Have you ever heard someone exclaim in exasperation “Why isn’t God fixing this?” It is a misunderstanding of humanity, creation, and our position on the earth that causes someone who feels agonized over a perceived lack of God’s intervention. Surely God can intervene, surely God will intervene. Yet it doesn’t seem like God is intervening. The mistake people make is to look at the Elohim as a puppet master, pulling strings wherever he wishes. We are not marionettes. This faulty thinking absolves people of personal responsibility. We were not created as an ant farm that can be manipulated by a being larger than us. We were created for the mystery. The mystery of showing principalities and powers the manifold wisdom of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Now it is our responsibility to choose. As we noted last week Jesus did not come to earth the first time to condemn and judge the world, but to offer deliverance. For two thousand years we have had the benefit of the knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Messiah and Lord. The second time Jesus comes he, and we, will be judging the world. But who exactly is Jesus going to judge? We are just as confused by this question as we are by believing God is treating the world like we are all puppets.
The beauty of creation is that Jesus’ offer of salvation and eternal life is for everyone who wants it. Those people who chose Jesus are not judged at the end of the tribulation. They are already judged for salvation. They will be judged in respect to rewards at the mid-point of the tribulation when Jesus is coronated as King, and the kingdoms of the world become his (Revelation 11). But when Jesus comes back to earth with his saints at the end of the tribulation, he, and we, will judge humans as well as the other sons of God. Yet there are many in the body of Christ who have become hammers, hitting the children of God and attempting to put the saved saints in fear causing them to loose their faith. We have all heard people mistakenly claim that “God is going to punish America” or “God is going to punish us all, therefore you should stock up on dehydrated food and buy gold”. When the tribulation comes the saints will not be on the earth and they will certainly not be punished. The problem is control on the part of the people who like being hammers. The church tolerates the abuse and lack of faith. Also there are ungodly and sinful people in the Church and the hammers should put the target on their back. Let’s explore.
1 John 4:16 G2532 And G1473 we G1097 have known G2532 and G4100 have believed G3588 the G26 love G3739 which G2192 God has G3588 G2316 G1722 for G1473 us. G* G2316 God G26 is love; G1510.2.3 G2532 and G3588 the one G3306 abiding G1722 in G3588 the G26 love, G1722 [2in G3588 G2316 3God G3306 1abides], G2532 and G3588 G2316 God G1722 in G1473 him.
17 G1722 In G3778 this G5048 [3has been perfected G3588 1the G26 2love] G3326 with G1473 us, G2443 that G3954 [2confidence G2192 1we should have] G1722 in G3588 the G2250 day G3588 of the G2920 judgment; G3754 for G2531 as G1565 that one G1510.2.3 is, G2532 also G1473 we G1510.2.4 are G1722 in G3588 G2889 this world. G3778
18 G5401 Fear G3756 is not G1510.2.3 G1722 in G3588 the G26 love, G235 but G3588 the G5046 perfect G26 love G1854 [3outside G906 1casts G3588 G5401 2fear]; G3754 for G3588 G5401 fear G2851 [2punishment G2192 1holds], G3588 and the one G1161 G5399 fearing G3756 has not G5048 been made perfect G1722 in G26 love.
Those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that he rose up on the third day can have confidence on the day of judgment because love has been perfected in us. We are not tormented by fear, because we have perfect love. Yet there seem to be a lot of people who think that even the redeemed are going to be punished. That is not true.
Peter tells us something that is widely taken out of context. In Peter’s context he is explaining that we are blessed if we are berated for Christ because it is to our glory, we are glorified to be defamed for Jesus. Peter then says to the very new Christian Church, not to suffer or act like a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a busybody.
1 Peter 4:15 G3361 For let not G1063 G5100 any G1473 of you G3958 suffer G5613 as G5406 a murderer, G2228 or G2812 thief, G2228 or G2555 one doing evil, G2228 or G5613 as G244 a busybody!
Internet trolls are an example of busybodies. They meddle in other people’s business. They try to be the boss of everybody. Even in the Church there are people who think that whatever it is they believe is the only correct opinion. They feel the need to correct others in the body of Christ. This is a busybody. Truly, today, now that the church is two thousand years old, the busybody problem is the most common. There are very few murderers, thieves, and evildoers, but there are plenty of busybodies.
1 Peter 4:16 G1487 But if G1161 G5613 as G* a Christian, G3361 let him not G153 be ashamed, G1392 but let him glorify G1161 G3588 G2316 God G1722 in G3588 G3313 this part! G3778
Peter suggests not to do things that would cause shame. What if someone blasts their opinion all over the body of Christ and then later they are shown to be incorrect? That division would cause shame to the body, to the person announcing their opinions, and those following that person. All would be ashamed. Understand the picture, the church is brand-new; nearly forty years old. People believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and know that this is a new age, but they do not understand how to act. They are upset about being persecuted and Peter is telling them that it is alright to be persecuted for Jesus, just don’t behave badly. Now Peter says something that is always quoted out of context. He says that it is time for judgment to begin away from the house of God.
1 Peter 4:17 G3754 For G3588 it is the G2540 time G3588 G756 to begin G3588 the G2917 judgment G575 from G3588 the G3624 house G3588 G2316 of God; G1487 and if G1161 G4412 first G575 from G1473 us, G5100 what G3588 is the G5056 end G3588 of the ones G544 disobeying G3588 the G3588 G2316 good news of God? G2098
“That the time the commence the judgment away from the house the Elohim but if first away from us anyone the terminate the disobedient the the Elohim gospel.”
Commence the judgment away from the house of the Elohim. But first take away from us anyone, terminate disobedience of the Elohim’s gospel. Peter says start with all of us. Terminate or end those people who are disobedient to the gospel. Think of Ananias and Sapphira. The house of God has to be cleaned up.
1 Peter 4:18 G2532 And G1487 if G3588 the G1342 righteous one G3433 hardly G4982 is delivered, G3588 the G765 impious G2532 and G268 sinner, G4226 where G5316 shall they appear?
“And if the righteous with difficulty saved the ungodly and sinful in what place to bring to light?”
Peter asks a good question. If there is difficulty for the righteous to be saved, due to being persecuted for standing for Christ, then where will the ungodly and sinful be brought into the light? People berating Christians for standing for Jesus is the context. Those intimidating Christians are trying to expose them. The ungodly and sinner have a problem as well. Once the light shines on their sin, it will not look good for them. Where will they be judged? Again, think about Ananias and Sapphira. Their sins were brought to light. They were exposed, died, and are still talked about today. Peter says to judge us Christians away from the house of God first. Get the ungodly sinners out of the Church. Then there will be a clean house.
Now here come all the hammers, the people who love to beat others over the head. We can hear them screaming “God is going to punish us all, God is going to punish everyone.” Verses 17 and 18 are the verses the hammers use to beat everyone into submission to their opinions. No. That is not what Peter is saying. Peter is saying that there are people in the Church fulfilling disobedience to the gospel. The people who are fulfilling disobedience are ungodly and sinful. Clean the ungodly sinful disobedient people from the Church. Let the judgment against the ungodly, sinful, disobedient, people start right now and bring their sin to light. God is not going to punish the righteous. It is hard to be righteous because we are berated or punished by the world. The Church was around forty years old and Peter had to remind people not to have certain behaviors that would cause shame.
At the time of Peter’s writing, the Zealots had risen to prominent power, and they were about to start a civil war in Jerusalem. Remember history. The civil war was building before Peter was murdered (around 67 CE). The Zealots were killing people who didn’t want to fight with them against the Romans. The Romans watched the Zealot Jews kill the regular Jews for a while and then stepped in and destroyed the temple and banned all Jews from Jerusalem. Peter is saying to the people in the Church, don’t be a murderer, like the Zealots. Don’t be a thief, as at one point the Idumaeans surrounded the city and killed the regular Jews trying to escape, while the people also ran short on food. Don’t be an evildoer, don’t harm anyone. And don’t be a busybody, or a troll. Don’t get involved in other people’s business. The time period and context matters.
1 Peter 4:19 G5620 So then, G2532 even G3588 the ones G3958 suffering G2596 according to G3588 the G2307 will G3588 G2316 of God, G5613 as to G4103 a trustworthy G2939 creator, G3908 let them place G3588 G5590 their souls G1473 G1722 in G16 doing good.
The persecuted Christians can trust the creator, the Elohim, and set their souls in doing of that which is good. Even though the righteous are berated they can act in virtue. So then we want to revisit the question, who is going to be judged? Who is judgment for? We cannot use Peter to claim that the righteous are going to be judged by the Elohim because clearly Peter says that the ungodly sinful people in the church who are disobedient to the gospel will be judged, but not the righteous. Ananias and Sapphira were judged quickly because of their evil deeds which would infect the church. There is no more excuse for the people who are hammers to hammer the righteous.
Jude and Peter did tell us who judgment is for. What we need to understand is that the righteous redeemed sons of the Most High are not punished because we believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Lord and that he rose up on the third day.
Jude 3 G27 Beloved, G3956 [2all G4710 3diligence G4160 1having] G1125 to write G1473 to you G4012 concerning G3588 the G2839 common G4991 deliverance, G318 [2necessity G2192 1I had] G1125 to write G1473 to you, G3870 exhorting you G1864 to contend earnestly G3588 in the G530 [2once G3860 3delivered up G3588 4to the G39 5holy ones G4102 1belief].
Jude feels it is necessary to share his concern regarding the common salvation. The word sōtēria is the word “salvation”, koinos is translated “common” as in meaning shared, or “unclean". The common salvation can mean “salvation shared by all”, or it can also mean “unclean salvation”. In this instance the next verse defines the idea. Jude says that they are to contend earnestly or struggle for the faith entrusted to the saints.
Jude 4 G3921 For crept in G1063 G5100 certain G444 men, G3588 the ones G3819 earlier G4270 being written about beforehand G1519 in G3778 this G3588 G2917 judgment -- G765 impious, G3588 [2the G3588 G2316 4of our God G1473 G5484 3favor G3346 1transposing] G1519 into G766 lewdness, G2532 and G3588 [2the G3441 3only G1203 4master G2316 1God] G2532 and G2962 our Lord G1473 G* Jesus G5547 Christ G720 denying.
“For entered secretly some manfaced the long ago written previously into this the judgment ungodly/profane changing the grace the our Elohim into conduct shocking to public decency and the Elohim alone master, and rejecting our Yahweh Jesus Christ.”
There is a whole lot to look at in this sentence. First of all, Jude is talking about manfaced, which means “men not angels”. Some men stealthily entered into the Church, and this was written about by someone at some point. We can assume that it was Peter who wrote about these men because as we will see shortly, Peter says the same things that Jude does. The judgment was that they were ungodly or profane. They were in the church, so Jude is saying that this is an unclean salvation. What did they do? They changed the grace of God into some type of conduct that was shocking to public decency. Think about some of the things that John wrote to the church in Thyatira regarding a woman with the spirit like Jezebel. It seems these men made grace a license for widespread sin. They turned grace into debauchery. But they were doing more than public indecency, they were making others their master in place of the Elohim and rejecting Jesus Christ our Lord. They were in the Church, but they had an unclean salvation, or we could say that they were not truly saved. They were pretenders.
This is the unclean salvation that Jude is speaking of. The sin that entered into the church made some people think incorrectly about salvation, making grace a license for sin. This is unclean salvation. While people may have believed on Jesus, they were later rejecting Jesus so that they could sin. While some people practice public indecency, they were rejecting the Elohim as master. Unclean salvation is not holy. It is not holiness. It is not true salvation because the people practicing these sins are rejecting Jesus Christ. Can one be saved and unsaved at the same time? No.
Hebrews 6:1 THEREFORE LET us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God,
2 With teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.]
3 If indeed God permits, we will [now] proceed [to advanced teaching].
4 For it is impossible [to restore and bring again to repentance] those who have been once for all enlightened, who have consciously tasted the heavenly gift and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit,
5 And have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty powers of the age and world to come,
6 If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance—[it is impossible] to bring them back to repentance, for (because, while, as long as) they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh [as far as they are concerned] and are holding [Him] up to contempt and shame and public disgrace.
The Amplified Bible. (1987). (Heb 6:1–6). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
If one deviates and turns away from their allegiance it is impossible to bring them back to repentance. One cannot keep nailing Jesus to the cross. Once one turns to Jesus then he is saved, once one severs his allegiance to Jesus is it impossible to renew his repentance. This person chose to reject Jesus Christ so he could sin. The hammers need to find these people, the ones who think they are saved but reject Jesus so that they can sin. These folks are in the church too. They are pretending to be saved but their salvation is an unclean salvation. They usually ensnare others in their sin.
Jude 5 G5279 [3to remind G1161 1And G1473 4you G1014 2I want], G1492 [3knowing G1473 1you G530 2once] G3778 this, G3754 that G3588 the G2962 Lord G2992 [2people G1537 3from out of G1093 4 the land G* 5of Egypt G4982 1having delivered], G3588 the G1208 second G3588 of the ones G3361 not G4100 believing G622 he destroyed.
Jude’s warning is interesting. He wanted to remind people that after Yahweh delivered Israel at the Exodus, he destroyed the people who did not believe. Jude is using this warning to remind the people not to be in unbelief. If someone is an unbeliever, that one is subject to judgment. Why? Because Yahweh just delivered his people as the prophecies noted. If they don’t believe the prophecies and Yahweh, they will never believe, instead they will infect others with their unbelief. So Jude is giving a stern warning; if you behave in unbelief, you will be destroyed. This is not for the righteous, those acting justly and rightly, this is for the people turning grace into a license for sin. Hebrews Chapters 3-6 also teaches us about the people coming out of Egypt who did not enter His rest. Because they did not hear His voice, they died in the wilderness. Understand the difference between believers and unbelievers. Understand the difference between the godly and the ungodly. Now Jude will compare men to angels.
Jude 6 G32 Also angels G5037 G3588 G3361 not G5083 keeping G3588 their own G1473 G746 sovereignty, G235 but G620 leaving G3588 their own G2398 G3613 dwelling-place, G1519 [6for G2920 9judgment G3173 8of great G2250 7a day G1199 3bonds G126 2in everlasting G5259 4under G2217 5 the infernal region G5083 1he keeps].
“And the angels not guarding their origin however left behind their own private residence, guarding eternal chains under the gloom of the world below into day mega judgment.”
As we have studied, the angels who left their habitation behind are now guarded in eternal chains waiting for the great white throne judgment. Fallen angels will be judged. The example is Sodom and Gomorrah.
Jude 7 G5613 As G* Sodom G2532 and G* Gomorrah, G2532 and G3588 the G4012 [2around G1473 3them G4172 1cities] G3588 G3664 likened G3778 to these G5158 in manner G1608 given themselves to fornication, G2532 and G565 having gone G3694 after G4561 [2flesh G2087 1other], G4295 are situated G1164 as an example, G4442 [4fire G166 3of eternal G1349 2punishment G5254 1undergoing].
“As Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them resembling them turn to commit fornication and return back another different flesh to be set before an example held under condemnation lasting for an age fire.”
You and I cannot see the judgment of fire that the people from the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim endured. We can read about it, but we can’t see it. Likewise we cannot see the judgment from the heirs of the Nephilim who were in those cities and who are now an example being punished with fire for an age. Yet we can read about it. As we know, the heirs of the Nephilim were being killed by Nimrod who was a giant hunter. We also know that after the battle of the five armies, those giants who were left congregated in the cities of the plains. We also know their laws governing their cities were completely backwards from the Elohims laws. They are held under punishment for an age because they committed fornication and turned around, or backwards, after another different flesh. This tells us that at this time more angels fell, changing their private habitation to earth and took on earth women. The fallen angels probably thought that the cities of the plains were a safe place for them. This is why Genesis tells us that the Nephilim were on the earth in the days before the flood and after that. They are now an example.
For Sodom and Gomorrah to be an example as Jude says, people had to have known the story of what happened. Who would want to cover up that story? The story goes deeper than humans, it includes fallen angels who went after another different kind of flesh and the heirs of fallen angels. Therefore our example is of fallen sons of God and humans who committed fornication. So then who is being judged? Fallen angels, their heirs, and humans who are ungodly, sinful, and have changed the grace of God into shocking public indecency, who also reject the Elohim as Master and Jesus Christ as Yahweh.
Jude goes on to point out the bad behaviors of the ungodly. Again, the hammers who want to pound people into believing that the Elohim is going to punish the righteous have no leg to stand on. We are not talking about righteous humans and angels, we are talking about fallen humans and fallen angels.
Jude 13 G2949 [2waves G66 1wild] G2281 of the sea G1890 foaming up G3588 their own G1438 G152 shame; G792 [2stars G4107 1wandering], G3739 ones to whom G3588 the G2217 infernal region G3588 G4655 of darkness G1519 [2into G3588 3the G165 4eon G5083 1 is being kept].
Jude describes the people and angels as wild waves, but the foam they produce is shameful. Have you ever been at the beach when there seems to be foam on the waves? Sea foam is produced by algae decay. It is then churned up with the ocean currents. Large amounts of sea foam can be irritating to humans and wildlife, especially as the bubbles pop and the decaying algae becomes airborne. Jude is pointing out that the foam shows their decay, and it is noticeable and shameful. These fallen people and angels are toxic to others.
Roaming stars refers to fallen angels who roam or wander. They became erratic because they changed their allegiance from Yahweh to Drakōn and Satanas. Some fallen angels are kept in the gloom or darkness for the age. Jude is referring to Enoch’s writings. When Jesus comes to earth with his saints they will execute judgment on all. Here come the hammers, trying to beat people into fear. No. The saints come with Jesus. If you are a saved, spirit filled, child of the Most High God, then you are on the judging side not the punishment side. Read this carefully.
Jude 14 G4395 [7prophesied G1161 1And G2532 2also G3778 8to these G1442 4 the seventh G575 5from G* 6Adam G* 3Enoch], G3004 saying, G2400 Behold, G2064 the Lord came G2962 G1722 with G39 [2holy G3461 3myriads G1473 1his],
15 G4160 executing G2920 judgment G2596 against G3956 all, G2532 and G1651 to reprove G3956 all G3588 the G765 impious G1473 of them G4012 concerning G3956 all G3588 the G2041 works G763 of their impiety G1473 G3739 which G764 they were impious; G2532 and G4012 concerning G3956 all G3588 of the G4642 hard things G3739 which G2980 [3spoke G2596 4against G1473 5him G268 2sinners G765 1impious].
The Lord comes with his holy ones who number in the myriads, or an innumerable multitude. They will make divine judgments down on all who are on the earth. Who are left on the earth at the end of the tribulation when Jesus comes with the saints? The Jesus rejecters. Put the hammer away. Those who receive Jesus as Lord during the tribulation are martyred. Remember the beast kills Babylon, and the only ones left have either converted to the religion of the beast and the false prophet, or have been hiding in a jungle somewhere. The saints who come with Jesus will disgrace and discipline all the ungodly. They will execute judgment regarding all their works, actions, and deeds of ungodliness, profaneness, and wickedness. The saints will also execute judgment down on the ungodly sinners regarding their harsh, violent, and severe words against Jesus Christ. These saints are the true hammers on the ungodly sinners.
Jude 16 G3778 These G1510.2.6 are G1113 grumblers G3202 being discontented, G2596 [2according to G3588 G1939 3their desires G1473 G4198 1going]; G2532 and G3588 G4750 their mouth G1473 G2980 speaks G5246 pompous things, G2296 admiring G4383 a person G5622 for the benefit G5484 of favor.
They are grumbling complainers with inordinate desires, who are longing for what is forbidden, and they speak boastfully. They admire others for their appearance on account of profit. In other words, they admire or schmooze others to gain something. They have inordinate desires so what they are doing is schmoozing someone to get a position in the Church or in a company, so they can abuse others with their inordinate desires. This happens all the time, and Jude is simply pointing it out. However we are to remember what the apostles said regarding Jesus Christ.
Jude 17 G1473 But you G1161 G27 beloved, G3403 remember G3588 the G4487 sayings! G3588 the ones G4280 being described beforehand G5259 by G3588 the G652 apostles G3588 G2962 of our Lord G1473 G* Jesus G5547 Christ.
18 G3754 For G3004 they said G1473 to you, G3754 that G1722 in G2078 the end G5550 of time G1510.8.6 there will be G1703 mockers G2596 [2according to G3588 3their own G1438 G1939 4desires G4198 1going] G3588 of the G763 impious deeds.
19 G1473 These G1510.2.6 are G3588 the ones G592 separating bounds, G5591 physical, G4151 [3spirit G3361 1not G2192 2having].
Jude says that these people mocking Christians and chasing their own sins are dividers of the soul, not having spirit. We could say that their soul is divided into the natural and they do not have the Holy Spirit. They have a separation between their lower bestial nature and they do not have a renewed spirit. However in comparison Jude says for us to pray in the Holy Spirit.
Jude 20 G1473 But you, G1161 G27 beloved, G3588 [3 in G39 4your most holy G1473 G4102 5belief G2026 1building up G1438 2yourselves], G1722 [2in G4151 4spirit G39 3holy G4336 1praying].
21 G1438 [2yourselves G1722 3in G26 4love G2316 5of God G5083 1keep]! G4327 waiting for G3588 the G1656 mercy G3588 G2962 of our Lord G1473 G* Jesus G5547 Christ, G1519 unto G2222 life G166 eternal.
22 G2532 And G3739 indeed on some G3303 G1653 show mercy, G1252 scrutinizing!
We instead pray in the Holy Spirit and stay in the love of the Elohim, accepting mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ for our eternal life. We are to have mercy to separate one from another. We are to separate the saved from the unsaved and the ungodly. Grab the hammer, the unsaved and the ungodly are those who we are to deliver with fear.
Jude 23 G3739 And some G1161 G1722 with G5401 fear, G4982 deliver G1537 from G3588 the G4442 fire G726 by seizing! G3404 Detesting G2532 even G3588 the G575 [3by G3588 4the G4561 5flesh G4696 2being stained G5509 1inner garment].
“But that in terror save from out of the fire snatch away, and hate the undergarment stained from the flesh.”
This verse is for the hammers. Hammer people with fear to save them and snatch them from the fire. Do not hammer the children of God in the church, hammer the ungodly sinners. Also hate the undergarment stained from flesh. The idea here is that the person being terrorized regarding his/her own eternal death, being put in the fire should get rid of his/her worldly clothes. Why? Because the clothes represent the old man, not the new believer in Christ. Throw away the clothes that you wore that led you towards the fire. The hammers should all be out on the street scaring people away from the fire by judging people’s clothing.
Jude uses the word harpazo here meaning “seizing or snatching”. What is Jude suggesting? That if you scare people into salvation you are saving them from the fire and they will be harpazo’d. This is important because Jude is suggesting to use fear of the eternal fire to get people saved. Then they will be snatched when the Lord calls from the clouds. Peter expresses the differences with the judgment of the ungodly and the judgment of the godly just like Jude.
2 Peter 2:4 G1487 For if G1063 G3588 G2316 God G32 [2of angels G264 3sinning G3756 1spared not], G5339 G235 but G4577 in chains G2217 of the infernal G5020 region G3860 delivered them up G1519 for G2920 [2judgment G5083 1being kept for];
Angels who sinned before the flood are chained awaiting their judgment.
2 Peter 2:5 G2532 and G744 the ancient G2889 world G3756 he spared not, G5339 G235 but G3590 [3 the eighth G* 2Noah G1343 5of righteousness G2782 4proclaimer G5442 1kept], G2627 [2 the flood G2889 4world G765 3to the impious G1863 1having brought];
Yahweh saved righteous Noah out of the flood.
2 Peter 2:6 G2532 and G4172 the cities G* of Sodom G2532 and G* Gomorrah G5077 having reduced to ashes G2692 [2by a final event G2632 1he condemned]; G5262 [2an example G3195 3for the ones being about G764 4to be impious G5087 1having set];
Yahweh destroyed the sinners in Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim.
2 Peter 2:7 G2532 and G1342 [2righteous G* 3Lot G2669 4being harassed G5259 5by G3588 6the G3588 G113 7unlawful ones G1722 8in G766 9lewdness G391 10of behavior, G4506 1he rescued],
8 G990 (for by sight G1063 G2532 and G189 hearing, G3588 the G1342 righteous man G1460 dwelling G1722 among G1473 them, G2250 day G1537 by G2250 day G5590 [3soul G1342 2 his righteous G459 4 by their lawless G2041 5works G928 1tormented];)
Yahweh sent angels to save righteous Lot whose soul was tormented by their behaviors.
2 Peter 2:9 G1492 but the Lord knows G2962 G2152 [2 the pious G1537 3from G3986 4tests G4506 1to rescue], G94 and the unrighteous G1161 G1519 [2for G2250 3a day G2920 4of judgment G2849 5being punished G5083 1to keep];
Yahweh knows how to rescue the righteous from out of trials, but the unrighteous he guards till the day of judgment and punishment. Therefore the righteous are not going to be punished. The righteous are not going to live during the wrath of the Lamb and the wrath of the Father. If someone says that they are going to live through the tribulation, then they must not be saved. It would then be time to hammer them into fear to save them from the fire. The two examples Peter gives are Noah and Lot. Why don’t we have faith that Yahweh will rescue us out of the tribulation? Paul tells us that we are saved and spared from the wrath and not appointed to wrath. If someone insists they will go through the tribulation then they do not have faith. Do not reject Jesus Christ to wallow in fear and despair. If Noah and his family were righteous and spared, and Lot and his girls were righteous and spared, then why would someone think that the righteous are punished instead of spared?
Peter continues with some ideas for us to comprehend. The mockers are always ready to dissuade people.
2 Peter 3:3 G3778 This G4412 first G1097 knowing, G3754 that G2064 [2will come G1909 3at G2078 4 the last G3588 5of the G2250 6days G1703 1mockers], G2596 [2according to G3588 G2398 3their own G1473 G1939 4lusts G4198 1going],
4 G2532 and G3004 saying, G4226 Where G1510.2.3 is G3588 the G1860 promise G3588 G3952 of his arrival? G1473 G575 [2from G3739 3of which time G1063 1For] G3588 the G3962 fathers G2837 went to sleep, G3956 all things G3779 thus G1265 continue G575 from G746 the beginning G2937 of creation.
There will be people deriding us, just as Peter told us that there would be people berating us. They do not understand the trouble they will be in when the Lord does call his saints from the clouds. All they know is what they have seen, which for a fifty to seventy year old human is not much. They were not around during the flood. They were not around during the fire and brimstone raining down on Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim. All they know is that people were born and have died and the world keeps spinning.
2 Peter 3:7 G3588 But the G1161 G3568 present G3772 heavens G2532 and G3588 the G1093 earth, G3588 the one G1473 of his G3056 word, G2343 are treasured up G1510.2.6 G4442 for fire G5083 being kept G1519 for G2250 a day G2920 of judgment G2532 and G684 destruction G3588 G765 of impious G444 men.
The present world will be consumed by fire. John told us that after the white throne judgment the earth will pass away and a new heaven and earth will be the place of habitation. But we are anxious for our salvation. We want to get this uncomfortable life over with and jump to the millennial kingdom, then the new heavens and new earth. But the Lord does not want anyone to perish.
2 Peter 3:9 G3756 [3 is not G1019 4slow G3588 1The G2962 2Lord] G3588 G1860 of promise, G5613 as G5100 some G1022 [2slowness G2233 1esteem], G235 but G3114 is long-suffering G1519 towards G1473 us, G3361 not G1014 willing G5100 for anyone G622 to perish, G235 but G3956 for all G1519 [2for G3341 3repentance G5562 1to have space].
Therefore the Lord is not wasting time, he has patience and wants people to have the time to repent. However, we do know that there is a number that will be fulfilled; the number of nations has to be fulfilled. Then the harpazo.
From what we know, there are righteous and unrighteous. Many people fail to understand that the righteous are judged for salvation because they believed, while the unrighteous are judged for condemnation because they refused to believe. It is far easier to hammer people in the Church because the Church tolerates a message of persecution for the believer. But that is incorrect. If you like being a hammer, go out from the Church and hammer the unbelievers, put them in fear so that they can be harpazo’d. There is a judgment for the ungodly and the unrighteous, it will be fire. The children of the Most High do not suffer judgment. Instead, like Noah and Lot they are rescued out of the trials of judgment. If one refuses to believe that the children of the Elohim are not judged or punished in the tribulation, that one lacks faith and calls God a liar. That is not the safest place to be. Today we may be berated by the world, but if we are righteous, we are not punished by our Elohim, or by Jesus Christ.
