March 20, 2023: 2 Peter 2:4 - God did not Spare the Angels who Sinned
“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…” - 2 Peter 2:4
In this section of Scripture, Peter is now describing the ultimate consequences of false teachers and false prophets preaching false doctrines and destructive heresies in God’s church. Peter gives three examples of times past when God held not only people accountable but also the fallen angels, those who sinned against Him. In this first example, God holds the fallen angels to account for their actions. Similarly, while a teacher/pastor may have previously been faithful to God but for whatever reason turned against Him and started preaching heresy, a distorted version of God’s truth, then they will experience the wrath of God if they do not turn back to Him. Like humans, fallen angels, those who turned against God and chose to follow Satan, will be held accountable for their actions at God’s final judgment of the wicked. Jude 6 also discusses this:
“And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6)
Why would pastors who were previously faithful to God turn away from Him? There are many reasons, but I think the ultimate reason is pride, as that is the reason why Satan, the Devil, turned against God; he wanted to be God. Satan will use whatever he can to get people who have decided to accept Jesus as their Savior to turn against Him, and pride is one of the things he uses. Satan lures them into his net, building them up, puffing them up with pride, until one day, they announce to the world that they have left their Christian faith. I believe we have seen this happening at an increasing rate just in the last five years. Just how much damage they did to their flock we cannot quantify, but if we look just at the USA today and the lack of morality within it, it is evident the damage is significant, and it is killing our country and we have exported it to the world.
Let us read what the Bible says about the worst of the fallen angels, the devil also called Satan. Some also believe he is called Lucifer in the Bible. Isaiah the prophet foretold of the fall of the Babylonian king in Isaiah 14, who had taken the people of Judah captive for 70 years. However, because of certain statements in this passage, many believe it is also referring to the fall of Satan, also called Lucifer. “Lucifer” means “Day Star,” “Morning Star,” or “Bearer of Light.” It is critical to remember this because Satan masquerades or disguises himself as an angel of light; he does not appear as Hollywood and the entertainment/music industries portrays him. Why? Because it’s much easier to deceive people when he doesn’t appear as who he really is. He wants people to believe that he is God, to follow him, and reject the One true God.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
Let’s read Isaiah 14 and see what the Bible tells us of the fall of Lucifer:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [Day Star], son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend about the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
“Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit. Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities who did not open the house of his prisoners?’
“All of the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house; but you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, like the garment of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a corpse trodden underfoot. You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land and slain your people. The brood of evildoers shall never be named. Prepare slaughter for his children because of the iniquity of their fathers, lest they rise up and possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities.” (Isaiah 14:1-21)
I have heard it said by one pastor that “Satan has an ‘I’ problem.” The second paragraph of the Scripture above has five ‘I’ statements, as shown below. If these statements do not speak to the pride of his heart, I don’t know what does. Not only that, it seems that Satan not only wants to exalt himself to be equal with God, but also to be above Him, as worded in the second and fourth statements below.
I will ascend into heaven.
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north.
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.
I will be like the Most High.
What does our society tell us about pride? It promotes it, lifts it up, and has a whole month dedicated to it, all the while it mocks humility. What does the Bible tell us about pride?
“Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; though they join forces, none will go unpunished.” (Proverbs 16:5)
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil [plunder] with the proud.” (Proverbs 16:18)
“The lofty [proud] looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty, upon everything lifted up - and it shall be brought low…” (Isaiah 2:11-12)
“The loftiness [pride] of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, but the idols He shall utterly abolish. They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made, each for himself to worship, to the moles and bats, to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily. Sever yourselves from such a man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?” (Isaiah 2:17-22)
There is a time of judgment coming for Satan, for the fallen angels, and for all humanity who choose to follow them and reject God and His Son, Jesus Christ. The time is now to decide in whom you will believe, who you will follow.
If you are going to church, listen to what is being preached and see if it aligns with what Scripture says. Does your pastor teach Bible prophecy or does he avoid it like the plague? Does he preach on the difficult things in the Bible, things that might offend many? Is your pastor female? Do you leave your church most days feeling good about yourself? Does your pastor tell you Jesus loves you as you are and there’s no reason to change your sinful ways? Is your pastor lifting up that which God calls abominable? Does your pastor live like a king when the true King lived humbly?
The time that we live in is a time of great deception, and it is happening on both sides of the political aisle. Both sides have pastors and people who say they are Christian and are touting and promoting that which they call is “good” and that which they call the “truth.” There is only One who is good and that is God and there is only one divine truth and that is His word. May we read His word for ourselves, as led by the Holy Spirit, ask God for discernment, and beware of false teachers, for many are serving the god of this world and not the One true God, and they will be brought low before Almighty God.
“The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid, their own foot is caught. The LORD is known by the judgment which He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah
“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O LORD, that the nations may know themselves to be but men.” (Psalm 9:15-20)
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 7:15-20) ✝️