A Foreboding Chapter
2 Peter 2:4-9 NKJV
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
If I was a betting man, I would be willing to wager that 2 Peter chapter two is not on anyone’s favorite chapter in the Bible list. If someone tells you they just love that chapter, proceed with caution. This chapter covers destructive teachings, the doom of false teachers, the depraved condition, and the deception of false teachers. It’s not a happy chapter because it was never intended to be. This chapter is a somber warning.
In our verses for today, we see three groups going down and one group being spared. The angels that followed Satan were cast down to hell and are waiting for the day of judgement. Nothing pleasant about that.
The ancient world was also not spared, but Noah and his family were spared. This is where The Ark got its name. Noah prepared an ark for the saving of his household. Only eight people were saved. Noah was one who proclaimed righteousness, and God was the One who brought the flood on the ungodly.
We all know about Sodom and Gomorrah. These cities received the judgement of God and were reduced to ashes. That is serious stuff. Sodom and Gomorrah were to be examples of what happened to those who lived ungodly.
Not a happy-happy joy-joy chapter. A warning that there are consequences for the ungodly and those who defy God. One ray of light in this chapter is verse seven. God may have judged and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, but He delivered Lot out of the area. It’s a good thing He did, because it is an example to us that living godly is a path that leads to deliverance. God delivered Lot, and He can deliver us. It is interesting to note that Lot was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked. He was not participating in this conduct, but by hearing and seeing the things taking place, verse eight says Lot tormented his righteous soul. And it was God who got him out.
God knows how to deliver us from the temptations in the world. But we don’t want to underestimate the fact that there is a day of judgement, and we don’t want to be on that side. This warning is not designed to make us afraid but to make us conscious that how we live has consequences in this life and the next. As long as we stay with the Lord, we’re good.
We sometimes bemoan the evil people who seem to get away with everything. These verses let us know that God is just, and this life is not the end; there is a day of judgement.
Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for delivering me from the depravity that is in the world.