Sermon Tone Analysis

Ever single day you must face the unknown.

Sometimes that is harder than others.

That has been true for me- e.g.

seeking Sharon’s hand in marriage, dealing with unknowns for the church (finances, families leaving, spiritual struggles), dealing with unknowns in our society.

What are some other unknowns that we often struggle with?

Sometimes, people will say this phrase, and usually after something bad happens, “The Lord knows...”

That is a true statement, but what do we mean when we say it?

What do we mean when we say the words, “The Lord knows?”

I think it is an acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty.

Or at least it ought to be.

What we are really trying to say, or trying to reaffirm our faith in is something like this, “God is still in control.”

Even if I don’t understand it, I believe that God is still sovereign and He is still in control.

I think that someone’s understanding of, and faith in the absolute sovereignty of God is the hallmark of a mature faith.

It really takes a mature faith to trust in God’s sovereignty through all of the unknowns that life throws our way.

It takes a mature faith to believe that God is going to make sense of a situation that does not make any sense whatsoever.

An absolute trust in the sovereignty of God takes a broad understanding of who God is, of what He is accomplishing, and what His purpose in our lives are.

I think it also takes some personal experience.

It takes a time or two of having to go through the mire of life, to see God remain faithful, to see God do all things well, to see God work as we faithfully trust and obey Him.

I think it is this kind of trust in God’s sovereignty that Peter is calling for in this section of 2 Peter.

Their judgement is no idle, and their damnation (destruction) is not asleep.

Even though it seems like the wicked carry on with their sensuality and greed and exploitation with nary a consequence, that is not true.

In fact, they are bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

Our job is to continue to trust in the sovereign God who will in His own timing and according to His own perfect plan- judge the wicked and deliver the godly.

And in order to prove his point Peter gives us three illustrations, in order to call us to continue putting our faith in a faithful sovereign God.

Illustration #1- Wicked Angels (2:4)

2

Here in v. 4 Peter begins a conditional statement.

IF this is true (and it is), then this must be true.

The conditions of this statement go all the way down through v. 8 and you don’t get to the THEN until v. 9.

So all of these illustrations are building to one main point.

One main truth that is essential if these believers are going to keep themselves from following after the error of these wicked men.

If #1- if God spared not the angles that sinned.

What angels are we talking about?

Pre-historic fallen angles (angles at the time of Satan’s fall)

“Peter is probably not referring here to the angels who originally fell, since they were not immediately incarcerated in hell nor confined permanently to pits of darkness to await their final judgment.

In fact, they are the demons who are now loose in the world, securing Satan’s unholy purposes.”

MacArthur.

2. A reference to

Sons of God = angles

Sin = Sons of God came in unto the daughters of men

Highly debated verse.

Very unclear if the Sons of God in refer to angles or to godly men.

Unwise hermeneutics to use a questionable interpretation of a difficult text to interpret another text that is equally uncertain.

3. Theological mystery.

“The spiritual dynamics of how and why angels sinned remains, in many ways, a theological mystery.”

MacArthur

Ultimately the identity of the angels doesn’t matter.

The point is that God judged them for their sin.

God did not spare the sinful angels, BUT (emphatic)- he cast them down into hell

ταρταρόω- Tartarus, a place of holding, a dark pit- thought of by the Greeks as a subterranean place lower than Hades.

This is not final judgement in the lake of fire.

That day is coming, but for now God cast these wicked angels into Tartarus, delivering them into chains of darkness, reserving them for judgement.

Reserving them (per, pass, part) God has been reserving them unto judgment.

The judgement of these false teachers is not idle, and their damnation (destruction) is not asleep.

Even though it seems like the wicked carry on with their sensuality and greed and exploitation with nary a consequence, that is not true.

How do we know that?

God has been reserving wicked angels in Tartarus all these years for judgment, it is certain- and so if the judgment of these false teachers.

Many parallels with Jude.

THE LORD KNOWS how to deliver the unjust unto the day of judgment!

So even though it seems like the wicked can sin and sin and get away with it, Scripture teaches differently.

Do we trust a sovereign God to carry out justice? Do we trust that the Lord knows?

Illustration #2- The Flood (2:5)

IF #2- And (if) God did not spare the old world

This is a reference to the flood event of .

God did not spare the ancient wicked world, BUT (emphatic)

IF #3- (if) God saved (guarded, protected) Noah, a preacher of righteousness

Here you have an additional thought.

Now Peter is not simply arguing that God knows how to deliver the unjust unto judgment, BUT (emphatic) God also knows how to guard or protect the righteous.

Specifically, Peter calls Noah- the preacher of righteousness.

This is very significant.

This I believe highlights Noah’s perseverance in a wicked world.

I Pet 3.18-20

God delayed the judgement of the flood, because of God’s longsuffering- He waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared.

How long did it take Noah to build the ark?

Most scholars put the number at 120 years.

Stop and think about that.

Noah had to faithfully be God’s preacher of righteousness for 120 years while the whole world laughed at him, persecuted him, caused him to suffer.

Noah endured that for 120 years.

Sometimes God puts me in a trial and it lasts for a whole week!

And I cry out in complaint to God- “What are you doing?”

How much longer is this going to last.

I have heard people say to me, “Pastor, you don’t know how long it’s been, I can’t keep going.”

My kids tell me that if they have to spend more that 30 min on a Math lesson.

Noah persevered for 120 years!

How did he do it?

So what is Peter’s point?

If God did not spare the ancient wicked world in Noah’s day, even though God allowed them to continue on in their wickedness for 120 years- eventually God brought to bear the flood on the whole world (important point- no one escaped- only eight people were spared).

God’s judgement is sure!

And if God eventually vindicated Noah, even if it took 120 years, God saved Noah and his family from the flood.

The Lord knows how to deliver, how to rescue the righteous.

And here is the point again!

The Lord knows.

Do we really believe that?

Do we believe in the sovereignty of God enough to persevere for 120 years?

That is where faith comes in.

God eventually will vindicate you.

Eventually, even if God waits and does it in the kingdom.

You can trust God.

You can know that the Lord knows.

That He is sovereign and in control- so keep on doing what God asks of you, even if it is hard, even if the road is long, the Lord knows how to guard, how to protect the righteous.

Illustration #3- Sodom and Gomorrah (2:6-8)