Rebels

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

REBELS

2 Peter 2:4-10

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.   10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.

NIV

Peter is just finished saying their destruction has not been sleeping and now he warns the Colossians and us regarding such destruction that is not sleeping. It is interesting that Peter makes note the fallen angels are in a gloomy dungeon to be held for judgment. Who then are the demons who have tormented men that Jesus cast out? Some have often thought the league of fallen angels are Satan’s league of demons, doing his bidding here on earth. Why then would Peter tell us those angels are being held in a gloomy dungeon? In the Greek interlinear, it reads he put then in chains into chains of darkness and cast then down to hell. Did Satan have the power to lose their chains and free from hell to come up here to earth to torment men? We think not, for Satan cannot overpower the power of God. But then who are these demons that torment men? It is the common belief one-third of the angels that were in the rebellion headed up by Lucifer were cast to hell and are now Satan’s demons. But if they are held for judgment in chains of darkness, are they still there? Are the chains of darkness a metaphor to mean not free to accept the grace of God, or they are captive to sin? The point Peter is making is these angels were God’s wonderful creation who he created for the express reason of eternally given him praise and honor and glory, but because he also gave them the freedom of thought and choice, many of them rebelled against him and for that, they lost their place, and now are in chains of darkness. Peter also includes the time of Noah and how God was so saddened about his creation who had rebelled against him as well, and those he did not spare either but destroyed them all in a great flood. Are they too being held in hell for future judgment? Are they being held in chains of darkness? And what about those sinful people of Sodom? Peter says all the sinful unrighteous will be held for the Day of Judgment. But the righteous, just as Noah, Lot, and all others who have their righteousness in Christ will escape this judgment for we have already been judged as righteous. We do not have to worry about this day God will judge the wicked, for our sins have already been forgiven and we stand holy and blameless in his sight because we repented of our rebellion and came back to God, accepting his divine grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We are not among those who continue in the corrupt ways of the world and follow after the evil desires they do. We may still sin, but that is not our desire to be corrupted by sin, but rather to be in praise of our God. What a joy to have this peace with God, but at the same time, there is a pain in our hearts for those who are still living in corruption. Why will they not listen? Why do they refuse to repent? Is it really true they love darkness? It is really true they like their evil desires and want to live for their own pleasures? Then it is their choice, and we cannot convince them, only the Spirit can, but still, He does not make them come to Jesus, only offers the grace. If all those angels who knew the goodness of the heavenly realm they lived in rebelled, and all the people in the time of Noah hear his preaching and still remained in rebellion, how much more will more remain in their rebellion and have to stand before the judgment of God. What we can do, is continue to live in his grace, and stand firm as a witness to his righteousness within us. Still, there will always be rebels.