedness of this world, thinking it won't affect them.
3. They are completely without understanding as to the nature of sin.
4. A person never forgets the wickedness they get involved in, and it affects them for the rest of their lives.
II. (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
A. It is necessary for saved people to live among lost people.
1. John 15:19, Jesus said that we were chosen "out of the world".
2. John 17:15, Jesus didn't pray that we be taken out of the world, but that we might be kept from the evil of the world.
3. I Cor. 5:10, Paul instructed this church not to keep company in the church (take the Lord's Supper) with evil people, but they had to keep company with them in the world or else go out of the world.
4. God's influence on us should be greater than the influence of the world.
B. Seeing and hearing is how Satan can destroy our lives.
1. It is appropriate here to speak about the wicked influence of music, dirty jokes, television, etc.
2. Most "Christians" don't really believe it, but all these things have a detrimental influence on our attitude toward holy things.
3. Many "Christians" try to "straddle the fence" between worldliness and Christianity.
4. They are sincere in their belief that they can do both, but Jesus says we cannot serve God and mammon.
C. Lot wore down his "awareness of holiness" by daily being in contact with and accepting wicked things.
1. This wearing down came so slowly that he didn't realize it was happening.
2. This can also happen to us.
3. Many saved people give testimony to how their great sinfulness came upon them very slowly, so slowly they didn't perceive it themselves.
4. For a fuller discussion of how Lot slowly crept into wickedness, see the article entitled "Remember Lot's Wife", and my notes on Genesis 13 and 19.
III. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
A. The three previous examples shows that God is not only able to deliver the righteous, He is also able to punish the unjust.
1. Verse 4 - If God reserved rebellious angels to judgment and punishment, He did not reserve faithful angels to judgment and punishment.
2. Verse 5, When God spared not the old world, He also saved Noah and his family.
3. Verse 6-8, God judged and punished Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness. There is no doubt in my mind that God gave Lot a way out of temptation (I Cor. 10:13), but he failed to use that way. Therefore, God delivered him from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, leaving him to the natural results of his wicked life.
B. God knows how to deliver us from temptations.
1. Note the great detail that God knows about our lives.
2. He knows our frame completely - when we will lust after the forbidden, what we will lust after, why we will lust after it, and where it will take place.
3. This knowledge allows Him to make a way out of the temptation.
a. John 17:15 - Jesus prayed that we be kept from the wickedness of this world.
b. I Cor. 10:13 - God will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but will with the temptation make a way to escape that we may be able to bear it.
4. Any time we fall into sin it is because we haven't take the way of escape provided for us.
5. This is what happened to Lot.
a. God provided a way to escape for him, but he failed to take it.
b. Lot and his family paid the awful consequences of sin.
c. The sad thing is that this wasted life was totally unnecessary.
d. We can also waste our lives, but that is also totally unnecessary.
C. God knows how to reserve the wicked for the day of judgment.
1. Using our "natural" knowledge, we might think it wouldn't take any special, spiritual knowledge to reserve the wicked for the day of judgment.
2. We would "knock them in the head" at the first provocation, but God doesn't do that.
3. Gen. 15:16, God told Abraham it would be a while (430 years) before Israel would inhabit Canaan because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full.
a. God allows wickedness to continue, not to His limit, but to the limit of wicked people.
b. He then judges and punishes them, and they have nothing to say against Him.
c. They know God has given them "enough rope to hang themselves", therefore, they are silent in the day of judgment.
4. When God judges and punishes wickedness, both the righteous and the wicked say "Amen".
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAVED AND LOST FALSE TEACHERS
Verse 10,11 - But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. {11} Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
I. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government.
A. Chiefly means especially, or most of all. The chapter is speaking about the kind of people found in verses 10-22.
1. Verse 10 is referring to verse 9, especially to the latter part of the verse.
2. God's judgment is especially reserved for those who willingly serve their own egotistical interests.
3. God will judge anybody who disobeys His commandments, but He also understands there are people who do not willingly serve their own interests. God deals with those people differently.
B. Walk in the flesh.
1. Gal. 5:19-21 - The works of the flesh are listed here.
2. Their way of living is following their own desires, never thinking of God's purpose in their lives.
C. Lust of uncleanness.
1. This lust is not necessarily sexual lust.
2. It is a lust that satisfies the flesh with no regard as to God's will.
D. Despise government.
1. Romans 12:2 - God has all authority, which he has revealed by establishing governments.
a. Those that hate government, hate authority and any God given authority.
b. They hate any kind of authority over them, regardless of what kind it is.
c. Matt. 22:21 - Jesus commanded to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.
d. We are commanded to be under obedience to government whether it is a good government or not.
2. The clamoring for personal freedom in this world may not be good in the long run.
a. There is nothing wrong with having freedom to make personal decisions, this is a God given right.
b. But when this freedom excludes God, it is wrong.
c. The majority of people in this world want freedom from God's commandments, so they can do what they want to do.
d. The end result of all this freedom will be total bondage to the Anti-Christ.
II. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
A. Presumptuous means bold or daring.
1. These people believe what they think is more important than anything and they readily speak their mind.
2. We are living in a time when it is popular to be "aggressive".
3. There are many books and seminars on how to be more aggressive, how to get what you want out of life.
4. God will judge these presumptuous people, even though they believe what they have to say is as important as what God says in His Bible.
B. Self-willed means to please ones self.
1. In today's world, it is considered good to please ones self. This is the "ME" generation.
a. People chose the career they want to follow, not praying for God's will in that matter.
b. People let their job take them to another place if they is best for their career. They fail to pray that God's will be done in their lives.
c. When things in their lives start crumbling, they wonder why God is doing these bad things to them!
It is much more important to please God than ourselves.
These self-willed people are not willing to allow God to use them, they do not want to be dedicated to Him, nor to His service. They consider their time to valuable to be used going to church services, or studying their Bibles, or praying. They are sufficient, therefore need nothing, but they don’t understand how depraved they are, and how much they need Almighty God’s blessings upon them, and how much they need Almighty God Himself.
C. Not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
1. Dignities means people of great glory, esteem, or reputation.
2. Romans 3:18 states that there is no fear of God before their eyes, therefore, there is no fear of any man.
3. They not only speak evil of government officials, but they also mock God's prophets.
4. Having no fear indicates they don't have any idea of the power of the person or persons they are fighting against.
5. III John 9 - Diotrephes (whose name means "Son of Zeus") was not afraid of casting people out of the church because he loveth to have the preeminence.
6. I had a man tell me once that if I played along with him, he would take care of me financially, as long as I didn't go overboard! He bought the church a $1,000 lawn mower to prove his point.
III. Verse 11, Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
A. Angels are greater in power and might than humans.
1. Hebrews 2:7, "Thou madest him a little lower than the angels..."
2. Heb. 2:16, "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham."
3. These scriptures indicate that the order of power is as follows:
a. God (The Father, Son and Holy Ghost).
b. Angels.
c. Humans.
B. This scripture indicates once again that these wicked people are anxious to bring all kinds of accusations against God and His followers.
C. Our actions should be like Michael the archangel. (Be sure and compare Jude verse 8 and 9.)
1. Don't rail back at those who rail against us.
a. All it'll be is a shouting, angry, session.)
b. If the angels don't bring a railing accusation against evil doers, we certainly don't have the right either.
2. Zech 3:1-3.
a. I don't believe this passage is referring to Jude Verse 9, even though many commentaries believe it does. (Joshua is not Moses).
b. As Satan resisted Joshua, so Satan always resists those who try to do something for God. Especially those leaders God has chosen.
3. Isaiah 53:7 - Christ didn't speak against His accusers. (We should be like Christ.)
4. I Peter 2:19-24 - We should take wrong patiently.
a. Verse 20 - Patiently suffering wrong doing toward us is acceptable with God.
b. II Cor. 11:23-33 - Paul underwent many evil things patiently, yet never railed upon those that mistreated him.
c. Our fathers in the faith (during the dark ages especially) didn't accuse those who mistreated them, even unto death. They patiently endured what was put upon them.
5. Rev. 12:10 - The accuser of our brethren is cast down. (Satan is behind all rebellion against God's people.)
6. Heb. 12:1-3 - We need to follow the example of Christ.
a. Verse 1 - Let us run with patience (James 1:3 - patience comes by tribulation) the race that is set before us.
b. Verse 2 - Looking unto Jesus, not evil circumstances around us.
c. Verse 2 - Endured the cross.
d. Verse 2 - Despising the shame.
e. Verse 2 - Because of the joy when that present suffering was over.
7. Jude 9 - We ought to say "The Lord rebuke thee."
a. Our strongest rebuke.
b. We think a good "poke in the nose" would be more effective. (This is in our nature and satisfies the desires of the flesh.)
c. Rom. 12:19-21 - Verse 19 - Vengeance belongs to the Lord (a quote from Deut. 32:35) Verse 20 - Don't give food and drink to enemies in order to heap coals of fire on their head, but in order to win them to the Lord. (Matt. 5:43-48) (We do want our attitude to be right.)