Examples of Judgment

READ 2 Peter 2

 Peter demonstrates, in verses 4-9, how God dealt with errant living of the past.  “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 judgement; 5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing; vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.”

         God judged the angels that sinned, who rebelled against God and chose to align themselves with Satan (vs. 4).

         God judged the antediluvian world, destroying it with a universal flood.  Noah and his immediate family were found righteous and were spared this judgment, finding safety on the ark (vs. 5).

        God judged the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, this was because of the wickedness of their culture known for its allowance of homosexuality (vs. 6).

 Verse nine gives important insight regarding judgment. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.”   Noah and his family were delivered. Lot and his two daughters were delivered (see vss. 7-8). Lot’s wife would have been delivered, but she disobeyed God by looking back at the cities, and she was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). 

God knows how to deliver us out of trying times. Also, the unjust still have a day reserved for them to be judged and consequently punished.

May we thank God for His great love for us as we navigate through these trying times.

Your Friend and His,

Pastor Abbott

MEDITATIONS

1.  What will be the destiny of unrepentant people who do not know Christ as Savior?

2.  Is it harsh or kind of you to warn the lost of past and future judgment? Explain.

3.  Is the judgment described in today’s passage too harsh? Why or why not?

4.What promise does God make to the believer in 2 Peter 2:9? How does this comfort you?