Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
As you daily process news from around the world, I wonder if you find yourself crying out for justice. Does it seem to you that there are way too many examples of corrupt leadership and broken promises and deception which takes advantage of people and violence which harms so many people? Of course, this is nothing new, it’s the painful reality of unbridled sin in our world, isn’t that true?
In fact, did you know it goes back even further than Adam and Eve and their dysfunctional family? Join me again today as the apostle Peter challenges us to consider how God views the ravages of sin in our world. Peter is writing his second letter and he’s come to his second chapter. Look, Peter has picked up his stylus so let’s listen as he speaks the words as he writes them:
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; if God did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its wicked people, but God protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness… if God 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, and if God rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless… if this is so, then God knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment...” (2 Peter 2:4-9)
Now friends, I had thought about stopping Peter several times in this big paragraph so we could process it, but it’s important we take it all as one, major, continuous thought, and now let’s try to digest what God is saying to us through Peter. I’m sure you see the little word ‘IF‘ repeated several times, right? When that word is used it calls us to pay attention, doesn’t it? Why? When IF is used, we know there’s something coming that’s either a warning or a promise or both. “IF” calls us to take a close look at what’s happening today because we’re either about to look back to see how today is the result of yesterday OR we’re going to look forward to imagine what the future result of today’s situation will be. In this case Peter is asking us to do both!! So, let’s take a close look.
I’m sure you see Peter’s reference to two great, historical disasters in the Bible. You probably know the story of the global flood recorded in Genesis 6-9. Noah is described by God with these words in Gen. 6:9: “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time and he walked faithfully with God.” But Noah was living at one of the most wicked times in all human history. These words describe Noah’s world: ‘The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” (Gen. 6:5-8)
So, what do you think is the point Peter is making? I think Peter is calling us to consider that God may appear to be very patient with our human race, and it may seem that God is allowing unbridled wickedness to run rampant, but we see enough examples down through history to conclude that God is watching our human race very closely, and God sees everything and understands even the motives of every human heart, and there will be a reckoning for all of us. That’s the powerful warning of Hebrews 4:13. But do you notice my friends, that in the story of Noah with the flood, as in the story of Lot with the terrible destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, found in Genesis 18&19, God assures us that He sees people who are seeking to live God honoring lives even in the midst of the wickedness, and God strengthens them!
In fact, 2 Chronicles 16:9 says that very clearly: “The eyes of the LORD roam to and fro throughout the whole earth, looking to strengthen those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him.” So, if that’s you my friend, if you feel like you are surrounded on all sides by wickedness, yet you are seeking desperately to live a God honoring life, take courage… God sees you and He will strengthen you with His power. What power?
The power of His truth which will come alive to you in His Word the Bible. The power of His Holy Spirit who will live within you guiding you, empowering you when you fully trust Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. The power of the global and local people of God, called the ‘Church’. These are people born again by the Spirit of God as they are united together in their trust in Jesus. The power of worship of Almighty God, and the power of prayer, direct conversation with God. And of course, the power of the Armor of God found in Ephesians 6. These and much more are the God power available to God’s people world wide. Are you living in that power my friends?
Now, did you notice Peter’s very first statement in this powerful paragraph? “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment…” Now, what do you understand those words mean for us today? It’s just one sentence but it is a powerful look into a cataclysmic event in history which is the ultimate reason for the wickedness in our world, from the beginning of time to our present day.
Most Bible scholars believe this statement by Peter refers to the Lucifer led rebellion in heaven before Genesis 1, and God’s creation of our universe, and planet earth, and the human race. Two prophetic passages of Scripture are believed to give us a picture of this rebellion: Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:11-17. These passages do not name him, but are believed to describe the rebellion against God of Lucifer, one of three angels named in the Bible, all three of them archangels of the highest rank. Michael (Daniel 10:13) and Gabriel (Luke 1:19) are the other two archangels.
Lucifer apparently became jealous of God and wanted the glory God was receiving to come to him, thus he rallied angels to honor him as their leader and he rose up against God. God threw Lucifer and all those angels following him out of heaven.
Peter here says “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment…” Revelation 20 speaks of that final judgment, but human history tells the tragic story of Lucifer and his rebellious angels, known as evil spirits or demons, busily at work tempting all people to join them in their rebellion against God.
Whenever you and I sin, falling short of God’s perfection glory, we are succumbing to the tempting work of this evil kingdom of rebellious angels. So, Peter is calling Christians of all time to take courage and recognize that Almighty, Sovereign God fully sees and understands the great challenges we face as we live in such a wicked, depraved world. But God also has proven, in every generation, that God is ready to strengthen anyone who is willing to resist the temptation, stand firm and strong in the face of the devil’s schemes, and work toward encouraging others who will join Jesus in His victorious fight against wickedness.
In the end Jesus will prevail, as will all who have stood with Jesus! Won’t that be a glorious end to this tragic human story? That’s the wonder of Revelation 19 & 20, and I sure hope this closing statement of Peter’s helps you hold on with courage in these troubled days.
I think Peter put down his stylus, raised up his arms and began to pray for the Christians of his day, living in such perilous times, and then the next generation and the next and the next…all the way to 2023!
So, let’s join together in praying right now for one another and our children and grandchildren, as the truths of these verses continue in every generation. And here’s a song of worship to help us find stand firm and find courage in these days, my friends:
Today’s Scripture is 2 Peter 2:4-9.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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