SUBJECT: 2 Peter 2:4

QUESTION:   Reading 2 Peter 2:4, have the angels that sinned already been judged?

ANSWER:

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 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;” (2 Peter 2:1-4 KJV).

Peter warned the brethren (verse 1) about false teachers in the church who would (verse 2) cause many “of you” to follow after them. Peter continues (verse 3) to warn that these false teachers in their greed and lust would exploit the brethren through false teachings and malicious lies. Peter then explains that these false teachers will incur God’s righteous judgment to come. Although it may seem God is delaying His judgment, Peter says it won’t be long, it is not lingering; nor does it sleep. God’s judgment which was established from the beginning (of a long time ago or of old, at creation – cf. Revelation 12:9 and the phrase John uses, “the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old (ref. Genesis 3:1 speaking of the serpent who was around at the time of creation)) will come in the future.

2 Peter 2:3 as taken from the Emphatic Diaglott reads as follows, “and by covetousness deceitful words you they will make gain of; to whom the judgment of old not lingers, and the destruction of them not slumbers.”

Peter explains that these men, like the false prophets of old (verse 1) have a judgment hanging over their heads that will be executed. The New International Version reads as follows: “… their condemnation has long been hanging over them and their destruction has not been sleeping.”

Peter then provides an example, showing the certainty of God’s judgment which will be executed. God’s judgment, which was long ago established, will never the less be performed in the future.  Notice 2 Peter 2:4; “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;”

Peter made a rhetorical statement; God did not spare the angels that sinned (2 Peter 2:4). How did he not spare them? The answer is found in the same verse. Continuing: “… but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.”

These angels are reserved unto Judgment. There is a time element which needs to be and can be logically understood.

Notice as Peter explains “The Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as some men count slackness but is long-suffering toward us …” (2 Peter 3:9). Peter describes the time element at play – God’s time; not man’s time. This fact is emphasized by the phrase “that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8).

And so it is with the judgment to come for these false teachers and the fallen angels (those that sinned). God will judge them at a time yet ahead, at a time He has deemed as appropriate. The judgment was established at the beginning, of old and is waiting to be executed, it slumbers not.

Peter, as well as the Church knew Christ will judge the quick (living) and the dead (cf. Acts 10:42, I Peter 4:5). When will Christ judge?  Will it be then, at the time when Peter was writing?

No. Christ will judge at His return (cf. 2 Timothy 4:1); “… The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.”

We learn in Revelation 20, the judging process which will begin at His appearing, will conclude at the time of the second resurrection period (a period of time in the future when the world is still under the rule of Christ’s Kingdom) which will occur after the 1000 years are finished. The judging of the false teachers will occur at the time when God has determined and the judging of the fallen angels will occur at the time when God has determined. Neither was being judged at the time of Peter’s writing, rather their judgments will occur at a time yet to come.

Can we confirm this fact?

Notice once again 2 Peter 2:4; “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;”

God initiated their judgment by incarcerating them in hell (Greek = tartaroo (Strong’s 5020)), where they are reserved for judgment.

Notice Jude 6; “And the angles which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation (reference to having fallen, sinned), he hath reserved unto everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”

What was the first estate or habitation which these angels kept not?  Revelation 12:7-9 gives us the answer; “… and the dragon fought and his angels (clearly a reference to Satan the devil and the angels that sinned – just as Satan sinned cf. Ezekiel 28:16, Isaiah 14:12-15) … neither was their place found any more in heaven … he was cast out into the earth and his angles were cast out with him.”

The angel’s first estate, their habitation, their place was heaven with God. And from there these fallen angels were cast down into the earth.

The Greek word tartaroo (English - hell) is different than the other two Greek words which are also translated hell; Gehenna (the eternal punishment of fire, where one is burned in the second death) and Hades (the grave).

Tartaroo is “spiritual confinement,” much like a “state of being,” a spiritual prison which is on the earth which God has reserved for the angles that have sinned. These fallen angels are incarcerated on the earth. They are forbidden heaven; their first estate. In a very real sense, they were commanded, ‘To the earth you go; there is where you stay.’

Now consider the judgment to come, which is reserved for these fallen angels. Notice Matthew 8:29, referring to the words two demons spoke when confronted by Christ; “and behold they cried out, saying, what have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come here to torment us before the time?”

What time were these demons referring to?  They were referring to their time of judgment, which clearly was not at the day and age of Christ’s walk in the flesh. These fallen angels (demons) which have been confined to tartaroo knew there was a time of judgment, their torment, which is yet ahead.

Revelation 20:10 reveals the time of the judgment, their torment; “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet (were cast) and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Matthew 25:41 indicates the “everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” The time is yet in the future, at the close of the millennium.

The judgment is yet ahead for these angels that sinned. It was not something completed back then (at any time back then). Tartaroo is their place of confinement before the judgment; the lake of fire and brimstone is their place of torment after the judgment.

The fallen angels have not yet been judged, but are reserved for their ultimate judgment as both, 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 clearly indicate. Their judgment, too, lingers not, nor slumbers.

Finally, Paul sheds light on the future judgment of these fallen angels. Notice 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; “Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you; are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels?”

Judgment is always rendered because a Law or standard (which has been set, which is firmly established) has been breached and a reckoning or decision has to be rendered based on those standards. God shall bring every work into judgment (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:14).

There are angels, of whom Peter stated, “have sinned” and Jude stated, “They have kept not their first estate.” These fallen angels are reserved unto judgment. These will be judged, yet ahead, at the time God has determined. For now they are waiting on earth (tartaroo) for the judgment to come.

 
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