Examples of Apostasy Pt. 2 "Fallen Angels"
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week, we began looking at the examples that Jude gives us concerning apostasy. The first example is found in Jude 5...
5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Remember that an apostate is someone who has turned from the truth.
An apostate is someone who has light, but doesn’t follow the light - many people know the truth, they just refuse to accept it and obey it.
Apostasy literally means to depart, to withdraw, or to go away from the truth.
I mentioned three examples of apostasy that he gives…we find them in verses 5, 6, and 7.
The first being the unbelieving children of Israel. (v. 5)
The second being the falling angels. (v. 6)
The third being the cities that were turned into hell. (v. 7)
We studied verse 5 last week, so we will move on to verse 6 and look at these “Fallen Angels”...
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jude reminds the church about the reservation of those who have fallen from their first estate.
Jude continues to illustrate to the church that apostasy is not something new…It’s been around since the beginning.
The first thing we notice about these fallen angels is:
Their Conduct
Their Conduct
Notice, verse 6 tells us that these angels:
Jude 6 (KJV 1900)
6 ...kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation...
These angels were not satisfied with God’s plan for them. They were convinced there was something better and God’s way was not the best way.
First, they “kept not their first estate”.
Second, they “left their own habitation”.
Their place and position in God’s plan was not enough. They wanted something more, a different position of prominence, a better place of activity.
This sounds much like many ministers of the gospel today. Through self-deception men—like these angels—rationalize their lust for position, power, prestige, and possessions.
With an inflated sense of self-worth and importance, they cannot trust in the providence of God and rest in his plan.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Notice, our text verse says, “cast down”...
Think about what their rebellion cost them:
They gave up Heaven to receive Hell...
They gave up being servants of God to be slaves of Satan...
They gave up light to receive darkness...
They gave up freedom to receive chains...
They gave up joy in the presence of God to receive condemnation in perdition...
They gave up awesome privilege to receive awesome punishment...
They gave up great honor to receive incredible disgrace...
God had created these angels, empowered these angels, gifted these angels, loved these angels, and commissioned them to serve Him, but they rebelled and refused God’s authority and paid the price for it.
These literally became apostate angels...
Their Capture
Their Capture
Jude 6 (KJV 1900)
6 ...he hath reserved in everlasting chains...
Jude tells the believers about the place where the demons are currently being held. The place of their imprisonment is a place of detention.
Jude tells us that these fallen angels are being detained and reserved in everlasting chains.
There is no escape, no bargaining, no release date, no parole board to appear before.
These demons are incarcerated and imprisoned and waiting for the final judgment where they will be cast into the lake of fire with Satan and the rest of the demons.
God judged these wicked angels, reserving them in everlasting chains. Apparently some fallen angels are in bondage while others are unbound and active among mankind as demons.
Jude gives a vivid reminder to the church about the problem with apostasy and the punishment of apostates. If Israel did not believe and committed apostasy they would be judged and if angels rebelled against God and committed apostasy they would be judged also. Jude tells us that they are reserved in everlasting chains.
If angels cannot break the chains sin brought upon them, we are foolish to think that humans can break them. We can’t set ourselves free from these chains, but we can only be set free by Jesus.
These angels at point in time, dwelt in the presence of Almighty God in His marvelous light, but now all they know is utter darkness.
The Greek word here for darkness means gloom (as shrouding like a cloud): blackness, darkness, mist.
Their doom is signed, sealed, and will one day be delivered. They are in a place of misery and blackest darkness at this time.
William Gurnell wrote, “None sink so far into hell as those who come nearest to heaven because they fall from the greatest height.”
These angels fell from the greatest height and they committed apostasy and suffered the consequences of their rebellion, which brings us to the final point this evening:
Their Condemnation
Their Condemnation
Jude 6 (KJV 1900)
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
These angels are awaiting judgment day. They are awaiting their final sentence.
What is their final sentence? They will be taken out of hell and put into the Lake of Fire.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Jude reminds the church of the severe ramification that comes on all the apostates.
The fallen angels have been imprisoned in a place of detention and a place of darkness awaiting the final judgment on that great day.
Jude has used 2 powerful illustrations that clearly depict the sentence on all apostates; next week, we will study the third illustration given.
Conclusion
Conclusion