JUDE 6 (NAS)
"And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day."

Jude states an example that is used to support the theory. The subjects of the verse are specifically stated, being angels. The angels have engaged in an aberration and God has judged them in a specific manner.

ELEMENTS OF THE REFERENCE
1. Angels are the subject.
2. The angels were given a specific domain (habitation, jurisdiction or scope).
3. Angels abandoned, or left, that specific domain (habitation, jurisdiction or scope).
4. God has dealt with those angels in a certain manner:
    a. Angels were placed in eternal bonds.
    b. Angels have continued to be kept in those eternal bonds.
    c. Angels have been kept in darkness.
    d. Angels are to be kept in bonds and darkness until that "great day" of judgment.

In an unusual example, Jude uses an incident concerning angels to illustrate, or give a sense of urgency and importance, to the subject of his letter. Verses 3 and 4 must be reviewed in order to understand the reason for the example:

VERSE 3
Those who are kept for Jesus Christ must contend (battle or fight) for the faith given to the saints.

VERSE 4
Those who are kept for Jesus Christ must contend or defend the faith because certain men have come into the fellowship:

1. Men have come into the fellowship masquerading as believers.
2. Their teaching or belief being accepted by believers because they did not:
    a. Know the difference in their teaching.
     b. Deal with the serious implications of their teaching.
3. These men have been written about, and judged from old by God:
    cf. Verses 14-15: It was Enoch, in Genesis 5:18-24, that prophesied about the coming judgment at the end of time.
4. These men are ungodly, vss. 14-15.
5. These men preach that a person could live a sensual, licentious and sexually immoral lifestyle and still demand that God forgive them at will.
6. These men deny that Jesus Christ is Lord God.

Because these men are part of the fellowship and are teaching heresy, Jude reminds the believers of how serious the situation is and how God has dealt with similar situations in the past. Jude gives three examples:

1. UNBELIEVING ISRAEL - Verse 5

When Israel was taken from Egypt in the Exodus, they became apostate and unbelieving during their time in the wilderness. God judged their unbelief by not allowing any of the people over the age of 20, except Caleb and Joshua, to enter the promised land, Numbers 14:22-38.

Verse 5 has three elements that are the subjects:
A. God saved a people out of bondage in Egypt.
B. Those same people abandoned the God who saved them and became apostate.
C. Those same people, who He once saved, He destroyed in the wilderness because of their unbelief and apostasy.

2. ANGELS WHO DID NOT STAY WITHIN THEIR APPOINTED SPHERE - Verse 6

These are angels who became sinful. Their sin is that they became apostate in not staying or keeping their appointed domain or abode. What they left for or what was the result of this sin is not stated, however, in their leaving they expressed rebellion against God.

Verse 6 has three elements that are the subjects:
A. The angels originally had a proper domain and place in relation to God.
B. These same angels abandoned that domain, place and relationship to God and became apostate.
C. These same angels, who were once in a right relation to God, are now bound in darkness until they are judged by God on the great day.

3. SODOM AND GOMORRAH AND THE CITIES AROUND - Verse 7

This seems to be a strange example to illustrate apostasy, however it is apostasy from the precepts set down by God that is the subject. It is the abandoning of a proper relationship that is illustrated. It is the moving from a heterosexual relationship to a homosexual relationship that is the result of the apostasy. Verse 7 has three elements that are the subjects:

A. There is a proper sexual relationship that is a standard approved by God.
B. The men, and women, of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, abandoned that standard; they left a proper relationship, becoming apostate.
C. These same people became an example of the eternal fire of judgment in the method of their destruction by God.

All three examples that are given are illustrations of apostasy and the judgmental result of the actions taken by the subjects of those illustrations. The examples are of a leaving; leaving one state, that of right and just, to another state that is not proper, correct or just. It is the abandoning or moving away from the proper state that is the sin. It is not necessarily the moving toward another specific state that is included, although a moving from something presupposes a moving toward another. The three examples are three different subjects, not related to each other in kind, but related in character:

a. Israel - unbelief in God, resulting in apostasy.
b. Angels - abandoning the dominion and abode assigned by God, resulting in apostasy.
c. Sodom and Gomorrah - abandoning proper sexual relationships, that are approved by God, resulting in apostasy.

A major, and necessary, element of the theory is the combining of the three examples and the taking of the individual factors in each incident and placing those factors in the other incidents. Thus, it becomes convenient to see in the example of the angels, the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. The sin of the angels then becomes a sexual sin, an abandoning of their proper domain and a movement toward "strange flesh", namely female humans. This combining of elements is done primarily in Verses 6 and 7. It is taught that the term "they" in Verse 7 refers to the angels in Verse 6 and the term "these" in Verse 7 refers to Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them in Verse 7. Thus Verse 7 is interpreted to say:

'... since they (the angels) in the same way as these (Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them) went after strange flesh ...' Yet, this stretches the context of the two verses. There is no connection of Verse 5, Israel, and Verse 6, angels, so why should there be a connection between Verse 6, angels, and Verse 7, Sodom and Gomorrah? This same placing of factors is not applied to Verse 5, Israel, in the same manner, because the context of the example is very apparent. Each example is separate to itself in the individual elements of content, but are, in each instance, representative of the subject of Jude, namely apostasy. However, it must be noted that the idea of sexual perversity is not foreign to the biblical record in regard to the conduct of the children of Israel in their apostasy from God. The biblical record is clear that their activity was not only compared to those who were involved in fornication, but also their unbelief caused them to actually engage in the same conduct. There are several references to the description, including:

Leviticus 17:7
Numbers 14:33
Numbers 15:39
Numbers 25:1

The subject of sexual impurity, by Israel, is not dealt with in the narrative of Jude. It is not even implied in the example given, in relation to Israel. The subject is abandonment of a Lordship relationship to God in order for Israel to control her own destiny and worship false gods.

The example of the angels does not deal with sexual sin, nor is it implied. The example is sexually neutral. The subject is abandonment of a proper place and domain that had been assigned by God in order to go to a domain and place of their own choice which is not specified.

The example of Sodom and Gomorrah begins with sexual impurity. The relationship or abandonment of God is not the subject at all. The subject is abandonment of a proper sexual relationship in order to engage in perverse relationships that are not approved by God because of apostasy. Now, inherent in perverse sexual activity is abandonment of God, but that is not the subject of the example; it is the result of the apostasy, bringing judgment, that is the meaning. All three examples have three elements in common:

1. There is a proper state in which to be, approved by God.
2. To move away from, or abandon that state is apostasy and does not meet with approval from God.
3. Apostasy, regardless of the form it takes or by whom, will result in condemnation and eternal judgment by God.

The reference to "they" and "them" in Jude 7 does not refer to the type of sin, but to the root nature of the sin, namely apostasy. Apostasy is a territory in which activity is judged by God. In the three examples are represented the three realms of God's activities and relationships. God does not hesitate to bring judgment in any of those areas:

1. God's chosen, covenant people, Israel.
2. God's created heavenly host, angels.
3. All humanity outside the covenant with Israel.

Verse 4 refers to certain persons who have entered the fellowship "... who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation ..,"(NAS), or who were written about long ago. This is certainly a reference to Verses 14 and 15 when Jude reveals the previously unknown prophecy of Enoch regarding the judgment of the end times to which Enoch ascribes to the men who have crept into the fellowship by saying: "It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied ..," (NAS). If, then, the men who are the subject of Jude's letter are the same as those prophesied about by Enoch, then there are several questions to be asked:

1. Why was Enoch concerned with, and prophesied about, the judgment of apostates?
2. Why was his message and prophecy about apostasy seen by God as being so important that it is the only message of Enoch, who walked with God and was taken by God, to be recorded?

Enoch was translated to heaven sixty-nine years before the birth of Noah, yet the message he preached and God also found so important that He revealed a vision of the end time to him, was a message of judgment against apostates and not a message of judgment against the union of angels with human women. According to the angel theory, the world would be destroyed because of the sin of that union, yet only sixty-nine years prior to the birth of Noah, Enoch's message of judgment was against apostates. Enoch was born only 622 years after the creation of Adam, yet his preaching and prophecy was about apostasy. Even then, there was a falling away of the godly line. Enoch was the example of what should have been the conduct of the godly line. Enoch was of the godly line and continued to walk with God until God took him to heaven, in contrast to the others of the godly line who no longer walked with God, but had abandoned Him and become apostate. It was not just a few who were leaving the faith, but major defections were occurring continually. It was God's concern, expressed through the preaching of Enoch, that gave his message special status. It is the apostate who is judged the most harshly by God and thus the message of judgment in Verses 14 and 15 is fierce in its content, cf. Hebrews 10:29. God saw the seriousness of the defection of the godly line and, with the actions of the Holy Spirit through His prophet and preacher of righteousness, Enoch, He attempted to bring a halt to the apostasy and a reconciliation of His line back to Himself. It is through the preaching of the patriarchs that God contends with mankind through the activities of the Holy Spirit.

Jude identifies apostasy as a major problem with the people to whom he wrote. In order to combat the problem, the righteous must be vigilant and do battle or contend with these apostate men. In order to assist. Jude identifies the characteristics of these men.

Characteristics of Apostates:

1. They are stealthy, sneaking into the fellowship under a cloak of anonymity (vs. 4).
   
2. There are more than just one (vs. 4).
   
3. They have been written about long ago (vs. 4).
   
4. They pervert the grace of God:
   

   a. Teach a reprobate lifestyle (vs. 4).
   

   b. Teach that grace is a license to sin (vs. 4), Cf. Romans 6:1-23.
   

5. They are ungodly (vs. 4).
   

   a. Ungodly deeds (vs. 15).
   

   b. Ungodly manner (vs. 15).
   

6. Deny the work or person of Christ (vs. 4).
   

   a. Speak harsh things against Him (Christ), (vs. 15).
   

   b. Mockers (vs. 16).
   

7. Dreamers, perhaps claiming visions giving them authority from God, (vs. 8).
   

   a. Defile the flesh, licentious lifestyle, (vs. 8). Cf. II Peter 2:10, 14, 18.
   

   b. Reject authority, civil authority, but most likely the authority of the church, (vs. 8).
   Cf. II Peter 2:10.
   

   c. Speak against heavenly authorities, perhaps claiming authority over Satan and evil spirits,
   (vss. 8, 9). Cf. II Peter 2:10-11.
   

   d. Revile or admonish things they do not understand, the things that are spiritual and of God,
   (vs. 10). Cf. II Peter 2:12.
   

   e. Bereft of spiritual knowledge, they only know what comes through their carnal mind and senses. leading to destruction, (vs.10). Cf. Proverbs 14:12, II Peter 2:12.
   

8. They have gone the way of Cain, (vs. 11). They have chosen unrighteousness and have rejected the presence of the true God in their lives for a god of their own making.
   cf. I John 3:12.
   
9. They have believed the error of Balaam, (vs. 11). They are religious charlatans who only want the money they can receive for their activities.
   cf. Numbers 22-24, Numbers 31:16, Deuteronomy 23:4, II Peter2:15-16.
   
10. They have participated in the rebellion of Korah, (vs. 11). They rebel and ignore the authority of God and set themselves up as their own authorities. cf. Numbers 16.
    
11. They are hidden reefs, or stains, that participate unworthily in the love feasts, celebrations of communion, (vs. 12). Cf. I Corinthians 11:23-24, II Peter 2:13.
    
12. They are not afraid to defile the love feast, communion, because they do not believe God will judge them, (vs. 12). Cf. II Peter 2:13.
    
13. They care only for themselves, (vs. 12). Cf. II Peter 2:3.
    
14. They are like clouds with no water, simply blown about in the wind, taking any religious belief that happens to come along, (vs. 12). cf. II Peter 2:17.
    
15. They are like Autumn trees without fruit, barren and dead, (vs. 12).
    
16. They are twice dead, dead once in their sins but were brought to a form of life by their enlightenment but are now hopelessly dead in their apostasy, (vs. 12).
    cf. II Peter 2:20-21.
    
17. They are uprooted, without spiritual foundation, (vs. 12). Cf. Matthew 15:13.
    
18. They are like wild waves of the sea casting up their own shame like foam, wild, thrashing movement from one belief to another resulting in evil deeds that swirl around their lives like the foam of the sea, (vs. 13). Cf. Isaiah 57:20-21.
    
19. They are like wandering stars journeying to the blackness of judgment, (vs. 13).
    cf. II Peter 2:17.
    
20. They are grumblers, (vs. 16). Cf. I Corinthians 10:10.
    
21. They are fault finders, (vs. 16). Cf. James 5:9.
    
22. They follow after their own lusts or desires, (vs. 16) Cf. Galatians 5:19-21.
    
23. They speak arrogantly, boaster, (vs. 16). Cf. II Peter 2:18.
    
24. They flatter people for their own benefit, (vs. 16). Cf. II Peter 2:18-19.
    
25. They are divisive, (vs. 16). Cf. II Peter 2:1-2, I Corinthians 1:10.
    
26. They are worldly or of the natural man, (vs. 18). Cf. II Peter 2:12, I Corinthians 2:14.
    
27. They are devoid of Spirit, without the Holy Spirit, (vs. 18). Cf. Romans 8:9.
    
    

REFERENCE II

II PETER 2 (NAS)

It is in the book of II Peter that the source of the writings of Jude begin to appear. Although the accounts are similar, they also have their differences.

ELEMENTS OF THE VERSES
Verse 4
1. Angels sinned.
2. God did not hesitate to judge the angels.
3. God sent the angels to hell.
4. God placed the angels in pits of darkness.
5. God preserved the angels for future judgment.

Verse 5
1. God did not hesitate to judge the ancient world.
2. God brought judgment in a flood on the world of the ungodly.
3. Noah was a preacher of righteousness.
4. God preserved Noah and seven others from judgment, temptation and trials.

Verse 6
1. God judged or condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction.
2. God reduced those two cities to ashes.
3. God made an example of those cities to those who would live ungodly lives.

Verse 7-8
1. God rescued Lot.
2. Lot is said to have been righteous.
3. Lot was oppressed by the conduct of the unprincipled men of Sodom and Gomorrah.
4. The righteous soul of Lot was tormented:
    a. Because he saw the lawless deeds committed by Sodom and Gomorrah.
    b. He heard about the lawless deeds committed by Sodom and Gomorrah.

Verses 9-10
1. God knows how to rescue the godly from temptation and trials.
2. God knows how to keep the unrighteous under His control until the day of judgment.
3. God especially knows how to deal with those who indulge in corrupt fleshly desires and those who despise authority.

It is in this chapter that the source of Jude's letter becomes apparent. Many of the same elements appear here and some lines and examples are identical with Jude. The two letters deal with the same subject, in somewhat the same manner, with the exception that Peter is here much more detailed than Jude. Just as in Jude, the verses prior give the subject and reason for the examples to follow.

REVIEW OF VERSES 1-4
1. False teachers will arise in the future among the godly in the church.
2. They will secretly introduce false doctrine:
    a. They will introduce heresies.
    b. They will deny the Master (Christ).
    c. They will bring destruction on themselves.
3. Many will follow these prophets and teachers:
    a. Their message will be one of sensuality and license to sin.
    b. The true gospel message will be despised or rejected.
    c. They will be consumed with their own greed.
    d. They exploit others, for their own benefit, with untruth.
4. Their judgment, made on them long ago, is not (inactive) idle.
5. Their destruction is not (forgotten) asleep.

Just as in Jude, the subjects are apostates, in the form of false teachers. They are here identified in a more exact manner. In Jude, they are noted as being part of the fellowship, but here they are identified, specifically, as highly placed leaders who have gained the trust of the church and then turned their message of apostasy against it.

In Verse 3, Peter assures believers that these men have been known by God from long ago and their judgment is already known to Him. Judgment will be just as assured as the examples to follow, of judgments by God in the past. Peter gives four examples:

1. ANGELS WHO SINNED - Verse 4
Peter gives a less detailed account of angels who sinned than Jude. It is a verse supporting his premise that God is a God of judgment, and that He will not overlook or forget to judge sin even in His created angels. God is no respecter of persons, and He does not condone or reduce the penalty of sin even for the angels.

    Verse 4 has three elements that are the subjects:
    a. Angels are assumed to have been, at one time, in a state where they had not sinned.
    b. Angels violated the precepts of God, resulting in sin, at some unspecified time.
    c.God did not withhold His judgment from them and He sent them to hell, placed them in pits of darkness and reserved them for future judgmental action.

2. ANCIENT WORLD AND NOAH - Verse 5
In this verse, Peter combines two of the premises stated in Verse 9:
    a. God knows how to rescue the Godly from trials and temptation.
    b. God knows how to judge.

Verse 5 has four elements:
    a. God had precepts that the ancient world knew, through the preaching of righteousness by Noah.
     b. The ancient world violated those precepts, resulting in apostasy and sin.
    c. God judged the entire ancient world by bringing the flood.
    d. God preserved, from judgment and destruction, Noah and seven others. It is implied that He rescued them from the temptations and trials of an ungodly world.

3. SODOM AND GOMORRAH AND LOT - Verses 6-8
In this incident, Peter presents the same two premises as in Verse 5:
    a. God knows how to rescue the Godly from temptation and trials.
    b. God knows how to judge.

Verses 6-8 have four elements:
    a. Sodom and Gomorrah knew the precepts of God as represented in Lot, a righteous man.
    b. Sodom and Gomorrah were ungodly, lawless, sensual and unprincipled resulting in sin.
    c. God judged Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing the cities to ashes, as an example to other ungodly men. The example being that God judges sin.
    d. God rescued Lot from the temptation and trials of the cities because:
      (a) Lot was oppressed by the sensual conduct of the unprincipled men.
      (b) Lot was righteous and his soul was tormented by what he saw and heard regarding the lawless deeds of the men.

All three examples are again examples of apostasy, of leaving one state for another that is unacceptable to God. In that apostasy are activities that will result in judgment by God. God will not fail to judge, and God will not discriminate or give any preferential treatment to the offender even if that offender is an angel. When it is necessary to do so, God can and will preserve His godly representatives from the temptation and trial of an ungodly world around them. Verse 9 states Peter's premise:

1. God knows how to rescue the Godly from trials or temptation.
2. God knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.

All three examples given support one or more of these premises:

1. Angels
    a. Sinned
    b. Became apostate
    c. God preserved them for future judgment
    d. God did not, and will not, fail to judge them
2. Ancient world
    a. God did not fail to judge them
    b. God preserved Noah and seven others who were righteous
3. Sodom and Gomorrah
    a. God did not fail to judge them
    b. God preserved Lot who was a righteous man

The teaching regarding the theory, would also combine the three examples together just as the examples in Jude. Thus, the angels, the ancient world and Sodom and Gomorrah become tied together as one example of a type of sin, namely sexual perversion; the ancient world, in the form of angels going after strange flesh, human women, just as Sodom and Gomorrah went after strange flesh in the form of homosexuality. Yet this entirely corrupts Peter's intent and the message of the examples that he is trying to convey. The examples are not presented as a unified picture of the relation of the angels to the ancient world, but are pictures of the character and nature of God in relation to heaven, men and apostasy. His point is that God judges apostates and God rescues and preserves the righteous from trials in relation to temptation. The examples are not given as to a comparison between themselves, but each is given as a representative of the action of a Holy God in relation to sin, specifically that of apostasy, and to His righteous children in the manner of their preservation. There are five elements shown in the three examples:

1. God did not fail to judge the heavenly realm in the form of His angels who sinned.
2. God did not fail to judge the ancient world who sinned.
3. God did not fail to preserve the righteous of the ancient world through Noah and seven others.
4. God did not fail to judge those in the world after the flood, through the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
5. God did not fail to preserve the righteous in the world, after the flood, through Lot.

It is the intention of Peter that the believers understand the character of God in relation to apostasy and to the temptations that it brings because of its sensual nature. It is certain that elements in the teaching of the apostates would tend to discredit the actions of God. The teaching would be that God does not judge and it is perfectly acceptable to participate in sin because God will always forgive, or that the body is sinful therefore anything done in the body does not matter. Peter's message is in direct opposition to that type of teaching. God is presented as judging both heaven and earth, as seen by the examples, and God does preserve the righteous from the temptation of sensual and lustful sins, as is also seen by the examples.

Peter's comment in Verse 9 states, God knows how to judge "... especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority," (NAS). In this verse may be seen the sin of the ancient world in the indulging of the flesh, the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah in corrupt desires and the sin of the angels in despising authority. It is because these elements represent apostasy, God is especially concerned with apostates. Their character and actions are of note in the verses that follow.

Characteristics of Apostates:
1. They are false teachers, vs. 1.
2. They are already among the believers, vs. 1.
3. They operate secretly or keep themselves concealed, vs. 1.
4. They will teach heresy, vs. 1.
5. They will deny the Master (Christ), vs. 1.
6. They will bring destruction on themselves, vs. 1.
7. Many will follow their teaching: (vs. 2).
    a. They teach a sensual lifestyle, vs 2.
    b. The true gospel will be despised, vs. 2.
8. They are greedy, vs. 3.
9. They exploit others by false worlds and promises, vs 4.
10. They have been judged long ago (by God), vs. 3.
11. Their destruction (by God) is sure, vs. 3.
12. They indulge the flesh, vs. 10.
13. They have corrupt desires, vs. 10.
14. They despise authority, vs. 10.
15. They are daring, vs. 10.
16. They are self-willed, vs. 10.
17. They speak against heavenly things without fear, vs. 10.
18. They do not have understanding like unreasoning animals, vs. 12.
19. They are like creatures who act on instinct and not with reason, fit only to be captured for display or killed, vs. 12.
20. They condemn in areas where they are ignorant, vs. 12.
21. They destroy themselves by their actions, vs. 12.
22. They do wrong and will suffer the penalty of that wrong, vs. 13.
23. They do sinful deeds in the daytime whereas others sin at night, vs. 13.
24. They are stains and blemishes, vs. 13.
25. They celebrate their deception as they carouse with those they have deceived, they make a fool of those they have deceived, vs. 13.
26. They have eyes:
      a. That see opportunities for adultery, vs. 14.
      b. That never cease from seeing opportunities for sin, vs. 14.
27. They take advantage of spiritually weak people, vs. 14.
28. Their hearts are dedicated to greed, vs. 14.
29. They are accursed children, under the wrath of God, vs. 14.
30. They deliberately refuse the right way, vs. 15.
31. They deliberately choose the wrong way, vs. 15.
32. They follow the example of Balaam:
      a. They love money, vs. 15.
      b. Their activity is madness, like Balaam, vs. 15.
33. They are springs who promise water when their is none, vs. 17.
34. They are like mist or clouds, driven about for whom black darkness has been reserved by God, vs. 17.
35. They speak arrogantly of themselves, vs. 18.
36. They entice people who have come into the fellowship by just barely escaping the sinful world, and are weak:
      a. By fleshly desires, vs. 18.
      b. By sensuality, vs. 18.
      c. Promise freedom, from guilt and judgment, vs. 19.
37. They are slaves of their own corruption, vs. 19.
38. They are controlled by their own actions, vs 19.
39. They once had a knowledge of Christ and escaped the defilement of the world:
      a. They entangle themselves in the world again, vs. 20.
      b. This second entanglement is worse than the first, vs. 20.
      c. It would be better not to know the way of righteousness than to know and turn away, vs. 21.

It is in this chapter, and the one to follow, that Peter reveals his motive in the writing to the church. It is a concern for the church in that there will be apostates who will infiltrate the fellowship in order to bring about corruption. The apostates come as deceivers, some of them apparently originating within the fellowship itself. They are not beings from the heavenlies who take the church by force. They are men, just like the constituency of the church. In his letter, Peter implores the readers to remember the reality of God in past history and to remember the words of the prophets and of Christ, spoken through the apostles. It is the contrast that should be remembered. It is a God who does what He says and apostate teachers who say He does not. It is a contrast of prophets and apostles preaching the message of God and that of apostates preaching their own message of lies and deceit. It is the contrast of sins committed in heaven and on earth that God judges and those of apostates who they believe will not be judged. It is the examples of sinful societies that are judged by God, out of which He preserves the godly, physically, morally and spiritually.

It is in this letter that the original communication to the church is seen. The parallels to Jude are striking in that Jude is very much a replica of II Peter, although in a much abbreviated fashion. It can only be assumed that both letters came out of discussions or communications between the apostles or else Jude used II Peter as a template for his letter. Yet, there are examples in both letters that are different. Peter says less about the angels than Jude.

PETER AND JUDE REGARDING ANGELS
Peter:
1. Angels sinned.
2. God did not spare the angels.
3. God committed the angels to pits of darkness.
4. Angels are waiting eventual judgment.

Jude:
1. Angels did not keep their own domain.
2. Angels abandoned their proper abode.
3. Angels are kept in eternal bonds.
4. angels are kept under darkness.
5. Angels are waiting judgment of the great day.

In both letters, the reference to the angels is as an example to believers regarding the character of God in relation to the apostates who are the subject of both letters. God judges apostasy and apostates just as he judged His angels when they sinned. God does not show preferential treatment to any person or group, regardless of origin. Peter shows less concern for when the sin of the angels occurred or what that sin was, because the type of sin is not the reason for the example. The example is to reveal the way God deals with sin. When angels sin, God judges. That is the point and the only reason the example is given. It is not the concern of Peter what the sin was because it did not matter. When angels sin, regardless of the reason or type of sin, God judges. Peter does not make a comparison of the examples he gives. The examples are not illustrations or models of each other. There is no comparison of the angels with the ancient world or Sodom and Gomorrah in order to prove a common type of sin that pervaded each example. Each example is complete in itself because they are being used in order to bring to remembrance the character and integrity of God in relation to the apostates who have no character or integrity. The examples are to show that God judges and preserves in every time and in every place. The examples are from every realm of existence known to man:

1. Heaven
    In heaven, God judges even the angels.
2. World before the flood
    On earth, God judged the ancient world with a flood and preserved Noah, a righteous man, with seven others.
3. World after the flood
    On earth, god judged the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and preserved Lot, a righteous man.

God is shown to be consistent and trustworthy in what He does. No one can say that He does not judge sin in heaven; that He did not judge sin and preserve the righteous before the flood; or that He does not judge sin and preserve the righteous after the flood. Peter's theme is clear, when angels or men sin, God will judge. Because of this attribute of God, the church can be comforted in that God will judge the apostates who will come into the church, and He can also preserve and protect the believers from the temptation and trials that these apostates will bring. Peter gives three examples and one citation:

1. Angels who sinned.
2. Ancient world, Noah and seven others.
3. Sodom and Gomorrah and Lot.
4. Way of Balaam.

In two of the three examples and the citation, Peter references the incidents in the Pentateuch. In the third example, that of the angels, the incident and reference is unclear. Peter assumes that the reader is familiar with the angel incident, just as the reader is familiar with the others, yet the details of the incident are not provided when the origin of the incident is so unclear. In the other incidents, the references in the Pentateuch are numerous and detailed. If the incident was well known, then it must have been well known because of the same reasons that could be applied to the same incident in Jude:

1. Historical knowledge.
2. Teachings from the other apostles.
3. Teachings from scripture outside the Pentateuch.
4. Teachings from secular sources other than historical.
5. Teachings from religious sources outside scripture.

It is because of the apostates that Peter writes and his message is that God judges all sin and God preserves the righteous from temptation. It is because of the examples given that he writes:

II PETER 3:17 (NAS)
"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,"

The message of Peter is the same as that of Jude.

REFERENCE III

I PETER 3 (NAS)

These are unifying verses in relation to the theory. They are used in order to bring Genesis 6:1-2, Jude 6 and II Peter 2:4-10 into an accord or agreement in relation to the theory.

ELEMENTS OF THE VERSES
Verse 4
1. Christ died for sins.
2. Christ died only once.
3. Christ died for all.
4. Christ was just.
5. Christ died for the unjust.
6. Christ died to bring us (believers) to God.
7. Christ died in the flesh.
8. Christ was made alive in the spirit.
9. In which (or whom) (the spirit) Christ made a proclamation
to the spirits now (currently there) in prison.
10. Spirits were disobedient when:
    a. Patience of God was waiting.
    b. During the days of Noah.
  c. During the construction of the ark.
11. A few, eight persons were brought safely though the water in the ark.

These verses are used in support of the theory of the union of angels with human women by the reference to the spirits who are in prison and were disobedient during the time of Noah. By using II Peter 2:4 in connection with Jude 6, the conclusion is that these spirits are the same as the angels in those verses. The connection is ephemeral at best, because it is arguing a connection from an unknown. The scripture makes no reference to a connection of the verses. The connection of these verses, II Peter and Jude to I Peter, is not by direct reference, inference or corollary, but only by speculation. There is wide disagreement as to the identity of the spirits, because the term can refer to humans, angels, demons or divine beings. By looking at the context of each verse in the chapter, it may be of benefit in the identification of the spirits or a determination of their nature, whether human or other.

PRONOUN AND ADJECTIVE REFERENCES IN I PETER 3:1-22

The question must be asked in relation to these verses, does context make a difference or not? Without question, the context of the verses is in relation to man and it is entirely strange that in the middle of the chapter a cryptic reference should be made regarding a proclamation to angels. This would appear to be one of the most classic examples of lifting a reference from context and not only using it as a reference to something else, but attaching references to it from other sources that state no direct connection within the verses themselves. It is what Christ did in relation to man that is the subject of Verse 17 and not what He did in relation to angels. Angels are not the subject of the death of Christ but the spirits or souls of men are. It is the promise of a seed in Genesis 3:15 and a placing of an enmity between the woman and the serpent that sees its fulfillment in the subject of Verse 17; the just Christ dying for the sin of unjust humanity so that He might bring about a reconciliation of believers to God. It is the picture of the fulfillment of the type represented in Abel; righteous Abel dying at the hand of unrighteous Cain, as he was the first to be bruised by Satan, and Christ was the last to be bruised in the flesh but was made alive in or by the Spirit. It may be seen that spiritual life is the key to the carrying of the proclamation. Christ is alive in the Spirit, in contrast to those in prison who are dead in spirit. They are the ones of the deluge, the ones from which God removed His Spirit. It was they who demanded that God be removed from their lives, Job 21:14-15; 22:17, and God did so by withdrawing His Spirit from them in Genesis 6:3. It is these uniquely fallen and sinful humans who could never be redeemed even while they still lived, because God had removed the only means to draw them to Himself, that are seen as spirits in prison, John 6:44. Mankind comes to God only by the grace of God and the Spirit which draws mankind to God, Ephesians 2:16-18. Without the working of the Spirit it is impossible for man to be reconciled to God. God removed His (Holy) Spirit from the lives of the antediluvian when He pronounced the 120 year respite from destruction while Noah built the ark. This is the description of I Peter 3:20, "...who were once disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark ..," (NAS). It is to these ungodly spirits of men, disobedient by rejecting God and wholly corrupt and sinful because there was no restraint of the Spirit in their lives, that Christ goes to proclaim His victory over sin, death, Satan and places Himself in their lives by force as He will be Judge of their deeds on that great day. It is a difficult matter to see the verse as to a proclamation of victory to sinful angels. Their enlightenment has never been the subject of the verses identified and they have never been mentioned before. In Christ's death and resurrection is seen the fulfillment of God's plan to redeem creation. In His work on the cross, Christ has taken back the earth from the fall of Adam and has asserted control and dominion over Satan in his plans to subvert the souls of men. It is Christ's victory over the spiritual death of man that is the subject and the meaning of the atonement. Whereas, in the sins of mankind, physical death was the penalty and eternal spiritual death was the result, in Christ physical death ended in resurrection and spiritual life for all mankind is the result. The proclamation to the spirits was of Christ's triumph and of their judgment stated in Ephesians 2:1-9. The men of faith, the patriarchs, righteous Abel, the godly line of Seth, Enoch and especially Noah are the ones to inherit the work of Christ; they were the ones of faith and trust who are now made alive in Christ. It is those who rejected God, removing Him from their lives so that God removed His Spirit from them, that are now seen as dead in trespasses and sins, Christ proclaiming salvation for the godly and eternal judgment for the ungodly.

It might be asked as to when the Lord removed His Spirit from man? One theory would be that it occurred at the time of the flood. Of course there could be no dissent regarding the fact that the Spirit of God is removed from all unbelievers at their death. However, the concept of the removal of the Spirit, as seen in Genesis, is not a reference to an action at death, but of an action that occurs before death as a judgment. The referrence to the 120 year period is part of the equation, because it is not a reference to a new life span for mankind, but a period of time before the destruction would come in which the Spirit of God would be removed. During that period, mankind would be granted its choice to be without the actions and knowledge of the Spirit of God, Job 21:14-15. Noah was not a preacher against apostasy, but a preacher of righteousness. In effect, there was no one that could receive a message regarding the sin of apostasy after the Spirit had been removed. Prior to the time that the Spirit was removed, Noah was an evangelist, calling mankind to a righteous life, but not condemning apostasy as had been the previous message of Enoch. The world had changed since the time of Enoch when there were still godly people to hear the message regarding the dangers of being an apostate. In the world of Noah, there were no longer any godly individuals to hear the same message, only ungodly individuals who required a call to salvation. It may very well be that when the Spirit of God was removed from humanity, the preaching of Noah ceased. The construction of the ark was the only message being preached, in the form of an object lesson. Even when the animals appeared out of the wilderness and came to Noah, the world still did not take notice or understand the importance of what was happening.

PART II
COMPARISON OF NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES

Verses under consideration:
Jude 6-7
II Peter 2:4-8
I Peter 3:18-20
Matthew 24:37-39
Luke 17:26-29

The verses in Jude 6-7 and II Peter 2:4-8 do not state a reference to the action of angels cohabitating with human women and the verses certainly do not mention that there was a sin committed of that particular nature. The verses must be seen within the framework of the previous verses and the context in which they exist. In both references, the subject is false teachers and apostasy.

In Jude 6, the angels are judged by God because of their willful separation from a place and a relationship with God. In II Peter 2:4, this same incident is described as sin. The point of the verse being, if God does not withhold judgment from His apostate angels, He will not withhold judgment from false teachers and apostates, as noted in Jude 15-16 and also in II Peter 2:9, cf. Psalm 31:23. It is shown that God brings about punishment to those who are apostate even while in the practice of their rebellion, II Peter 2:9, Psalm 31:23, because He knows how to keep them "under punishment" until they appear before Him at the day of judgment. Their punishment being in their separation and estrangement from God and the abandonment of the blessings and care that He would bring into their lives if they were men of faith, II Peter 2:13. This is the doom of the angels because God has not spared even the angels of heaven from being punished until their day of judgment before Christ. God has kept them in hell, in pits of darkness, reserved until He makes the determination of their condemnation by His choice.

The same emphasis, regarding punishment, is noted in II Peter 2:5. The ancient world is judged for its apostasy, however, Noah and his family are preserved by God, because God knows how to judge the unrighteous and also preserve the godly, noted in Verse 9. The apostasy of the ancient world had its end by the direct intervention of God. The blessings that the ancients had, Job 22:18, are removed from them, their civilization lost, their lives ended and their souls lost for eternity. The Spirit of God, who gave them the promise and hope of redemption was withdrawn from them and any hope for redemption was lost, Genesis 6:3. The contrast is between the apostate who is under punishment, who will be judged, and the righteous who God will preserve from the temptations of a perverse world.

The same message is shown in Jude 6-7 and II Peter 2:6-8. God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah even to the point of reducing them to ashes as an example, even then, to those who would live ungodly lives. But, Sodom and Gomorrah are also examples of the grace of God, as expressed in Genesis 18:32, and the power of righteous men, because God said He would not destroy the cities if only ten godly men could be found. The example is forceful, because it is a picture of the true results of apostasy; a society rejecting God to the point where the godly are reduced to the minimum, in this case only Lot, his family being preserved only because of his faith. The picture is also like Noah, he being the only godly person on earth, his family being preserved also, only because of his faith. The illustration of Sodom and Gomorrah is like that of the angels because God punished the angels by placing them in hell and darkness until a day of judgment to come, and Sodom and Gomorrah by bringing on them the direct punishment of death while their souls wait the same judgment to come. The picture is of a God who judges the unrighteous but provides a way for the righteous, II Peter 2:7. God provided a means of safety to Lot, not only for his physical preservation, but also to preserve his righteous sensibilities and relationship to God. This is the true picture seen in the examples; God as judge and God as a preserver of the righteous in opposition to the apostates who would desire to consume the godly with their unprincipled conduct. God knows how to preserve and rescue the godly. This is a great promise of comfort to the church, because the truly righteous will be preserved and protected by God, assuring them of their salvation and appearing before Christ at His appearing, II Timothy 4:17-18; I Thessalonians 5:23-24; II Thessalonians 3:3; I Corinthians 10:13 and Revelation 3:10.

Jude 5 is the singular example that is different from the other references, yet it carries the same message. If God did not spare His covenant people, but judged them for their unbelief, then He will not fail to judge the unbelieving apostates. The examples are like references to each other as they conform to the illustrations presented by Jude and Peter; Peter noting God both judges and preserves and Jude noting that God judges.

There may be a tendency to connect the verses of II Peter 2:4-5 and Jude 6-7 together, making them appear as one coherent incident involving sinning angels conjoined with sinning humanity in the ancient world, however, that is not the point of both illustrations. II Peter 2:4 and Jude 6, in relation to the angels, are open ended regarding the time frame, there being no notation as to when the event took place. II Peter 2:5, in relation to men, is prefaced by a specific time frame, the "ancient world" and the reference to Sodom and Gomorrah, in both books, is known from its historical record in Genesis. It may be easy to propose an answer to the problem of the time frame by tying II Peter 2:4 into I Peter 3:19-20, and making the angels of II Peter 2:4 into the spirits of I Peter 3:19-20. The subject of I Peter 3:19-20 has generated tremendous disputes of its own and the final determination of just who the spirits are in the verse is still to be made. It is a great leap of faith that makes a connection of I Peter 3:19 with Jude 6 and II Peter 2:4. It may very well be that the angels in Jude and II Peter, and the spirits in I Peter are the same as the "sons of God" in Genesis 6:2, but the realization is that these verses do not make that connection and the reasons for their use by Jude and Peter have no relation in kind to that specific incident in Genesis, if indeed it did occur.

There is an interpretation that connects the verses of Jude 6 and 7 together in an attempt to support the theory that the verses indicate that the specific sins of the angels were the same as Sodom and Gomorrah, namely sexual perversity, in going after "strange flesh" by cohabitating with human women. This is necessary in order to support the theory of the union of angels with human women in Genesis 6:2.

The translations leave an ambiguity in all three instances. The KJV and NIV versions would lean toward the examples being those of apostasy in relation to each other as are the subjects of Peter and Jude. The NAS version would tend to support a direct connection of the sins, however, even this is questionable. The uncertainties as to the meanings and the difficulties in interpretation still leave questions regarding the verses. These verses are used as examples of apostasy and resultant judgment in every instance. That is the primary purpose of their use. If there is a secondary purpose, in relating the sins of the angels to the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, then Peter and Jude were remiss in not connecting the sins of Israel and the ancient world also. It seems very strange that Peter and Jude, in view of the subject with which they were dealing, would make an attempt to connect the sins and do it in such an inadequate manner. At the same time, there was no other meaning considered for Israel and the ancient world.

The most compelling references to support the theory are still I Peter 3:18-20 when taken together with II Peter 2:4. However, as has been said, there is a great leap of faith to do so. Even in these verses, nothing is said as to the nature of the sin of the angels. What is most compelling, however, is the fact that the sin of the angels was committed during the time of Noah and they were specially judged by God and bound in pits, chains and darkness.

There is no place in the account of Noah where angels are said to have sinned unless the Genesis 6:2 reference is said to apply to them. However, there may be a discrepancy regarding the time of the occurrence of the sin by the angels. I Peter 3:20 states that the sin of the angels occurred during the time of Noah and specifically during the building of the ark, "when the patience of God was waiting." By this point, the civilization had already been judged and preparations were already being made for the salvation of the godly remnant. If the sin of the angels occurred when mankind began to multiply and have daughters, as stated in Genesis 6:1-2, and as is assumed by the theory, then the verse would indicate that man did not begin to multiply sufficiently or have enough daughters for this sin to occur until after the birth of Noah and specifically until after he began to build the ark. If the ark took approximately 100 years to build, it is hard to believe that mankind had not sufficiently multiplied until the last century of the existence of the civilization. In fact, the civilization was at its very peak during that time and was not just beginning to multiply.

Whatever the sin of the angels in I Peter may have been, it was not the same as the "sons of God" in Genesis 6:1-2. These verses definitely do not apply to the concept of the union of angels with women unless this is a separate event from the one regarding the "sons of God" because of the time differential. If the verses in I Peter 3, II Peter 2 and Jude 6 are said to refer to the same event, then it must very well be that none of them refer to the "sons of God" in Genesis 6, also because of the time differential. There is ample reason to believe that these verses do not apply to the "sons of God" in Genesis 6:2, therefore there is good cause not to believe in a union of angels with human women. Even in the event that there was such a union, it could not have been the cause, nor could it have been a contributing factor in the judgment of the antediluvian world because the judgment of humanity had been pronounced and was in effect prior to this union occurring. If this be the case, then the sin of the angels during the time of Noah, I Peter 3:19-20, is an event that is open ended in the scripture. It does not apply to the "sons of God" in Genesis 6, therefore there is no explanation offered and the reason and type of sin is open to speculation. Were these already fallen angels or did the sin indicate that they fell during the time of Noah? It has always been assumed that the angels fell with Lucifer, either prior to the creation of the earth or during the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Perhaps there was more than one fall of the angels and perhaps they continue to fall, even today. Whatever may be the case, the sin of the angels in I Peter 3:19-20 seems to be a unique event because they were judged specifically, at that time, and chained in darkness while other fallen angels are still free in the earth.

Within the theory are included the references in Matthew 24:37-39 and Luke 17:26-30. These are key verses in establishing the connection between the days of Noah and the days just prior to the return of Christ. They are also key verses used in the theory to establish a future union of angels and human women just prior to the coming of Jesus Christ. However, great damage is done to the theory by the use of these verses, although they are seen in relation to the theory as one of the main sources of confirmation. The supporting conclusion reached in regard to the verses is achieved in a very oblique manner. The reasoning is such:

1. The union of angels and human women occurred in Genesis 6:2, in the time of, or around the time of, Noah.
2. The verses in Matthew and Luke state that the days prior to the coming of Jesus Christ will be just like those in the days of Noah.
3. Therefore, the sin of the union of angels with human women will occur again, prior to the coming of Jesus Christ.

The damage to the theory occurs because none of the verses in Matthew or Luke refer to a union of angels with human women. In fact, the references are to the every day activities of human beings that have nothing to do with angels. What the theory attempts, is to argue a conclusion based on a supposition. Out of that conclusion, the presence of angels is assigned within verses where they have no mention and cannot be seen. The verses themselves define what the days of Noah were and their meaning. In Matthew 24:37-39 and Luke 17:26-30, humanity was doing the following:

1. Eating ...................Matthew and Luke
2. Drinking ................Matthew and Luke
3. Marrying ...............Matthew and Luke
4. Giving in marriage ..Matthew and Luke

In Luke 17:28, there is also given a parallel to Sodom and Gomorrah. Humanity was doing the following:

1. Eating
2. Drinking
3. Buying
4. Selling
5. Planting
6. Building

If there was ever a perfect place to make the connection of the union of angels with human women, these would have been the verses to use. Nowhere is there a connection between the angelic and the human in the verses. The sins of the days of Noah and of Sodom and Gomorrah are seen in the everyday activities of life. It is to these everyday activities that Matthew makes the note, "... and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away ..," 24:39 (NAS). If "they" did not understand, it must be presumed that the angels did not understand also, being ignorant of the God they once served, or else the angels are not included in the term "they". Everything in the lives of humanity was going as always and they expected life to continue that way. It was a life that had totally abandoned God and His precepts. Their entire lives were given over only for their own selfish benefits and the reality of God was forgotten and unknown. In the face of certain and total disaster, they did not know that the real God, who they had rejected, was going to judge them. Their lives continued, without understanding, until the instant the disaster fell. That will be the same attitude and situation when Jesus Christ will return. Humanity will continue in the everyday affairs of their lives, without the presence of the real God. They will abandon Him in the same way and their lives will continue, without understanding, until the instant of His coming.

Instead of providing support for a theory that is imputed into their meaning, the verses in Matthew and Luke provide the most destructive evidence against the theory. In both references, the activities seen are those only of humanity. "They" are humanity and do not include the presence of angels. That is why the sin is apportioned among humanity and why the guilt is seen in man. It was humanity who was eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage, buying, selling, planting and building. It was humanity who was marrying and giving in marriage just like the "sons of God" and "daughters of men" in Genesis 6:2. There are no fallen angels in these verses in Genesis, Matthew or Luke. There are no heavenly beings intruding into the earthly, exerting dominion and control over the physical and spiritual economy of the world. There are no angels marrying human women and teaching humanity the ways of sin. There are no angels fathering a race of gigantic demon-seed beings that God must destroy so they cannot reproduce. Matthew and Luke do not portray the union of angels and human women that produce a race of angel-men that God must destroy a second time. The theory would propose that in Genesis this race of angel-men intruded into humanity, apparently as a surprise to God and a victory for Satan. God's only reaction was to cause their destruction and that of all mankind. Apparently, in Matthew and Luke, even though God knows about the future event, once again the union will occur and God must again kill the grievous progeny. How could God be so remiss as to kill them once and then allow them to be produced again? It is unknown as to just what the lesson is to be learned from the first union, but a second union before the return of Christ defies any spiritual lesson or understanding. Does God not do what is promised, to keep the angels in chains and darkness until the great day, II Peter 2:4, Jude 6? Perhaps there are other angels that have fallen since the first group in Genesis and they are the ones to father the new race. The sin that is actually seen in the verses is the carrying out of everyday life by apostate humanity, abandoning God and eliminating Him from any presence or reference in their lives. The sin is real, the sin is great, the sin is all pervasive and the sin affects every single human being. God sees the sin and consequent results and pronounces the judgment to follow through the preaching of Noah in Genesis and the testimony of Christ and the Church in the New Testament. The preaching and message is rejected, ignored and forgotten in both times. Judgment comes and will come in the future, but humanity does not understand in both instances because they do not know the real God and they do not perceive their sin.

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