If God Didn't Spare Angels

For if God didn't spare the angels who sinned, but threw them down into Tartarus and delivered them to be kept in chains of darkness until judgment.... - 2 Peter 2:4

Over the next few days we will look at a section of Peter's letter where he made a case for God's righteous judgment of false teachers. He began his discourse with the account of God's punishment of His created, disobedient angels. If we had no other biblical account, except this one, we could still understand from the apostle's inspired words that:

1. Angels exist. They are not imaginary, mythical beings, but spirit beings created by God.

2. Some of the angels chose to rebel against God, meaning they had (in the beginning, at least) the ability to choose good or evil.

3. The righteous punishment for their sin was to be bound in chains of darkness until the day of judgment.

Now, why does this matter to mankind?

1. God's righteous standard extends to all created beings.

2. There is a day of judgment in every person's future.

3. All things everywhere are under God's authority and there will be a day when everyone will recognize that authority, even if they refuse to recognize it now.

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. - Augustine