2nd Peter 2:4-10 DESTRUCTION AND DELIVERANCE The false teachers of whom Peter was warning the Lord's people were described by their teaching and their character. They denied redemption by the blood of Christ alone. They denied the fact that Christ is Lord. They twisted the word of God to suit their own teaching. In their character traits they were subtle, sarcastic about holy things and ridiculed those who represented the authority of God (dignitaries). They were covetous, looking for money and prestige. They could speak well and could please the people with their speeches. They were deceitful, lustful, seductive and promoted carnality. They mocked the creatorial work of God and denied the coming of the Lord. These people were a danger to the work of the Lord at the beginning of the church age, and the same kind of people are at work now. In the name of "christianity" they are doing the same today, and with the same results as those false teachers did in the past.
Peter gives three examples in the Old Testament of those who were destroyed because of their rejection of God's truth, and deliberate rejection of warnings given. The first are angels who fell because of the influence of Satan. Apparently, angels have a will of their own to choose to obey or disobey. They had been given the privilege of serving the Lord, but if they committed one sin, they were condemned without opportunity of changing their destiny. When angels sinned along with their leader, Lucifer, it consigned them to be reserved in chains. Sin that has affected the innocent who have suffered the consequences of subtlety and deception right from the garden of Eden until this day, bring the deepest punishment. These willful beings are reserved in the lowest hell until they, along with Satan and all who follow him, will be cast into the lake of fire.
How strange it is that those angels who dwelt in heaven, followed Satan down to hell. How strange it is that those people who have opportunity to "repent and believe the Gospel" are willing to follow Satan down to hell that was "prepared for the devil and his angels." They hear the plain preaching of the Gospel and are able to read for themselves the teaching of our Lord, and yet they accept the spurious teaching of self- seeking false teachers. The warning given by Peter in the example of fallen angels should make those who listen to teachers, consider not only the message they hear, but the character of the one who is speaking. If God will judge the angels that sin who are higher in the order of created beings than humans, then we can be sure He will not spare fallen, rebellious men from righteous justice being carried out against them.
The "old world" was not just the created earth but included the world of all created things including human beings. The wickedness of man grew as the population increased. Violence became common-place and lawlessness ruled. There were a few like Enoch, Methuselah and Noah who stood out in society because of their faith in God. Enoch walked with God and preached the truth of God to the people. Noah was a preacher of righteousness as he heralded forth the word of God to the people for one hundred twenty years. The law of righteousness did not need the law of Moses to make it the guiding principle of life. The righteousness of God is revealed by faith. God is righteous and acts in righteousness. That standard is common to men whoever they are and wherever mankind is found. Those without a written law have the law written "in their hearts." All mankind is without excuse when it comes to right and wrong.
Even though Noah was faithful in warning the people, they didn't pay attention. They would have heard that God is righteous, that what He says will happen, that the promises He makes He keeps, that He is just and will "by no means clear the guilty." Noah believed God and prepared the ark "for the saving of his house." The testimony of Noah's preaching, of his building the ark and of his lifestyle were all given as a warning message to the world of ungodly sinners. But the pursuit of wickedness and all associated with it continued until the day he, his family and animals entered the ark. Destruction came after a long period of warning. Because the true teaching was ignored and people accepted the false, they all perished. God judges those who reject His truth and destruction is certain.
People have their own opinions today as to what God will or will not do. Some choose to reject the fact that hell and the lake of fire is real. They teach the grave and annihilation is the end of all unbelievers. Some will teach that because God is merciful, everyone will someday be in heaven. They say He would never send anyone to hell. History is repeating itself, and in our day the same false teaching that brought destruction in the past is being propagated and accepted by the majority of people as the truth. Payday is coming because whatever we sow, we reap.
The valley in which Sodom and Gomorrah were situated was apparently a very fertile place in the time of Abraham and Lot. Often in times of prosperity and leisure, sinful people want to try every pleasure whether it be forbidden or not. It is evidence of man's fallen nature that we want to challenge the boundaries established by God to see if the consequences we have been warned about will actually happen. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is clearly stated so there is no question as to why judgment fell on the people of those cities. Even Lot, the believer who compromised his faith to get ahead in the world, was distressed by the depraved, immoral conduct of the wicked people among whom he had chosen to live. Those who were warned of the consequences of sin were paid no heed.
Enoch prophesied, Noah preached and Abraham prayed - even messengers came from heaven, but the wickedness of man deafened them to the warnings. By defying God's law of nature as well as those who spoke the truth of God, and yet paid attention to that which was false, they sealed their doom. The efforts of the godly did not turn the ungodly from the course they were following, nor did it silence the false prophets. When there is no repentance toward God, there is no salvation for men. God acts in grace, but when grace and truth are spurned, righteous judgment consistent with the character of God, will definitely come.
At the same time judgment and destruction fell on the wicked, deliverance and safety was provided for the believers. Noah was preserved from the wickedness of the world around him by the truth of God which he proclaimed publicly. He and his family must have been isolated from society around them because of his preaching and the building of the ark. There was no hiding of his faith, and he and his remained consistent and clean in the midst of wickedness and corruption. The ark of safety lifted them above the waters of judgment, and kept them there when the flood covered the whole earth.
Lot had been blessed by his association with Abraham. He walked with Abraham and would have been privileged to work with him. The journey to Egypt may have given him a taste of the pleasures of the world and materialism. Believers who are just and righteous because of their standing in Christ, can become like the world when they persist in the pursuit of material gain and are influenced by the "religion" of materialism. Lot chose to live in Sodom even though he could have avoided being associated with the moral depravity of such a place. When we are surrounded by wickedness because of our own choosing, we are in danger of losing all that is valuable in our lives. Our reputation, our testimony as a believer, even our children are all at risk of being lost. In our day not everyone is able to avoid being surrounded by the moral pollution so prevalent in modern society. In such cases God knows how to "deliver the ungodly" when temptation and pressures arise against them. Lot was not a separated person, but even so was rescued "out of the fire." God knows how to preserve the ungodly until the day of judgment as well as how to preserve the godly when they are tempted. Fallen angels, the people of the world and the people of Sodom are given as examples of how God preserves in hell those who have rejected Him until the final judgment. Noah and Lot are examples of how God delivers those who believe in Him. Justice will prevail and justice will be done.
When people were victims of the flood or the fire, they had made a choice. God was just then and He is now. His righteousness will not be compromised and His fairness in dealing with both sinners and those he has saved is obvious. He is not like a crooked judge who can be manipulated by the sinful and willful opinions of men. Judgment hasn't fallen on the world today because God is "longsuffering and not willing that any should perish." We are living in days similar to the days of Noah and the days of Lot. The same practices are going on now that were happening then. It is important for people of faith to testify to the fact that judgment is coming, and that deliverance is here and available now. God is willing and ready to save. We may seem to be weak as far as the world is concerned, but our God is strong. He has the right to expect us to be faithful to Him and His word - and to be ready to rise to meet our Lord at any moment. After He comes for us and removes us from the world at the rapture of the church, "condemnation" (judgment) will fall again on this world.
LEARN FROM THE PAST One would think angels were immune from the temptation to sin They were created by God and were made to continually serve Him But satanic influence made them think they could be like God He deceived them like he did Eve with his subtle lying word - So now they're in chains reserved with the lake of fire ahead They like all who follow Satan, should personally and fearfully dread The consequences of sin which they brought on themselves That will confine all who reject God in the flames of hell.
The world perished in the days in which Noah preached Only his family was saved when creation's boundaries were breached Earth was polluted by man when lawlessness reigned Those safe in the ark were all that on earth remained. When truth is ignored, we have opened the door wide To those motivated by money who their true intentions hide They take advantage of many and constantly push their opinion Behind eloquent speech and charisma to influence your decisions.
Sodom and Gomorrah and all those in the plain Perished when just judgment in fire from heaven did rain Those notable places that catered to man's fallen nature Their wicked lifestyle their own children would capture To defy God's law of nature, and choose the base nature of man Instead of being righteous and following God's sovereign plan Is to reject what is right - and God, who made us in the image of Him On those righteous justice will fall, bringing the wages of sin.
"O Righteous God, my Father: I learn from Thy word, that even when wickedness abounds, grace is at work in saving those who put their faith in Thee. I thank Thee for the assurance that there are people Thou art saving today. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."