Thoughts In 2 Peter – Number 8 – Four Old Testament Examples Of Wickedness Through Wicked Angels And Wicked Men (From Genesis) – 2 Peter 2:3-8 Series

THOUGHTS IN 2 PETER – NUMBER 8 – FOUR OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES OF WICKEDNESS THROUGH WICKED ANGELS AND WICKED MEN (From Genesis) – 2 Peter 2:3-8

Peter has been earnest in informing – and warning – his readers about the false teachers who will arise among them to turn the flock away. Last time we examined the opening part of chapter 2 of 2 Peter to see the type of person who belongs to the false teachers. They are evil, sensuous, deniers, destructive and exploitive.

This time I want to examine examples Peter is giving for these false teachers and the destruction that comes upon wickedness. If you have not done so I think it is good to read the closing remarks in the first message.

[1]. THE WORST OF FALLEN ANGELS

{{2 Peter 2:4 “If God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to PITS OF DARKNESS, RESERVED FOR JUDGEMENT.”}}

There are two broad classes of angels, the good and the bad. We don’t know a great deal about angels, (I think it is Billy Graham who has a book on the subject) but one thing we do know is this. The good angels serve the Lord and serve us. They are ministering angels (spirits), (Hebrews 1:14) and I do believe in the concept of guardian angels as in ministering angels of protection and comfort ({{Matthew 4:11 “Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and BEGAN TO MINISTER TO HIM.”}}) though I can’t say how this works.

Do you remember this story - {{2 Kings 6:16-17 so he answered, “Do not fear, for THOSE WHO ARE WITH US ARE MORE THAN THOSE WHO ARE WITH THEM.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see,” and the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”}}. These were angels there for protection. I believe angels protect us in physical ways, AND very possibly in spiritual ways because the forces of evil are very great.

Angels are very powerful. Just two of them destroyed the cities of the plains we look at later on. One, just one, will preach the everlasting gospel to the whole world in the Tribulation – {{Revelation 14:6-7 I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to preach TO THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE EARTH, AND TO EVERY NATION AND TRIBE AND TONGUE AND PEOPLE, and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”}}

Evil angels are also very powerful, and some are just SO evil they are not permitted to exist openly as the demons do (the demons normal habitat is the atmosphere) – Ephesians 2:2. These have wickedness so great they can’t be allowed to be “free” else they will kill mankind. Peter says they are in pits of darkness and we can assume the pits are sealed over so these wicked killers are kept out of the world UNTIL . . . .

The judgements of the Tribulation will be beyond our full appreciation and I can not spent time on that right now but note this passage, the sixth one of the 7 Trumpet Judgements – {{Revelation 9:14-16 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are BOUND AT THE GREAT RIVER EUPHRATES,” and the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year were released so that they might KILL A THIRD OF MANKIND, and the number of the armies of the horsemen was TWO HUNDRED MILLION. I heard the number of them.”}} AND {{Revelation 9:11 “They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.”}}

Apollyon means Destroyer. I can’t let this go without correcting a terrible error that even recognised bible teachers keep perpetrating. They say these 200 million are soldiers from the east, that is, from around China. This connects with the Kings of the East - Revelation 16:12. That is 100% false. By the end of the Tribulation over 60% of the world’s population has perished and armies are so much smaller. Also the description of these 200 million in Revelation 9 is fully demonic, satanic agents. They are these most evil of the fallen angels who will kill one-third of the world’s population.

200 million of the most malevolent of the angels will be released among mankind from the pits of darkness. I am convinced that these are the same as what Peter describes in his verse, the angels of the confined pits, reserved for judgement. It will be so horrible. I contend greatly with those who say the Church goes through the Tribulation; how would God ever put His own people through that horrible evil of judgement? The Lord Jesus bore the judgement for us.