The Lord Knows How

Introduction:

Peter had just finished describing the false teachers, and had pronounced their judgment and doom.

Peter's attitude was different than today's attitude of "tolerance," where many who call themselves Christian say "well. . . they may not agree with us, but we all worship the same God." or "there are many roads to heaven."

Today's attitude of "inclusiveness" (meaning that we should allow people to bring whatever beliefs they want into the church) includes only a ticket to hell, and excludes people from fellowship with God, and ultimately, heaven.

Many so-called Christians / churches are no different than the universalist Unitarians, who believe that all beliefs are equally valid, meaning they really don't know or care what they believe.

Many of today’s so called christians aren’e any better.

Well. . . Peter made it clear that these false teachers had "forsaken the right way" 2 Peter 2:15 (which means that there is only one way).

False teachers have forsaken the right way.

2 Peter 2:15

2 Peter 2:15 NKJV

They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

That one way, or right way is Jesus.

John 14:6

John 14:6 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

He made it clear that their judgment was sure

Even though it had not yet come, it will come in due time.

Thankfully, God can and will deliver the righteous from judgment, not matter how severe.

Here, Peter gives specific examples to back up his claim.

By saying "if" Peter is not saying that something might happen.

He is using historical and scriptural evidence, and assumes that the reader already accepts it as fact.

In fact, we could substitute the word if for since.

It is interesting to note, that all of his examples come from Genesis (2 from the first eleven chapters), which is the source of so much Biblical compromise today.

***Many people today are unwilling to understand these chapters as real history. They have been wrongly taught that the creation account, flood, and tower of babel cannot be true.

***This has lead to an unbelief in, and a willingness to compromise other areas of scripture. It also means that they can easily dismiss the judgments also.

But, it's clear from the text, that Peter viewed these events as real history, and so should we. We have no reason, scientific, historically, or otherwise, not to see it as such.

V.4

IF #1

Here Peter refers to a real, historical judgment concerning angels.

Angels, today, are a popular topic. Y

People believe many things about angels, but few of those beliefs are Biblical.

The "open minded" people today are open to any philosophy, except the Bible.

As soon as you throw the Bible into the mix, you are automatically discredited.

They say "if that's what you want to believe, that's fine, but don't try to push it on me."

All the while, their beliefs are being pushed on us through tv, movies, and the media.

The list of tv shows and movies is nearly endless.

The new age concept of spiritual beings is completely unbiblical, but we are being bombarded with it, and it has perverted peoples perception of angels, and all things Biblical.

It is yet another tool of the false teacher.

The angels mentioned here are the same ones mentioned in Genesis 6:1-4 and Peter records it as a historical event.

The angels mentioned are the ones from Genesis.

Genesis 6:1-4

Genesis 6:1–4 NKJV

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

One third of the angels rebelled, and were cast from heaven.

Revelation 12:4

Revelation 12:4 NKJV

His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.

It was the actions of these fallen angels, which precipitated God's judgment by way of the flood.

Of the fallen angels, some are now confined to hell awaiting judgment, but many are still loose.

The important thing to remember is: if God will judge the angels, who are in many ways higher than men, certainly He will judge rebellious people.

V.5

IF #2 was another real, historical event, the flood.

Peter was greatly impressed by the significance of the Flood, he referred to it three times in his two letters (1 Peter 3:20  2 Peter 2:5  2 Peter 3:6).

‎After the angels became involved in unholy relations with human women, ‎God waited 120 years before He sent the Flood.

All during that time, Noah ministered as a preacher of God’s righteousness. But nobody believed Noah’s message.

As a matter of fact, Jesus made it clear that people were enjoying their normal lives up to the very day that Noah and his family entered the ark!

People were going about their normal lives right up to the time of the flood.

Luke 17:26–27

Luke 17:26–27 NKJV

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

‎No doubt there were plenty of “experts” who laughed at Noah and assured the people that a rainstorm was out of the question.

Really, had anybody ever actually seen rain?

‎Even today, many people say that a global flood couldn't have happened, yet we see the marks of it all over the world (fossil record, strata, grand canyon, etc.).

Amazingly, these same people can look at mars and say that it was once completely covered in water.

‎When you compare our world with Noah’s world, you see some frightening parallels.

The population was multiplying (Gen. 6:1)

The world was filled with wickedness (Gen. 6:5)

The world was filled with violence (Gen. 6:11, 13).

Lawlessness abounded.

True believers were a minority, and nobody paid any attention to them!

But the Flood came and the entire population of the world was destroyed. 

‎‎It's no different today!

Peter reminded the false teachers and those who follow their lies, that God can judge evil, even when it involves the entire human race. 

‎God does indeed judge those who reject His truth.

BUT GOD saved Noah!

He never forsakes His children!

V.6

IF #3

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, were once heralded by skeptics to be purely mythical, but archaeological discoveries have proven their existence, including evidence of their fiery destruction.

The judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah is a foreshadowing of judgment by fire on the day of the Lord.

2 Peter 3:10–12

2 Peter 3:10–12 NKJV

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

Just as in Noah's time, those in Sodom and Gomorrah did not take judgment seriously…just as the false teachers today will deny the coming judgment!

vv. 7-8

AND delivered Lot

Lot may have been oppressed, but God was able to deliver him.

We don't always view Lot as being righteous, in fact maybe he wasn't outspoken enough.

When he tried to warn his sons-in-law about God's judgment, they thought he was joking. 

Even some of Lot’s family didn’t take his warning seriously.

Genesis 19:14

Genesis 19:14 NKJV

So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.

Apparently Lot didn't talk about God often enough, because they weren't used to hearing this from him.

Lot, like many of us, may have been too silent.

He was a true believer; therefore, righteous in God's eyes, and he was delivered.

And God saved Noah, when he must have felt so alone, and Like the whole world was against him.

No matter what kind of torment you are living in, no matter how oppressed you may feel, God is able to deliver you.

But, like Lot and Noah, you MUST be ready and willing to respond when God speaks.

V.9

The reasonable conclusion is that "THEN the LORD knows how to deliver the godly."

Ceratainly, this letter was not just a warning, but also one of hope and encouragement because "‎the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations," but rest assured, there is no escape for the unjust!

No one can flee God's wrath.

Matthew 3:7

Matthew 3:7 NKJV

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Luke 23:28-30

Luke 23:28–30 NKJV

But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’

Revelation 6:14-17

Revelation 6:14–17 NKJV

Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

But, the righteous will be delivered (Literally drawn out of danger).

Literally speaking, Peter was writing to encourage the believers with hope of deliverance from the false teachers and their influence.

Of course, deliverence is dependant upon righteousness, which only comes from faith in Jesus Christ.

Secondly, this is also a "type" of the rature.

It gives us hope that God WILL deliver His children from the final judgment.

If you are a born again child of God, you will never have to face His wrath.

Finally, this tells us of the certainty of God's judgment, and the impending doom of all the false teachers, and those who would reject Him!

V. 10a

It would appear that there is a "special" place in hell for those who are openly and willfully defiant of God.

We love to say that all sin is equal, but that is only partly true.

it is true from the standpoint that all sin earns death in hell, but the degree to which one suffers in hell will vary.

This is based on their sins.

There are different levels of punishment in hell.

Romans 2:12

Romans 2:12 NKJV

For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law

Luke 12:47-48

Luke 12:47–48 NKJV

And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

It's like being in prison. Some will go into minimum security, some to medium, and some to maximum, depending on the crime.

However, they are still in prison.

Just as there are different levels of rewards in heaven, there are different levels of punisment in hell.

Conclusion:

You have hope:

If God did not spare the angels

And did not spare the ancient world

     But saved Noah

And turned Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes

Then God knows how to deliver the Godly

     And, how to punish the ungodly.

The world is dark and gloomy, but the Son shines bright.

Call for salvation.

Jesus did all the work, and you can reap all the benefits.

Your soul may be tormented by the wicked things you see and hear, but if you are a born again child of God that tormented soul has already been healed.

You can rejoice in the knowledge that although the worst is yet to come, you will not have to experience it.

Have hope, rejoice in your salvation and commit to making sure that others can also share in that joy.

Celebrate Jesus this week, and share Him with somebody.