II Peter 2

False teachers in the churchesverses 1-3

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 brought them

and bring on 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

lingers not – and their damnation slumbers not

History of God’s dealing with sinners in pastverses 4-11

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 to judgment

AND spared not the old world – BUT saved Noah the eighth person

a preacher of righteousness

bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly

AND turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes

condemned them with an overthrow

making them examples unto those that after

should live ungodly

AND delivered just Lot – vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked

(for that righteous man dwelling among them

in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul

from day to day with their unlawful deeds)

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations

and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished

but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the

lust of uncleanness – and despise government

Presumptuous are they – self-willed

they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities

WHEREAS angels – which are greater in power and might

bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord

False teachers need to be dealt withverses 12-16

BUT these – as natural brute beasts

make to be taken and destroyed

speak evil of the things that they understand not

and shall utterly perish in their own corruption

And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness

as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time

Spots they are and blemishes – sporting themselves with their own

deceivings while they feast on you having eyes full of adultery

and that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls

an heart they have exercised with covetous practices

cursed children – which have forsaken the right way

and are going astray following the way of Balaam

the son of Bosor

who loved the wages of unrighteousness

but was rebuked for his iniquity

the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbade

the madness of the prophet

False teachers promise libertyverses 17-22

THESE are wells without water

clouds that are carried with a tempest

to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever

FOR when they speak great swelling words of vanity

they allure through the lusts of the flesh

through much wantonness

those that were clean escaped from them who

live in error

While they promise them liberty

they themselves are the servants of corruption

for of whom a man is overcome

of the same is he brought in bondage

FOR if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the

knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

they are again entangled therein – and overcome

the latter end is worse with them than the beginning

FOR it had been better for them not to have known the

way of righteousness – than – after they have known it

to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them

BUT it is happened unto them according to the true proverb

The dog is turned to his own vomit again

and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (684 “pernicious” [apoleia] means perdition, destruction, ruin, waste, persistent in evil, perishing or heresies of destruction)

DEVOTION: False teachers can get many followers by their charisma. They sound good. They are emphatic. They are consistent in their presentations of their error. People just like to listen to them usually because their teachings are in agreement with the lifestyle they like to live.

We have many false teachers on radio and television today. They say what the people like to hear and give them good humanistic teaching. Many of them follow the teachings of a man who wanted everyone to think positively. They want you to just think things into being. You are a god unto yourself. You will it and it will happen.

Then along came a man who taught “possibility thinking.” Many people attended his church. He built a great building but taught that there was no such thing as sin. He like many in our pulpits today didn’t teach that all people are sinners who need forgiveness of their sins. They were just committing mistakes which could be improved with work.

One of their main thoughts was that God is love and therefore would not ever condemn anyone. Also they change definitions of what displeased God. Most people never displease God. These are lies.

In Peter’s day there were false Jewish teachers who taught that as long as you believed and were circumcised. These were people who knew the teachings of Jesus but chose to reject it. In fact, they spoke evil of the way of truth.

These individuals would call those who taught the truth false teachers. They would show them some teaching that they were a little off on and then inform the people they needed to follow them because they were the only ones who were teaching the truth of what is necessary to please God.

Remember they were individuals who knew the truth but headed in a different direction. Many people today know what is necessary for salvation but look for another way that makes them less of a sinner and more of someone who really knows the truth.

Always check out the teachings of any teacher by the Word of God. Don’t just take notes and leave them in your Bible. False teachers are leading people to hell that might be thinking they are on their way to heaven.

CHALLENGE: Memorize the Biblical teachings regarding Jesus being the only way to heaven. Even television commentators on secular stations think they are right about who Jesus is but have it wrong. They can write a book about Jesus and teach false doctrine. HE is the only way to heaven!!!

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 9 The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished (4506 “deliver” [rhuomai] means save, rescue, draw out of danger, to draw to oneself, or preserve someone)

DEVOTION: Peter warns of false teachers entering the church. They are going to bring heresies into the church. They are going to deny the Lord. The will speak evil of the way of truth. He wants them to watch out for these teachings and their teachers.

He gives examples of how the LORD judged false teachers in the past. He starts with the fallen angels that followed Satan. He continues with the days of Noah when Noah preached but no one listened. Finally, he illustrated the truth that the LORD deals with false beliefs in the time of Lot.

While the LORD judged these individuals or groups who were not followers of HIM, he also preserved HIS followers. HE rescued Noah and his family during the flood. HE rescued Lot when HE destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Lot lived in a city that didn’t honor the LORD. He was vexed daily by their actions yet he never left the city. His family was lost because of his actions.

The LORD knows how to rescue those who are HIS children from trials that come their way. HE doesn’t say that Christians will not enter into trials but that HE is right there to help them through them. HE always gives a way to escape. Sometimes or most of the time we chose not to escape but try to enjoy sin for a season.

Then the process of confessing our sins to restore fellowship with HIM comes into our life. God wants us to rush away from sin before it takes a hold of us and we yield to the temptation. Are we running from the temptations that the LORD allows in our lives? Are we turning to HIM for help?

The second part of this verse is a warning. Those who are not HIS children are reserved for the Day of Judgment. They are going to be punished. The punishment is eternity in hell. Too often we want people we know to face this day. God doesn’t want anyone to perish but those who refuse HIS offer of salvation are going to be punished.

Our responsibility is to share the truth of the Word of God with them and encourage them to consider the truth of its teachings. Are we presenting the truth of the Word of God to those around us? Do we have a burden for the lost? Do we realize that eternity is a long time?

We want to spend eternity in heaven. Do we want our family members and friends to spend eternity in hell? Our hearts have to be touched by the message of the Holy Spirit to us, so that, we give it to them.

Leave the judging of those outside of Christ to the LORD. HE is going to deal with them in HIS time.

CHALLENGE: Our responsibility is to be a witness to the TRUTH of the Bible and the need for salvation of those around us. We serve a RESURRECTED Savior! Spread the TRUTH!!!

:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. (3913 “madness” [paraphronia] means insanity, lacking the powers of understanding, to not be in one’s right mind, to be insane, folly, or derangement)

DEVOTION: We have the account of this happening in the book of Numbers chapter 22. Here we have an occasion where God worked with an animal to warn a false prophet not to curse Israel.

The children of Moab were descendants of Lot. So they were related to the children of Israel. However, they saw the children of Israel coming into their land and wanted to stop them from coming into their land. They called on Balaam to curse the children of Israel.

They offered him a lot of money to curse the children of Israel but at first he feared the LORD. He was going to Moab to talk with the king but the LORD knew that he was thinking more of the money than of obeying HIM.

So on the way HE sent an angel to kill him regarding what to say to the king of Moab. The donkey saw the angel but Balaam did not. The donkey stopped, so that, the angel didn’t kill Balaam.

Finally, Balaam saw the angel and thanked his donkey and promised not to curse Israel. However, we find that he did suggest that the Moabites send out their women to cause the Israelite men to marry them and worship their false god.

So we have two accounts of this event in the Bible. It was a true event that God can even use animals to help HIM here on this earth.

The key was that we need to listen to God when HE tells us not to do something we shouldn’t do it. Is HE warning you about something in your life that needs to change? CHALLENGE: Our thought life is very important to the LORD and our service to HIM.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. (1402 “in bondage” [douloo] means 1 to make a slave of, reduce to bondage. 2 metaph. give myself wholly to one’s needs and service, make myself a bondman to him. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])

DEVOTION: Is there an area of your life with a besetting sin? Probably most of us have one or more of these. We often rationalize (or even make fun of) our besetting sins because they are so obvious to ourselves and to others. Others we seek to hide from people, because we are so ashamed (as we ought to be!) of them.

Peter here echoes what Paul has said in Romans 6:16-23. We look at freedom as “freedom from restrictions,” but God seeks real moral freedom as “freedom to do what we ought.” The picture here is that we are all servants (or slaves) to something; the question is what we choose to become servants to. This brings up the issue of habits, and habits are ways that we form life decisions (through repetition of a given behavior or thought). For many of us in the West, we are enslaved to our finances and debt, for example.

We typically do not choose to make a decision to get into bondage in one giant step. Usually, we make a decision to sin, and then do it again until it becomes a habit. In the meantime, we rationalize (or lie about) our actions, and it begins to snowball. Before we know it, we are serving sin rather than God.

It is possible to break these sinful habits by the grace and power of God. The first step is to acknowledge before God that we have sinned, and ask Him for His help in breaking the bondage of sin. The next step is usually to develop a habit to replace the habit of sin in our lives. Often this is memorizing and quoting Scripture that deals with the area of our disobedience. As we slowly gain victory one day (and sometimes one hour) at a time, we begin to see God’s work taking shape in our lives. The other thing that usually results in victory of sin is being accountable to at least one other person, and asking them to pray for us to overcome.

CHALLENGE: True freedom in Jesus Christ only comes through obedience to Him. Make one intentional step today to break a sinful habit, and then tell someone else about your decision. (BM)

: 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (1707 “entangled” [empleko] means to become involved with, to interlace, braid in, interweave, or entwine)

DEVOTION: There are many interpretations of the meaning of this verse. We find people who believe that those who say they are believers can lose their salvation because of going back into sin. There are those who think this is talking about the false teachers who know the truth of the Word of God but reject it. It is even stated that these are individuals who heard both the false teachers and the true presentation of the Gospel and would rather follow the false teachers because that fits their lifestyle.

The final group is those who have recently become believers who were thinking of listening to the false teachers. Peter is warning them that they all the other group could become worse off than those who were genuine believers.

I believe that someone who has genuinely become a follower of Jesus Christ will be chastened of the LORD if they start heading in the wrong direction. HE will chasten them with weakness and sickness. If a genuine believer continues to not respond to the chastening of the LORD the LORD will take him to heaven and he will be saved “yet so as by fire.”

Those false teachers and false believers who are not chastened of the LORD will receive a greater judgment for teaching others the wrong way to heaven. They will be like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day that make their disciples twofold more a child of hell then themselves. It is sad but true.

Work with those who are genuine believers to stay true to their commitment to the LORD. Work with those who are listening to false teachers by giving them the true teachings of Jesus.

CHALLENGE: Warn about people who are into religious for the money or prestige.

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Holy Commandmentverse 21

True proverbverse 22

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Godverse 4

God cast down angels that fell to hellverse 4

God delivered fallen angels to chains of darknessverse 4

God spared not old worldverse 5

God bringing a floodverse 5

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Lordverses 1, 9, 11, 20

Lord that bought Christiansverse 1

Lord knows how to deliver godly out of temptationverse 9

Lord knows how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punishedverse 9

Saviorverse 20

Jesus verse 20

Christverse 20

Lord and Savior Jesus Christverse 20

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Angelsverses 4, 11

Angels that sinnedverse 4

Angels cast down to hellverse 4

Angels in chainsverse 4

Angels reserved for judgmentverse 4

Angels greater in power and mightverse 11

bring not railing accusation

before the Lord

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Noah – saved by Godverse 5

Eighth person

Preacher of righteousness

Sodomverse 6

Gormorrhaverse 6

Lotverse 7

Balaam – son of Bosorverses 15, 16

wages of unrighteousness

rebuked for his iniquity

madness of prophet

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

False prophetsverse 1

False teachersverse 1

Damnable heresiesverse 1

Denying the Lordverse 1

Pernicious waysverse 2

Way of truth evil spoken ofverses 2, 12

Covetousnessverse 3

Feigned wordsverse 3

Merchandise of peopleverse 3

Sinnedverse 4

Ungodlyverses 5, 6

Filthy conversationverse 7

Wickedverse 7

Vexedverse 8

Unlawful deedsverse 8

Unjustverse 9

Walk after the fleshverse 10

Lust of uncleannessverse 10

Despise governmentsverse 10

Presumptuousverse 10

Self-willedverse 10

Speak evil of dignitiesverse 10

Natural brute beastsverse 12

Speak evilverse 12

Unrighteousness is pleasureverse 13

Riotverse 13

Deceivingverse 13

Feast on believersverse 13

Eyes full of adulteryverse 14

Sinverse 14

Beguiling unstable soulsverse 14

Covetous practicesverse 14

Cursed childrenverse 14

Forsaken the right wayverse 15

Gone astrayverse 15

Following the way of Balaamverse 15

Wages of unrighteousnessverse 15

Iniquityverse 16

Great swelling words of vanityverse 18

Lust of the fleshverse 18

Wantonnessverse 18

Live in errorverse 18

False promise of libertyverse 19

Servants of corruptionverse 19

Overcome othersverses 19, 20

Bondageverse 19

Entangledverse 20

Turned from the holy commandmentsverse 21

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Way of truthverse 2

Righteousnessverse 5

Justverse 7

Righteous soulverse 8

Godlyverse 9

Temptationverse 9

Escaped pollution of worldverse 19

Knowledge of the Lordverse 20

Way of righteousness verse 21

Holy commandmentverse 21

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

False prophets in Israelverse 1

Church (New Testament people of God)

False teachers in churchverse 1

Last Things (Future Events)

Swift destructionverse 1

Judgmentverse 3

Damnation slumbers notverse 3

Angels cast them down to hellverse 4

Chains of darknessverse 4

Reserved unto judgmentverse 4

Day of Judgmentverse 9

Utterly perish in their own corruptionverse 12

Reward of unrighteousnessverse 13

Mist of darkness is reserved for eververse 17

Later end is worseverse 20

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QUOTES regarding passage

First, there is a glad word for the saint: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (2:9a). Peter has just given three examples of God’s judgment on apostate societies. The judgment seems to us to have been slow in coming, but, from God’s viewpoint, it was both swift and sure.

After the Flood, God felt it necessary to reassure Noah and his family. We can well imagine that, were it not for that fact, every time the storm clouds built up and the thunder rolled, the survivors of the Flood would feel imperiled. Was it going to happen all over again? God graciously put the rainbow in the sky as a sign of well-being and pledged His Word that never again would He send such a universal flood upon the earth (Gen. 9:1–17).

It is this same kindness of God that prompts Him now, through the pen of Peter, to give a different kind of guarantee but one that is equally important: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations.” Well may the apostates tremble, although as a rule they are too blind and hardened to do so; the godly do not need to fear. God knows how to rescue them, even though they are surrounded by temptation.

In Peter’s day, the attack was on from both without and within. Without were Nero and his henchmen; within were the apostates with their subtle lies. The Lord delivered Noah. The Lord delivered Lot. The Lord was well able to preserve His own in their terrible trials. He could give them both the courage necessary to face the persecution without and the conviction necessary to overcome the subversion within. We have His Word for it, too, that He will never let us be tempted beyond our capacity (1 Cor. 10:13).

This glad word for the saint is accompanied by a sad word for the sinner: “and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2:9b). The word for “reserve” is used of those who are being kept under guard against the day of retribution. The word for “punished” tells us that the people causing all of the trouble are already being checked and restrained. They cannot escape. Their case has already been referred to the Supreme Court to be taken up on the C ay of Judgment. The Great White Throne Judgment awaits them. It might seem as though they are getting away with their wicked behavior, but the reverse is true. Sometimes retribution overtakes the wicked in this life, but as often as not they seem to get away with it—down here (Pss. 37:1–22; 73:1–20). Retribution is sure and inescapable over there because their doom is deserved. (9 Peter states the main point next. It is one of abiding comfort. “The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials.” Suffering Christians anywhere and at any time can find consolation in the fact that their Lord knows all about their plight. Furthermore “the Lord knows how … to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment” (italics mine). Immediate judgment of sinners is only the beginning. Temporal judgments, death, and “being in torment” in Hades (Luke 16:23) do not exhaust the divine wrath. A great Judgment is yet future (Rev 20:11–15) followed by the “second death” (Rev 20:14)—the lake of fire. (Blum, E. A. (1981). 2 Peter. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation (Vol. 12, p. 279). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

The Lord knoweth how (οἰδεν κυριος [oiden kurios]). The actual apodosis of the long protasis begun in verse 4. God can deliver his servants as shown by Noah and Lot and he will deliver you. The idiomatic use of οἰδα [oida] and the infinitive (ρυεσθαι [ruesthai] present middle and see verse 7) for knowing how as in Matt. 7:11; James 4:17. The godly (εὐσεβεις [eusebeis]). Old anarthrous adjective (from εὐ [eu] and σεβομαι [sebomai], to worship), in N. T. only here and Acts 10:2, 7 (by Peter). For temptation (πειρασμου [peirasmou]) see James 1:2, 12; 1 Pet. 1:6. To keep (τηρειν [tērein]). Present active infinitive of τηρεω [tēreō] after οἰδεν [oiden]. Unrighteous (ἀδικους [adikous]). As in 1 Pet. 3:18. Under punishment (κολαζομενους [kolazomenous]). Present passive participle of κολαζω [kolazō], old verb (from κολος [kolos], lopped off), in N. T. only here and Acts 4:21. Present tense emphasises continuity of the punishment. See κολασιν αἰωνιον [kolasin aiōnion] in Matt. 25:46. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (2 Pe 2:9). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)

2:7–9. Peter had spoken (v. 5) of one deliverance (of Noah and his family); now he cited another, God’s rescue of Lot. Here again is an interesting New Testament commentary on a familiar Old Testament passage (cf. comments on v. 5). In Genesis 19 Lot hardly comes across as a righteous man; possibly godliness was not a consistent mark in his daily conduct. But in his standing before God he was a justified man (“righteous,” occurring three times in 2 Peter 2:7–8, is dikaion, “justified”). This is evidenced by the fact that Lot was distressed (kataponoumenon, “tormented, oppressed”; used only here and in Acts 7:24 in the NT) by the enormity of iniquity all around him. The people in those twin cities were filthy (en aselgeia, “in sexual debauchery”; in 2 Peter 2:2 aselgeia is trans. “shameful”), lawless (athesmōn, “unprincipled”; used only twice in the NT: here and in 3:17), and involved in lawless (anomois, “without any standard or law”) deeds. Besides being distressed, Lot was also tormented (ebasanizen, “tortured, tormented”; cf. Matt. 8:29) in his righteous soul (lit., “he tormented [his] righteous soul”). Seeing and hearing about all their vile ways day after day grieved Lot to the point of inner torture.

In 2 Peter 2:9 the point of his words in verses 4–9 unfolds. The Lord knows how to rescue the righteous and to punish the unrighteous. That God can deliver the godly … from trials is a source of comfort to believers, exemplified by Noah and his seven family members and Lot and his wife and daughters. On the other hand God holds (tērein, “keeps under guard”) the unrighteous for the coming day of judgment (cf. 3:7), the great white throne judgment and the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11–15). Meanwhile God continues their punishment in this life (cf. Rom. 1:27b) and in hades after death (Luke 16:23). The participle kolazomenous (“punishing, injuring”) is another of Peter’s words that occurs only once in the New Testament. (Gangel, K. O. (1985). 2 Peter. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 871). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

2:9 to rescue the godly from temptation. The Gr. word for “temptation” can mean “an attack with intent to destroy” (cf. Mk 8:11; Lk 4:12; 22:28; Ac 20:29; Rev 3:10) and refers to severe divine judgment. The pattern of the plan of God is to rescue the godly before His judgment falls on the wicked. to keep the unrighteous. The wicked are kept like prisoners awaiting the sentencing that will send them to their eternal prison (cf. v. 4). The final judgment on the wicked is called the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11–15) where all the ungodly of all the ages will be raised, judged finally, and cast into the lake of fire. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Pe 2:9). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

9. The Lord knoweth, &c. That is, the cases referred to show that God is able to deliver his people when tempted, and understands the best way in which it should be done. He sees a way to do it when we cannot, though it is often a way which we should not have thought of. He can send an angel to take his tempted people by the hand; he can interpose and destroy the power of the tempter; he can raise up earthly friends; he can deliver his people completely and for ever from temptation, by their removal to heaven.

And to reserve the unjust. As he does the rebel angels, ver. 4. The case of the angels shows that God can keep wicked men, as if under bonds, reserved for their final trial at his bar. Though they seem to go at large, yet they are under his control, and are kept by him with reference to their ultimate arraignment. (Barnes, A. (1884–1885). Notes on the New Testament: James to Jude. (R. Frew, Ed.) (p. 243). London: Blackie & Son.)

Ver. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly, &c.] That fear him, as the Syriac version renders it; or that rightly worship, as the Arabic; such as Noah and Lot, men that know God in Christ spiritually and experimentally; that believe in him, love him, fear him, worship him in spirit and truth, and live soberly, righteously, and godly. This verse is a conclusion from the preceding instances and examples, respecting both the mercy and justice of God; the mercy of God in delivering the godly and righteous out of temptations; by which are meant, not the temptations of Satan to sin, distrust, and despondency, though the Lord knows how, and is both able and willing to, and does deliver them from them; but afflictions and tribulations, such as Noah and Lot were exposed to; and which are so called, because they try the graces, particularly the faith and patience of the godly; and to deliver from these is the Lord’s work: he grants his presence in them; he supports under them; he sanctifies them to them, and in his own time delivers out of them; for he knows how, and by what means, and when to do it, and is both able and willing: he has determined to do it, for the nature, measure, and duration of afflictions are fixed by him, and in his providence he does do it, as the instances before given prove. And to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. This is that part of the conclusion from the above premises, respecting the justice of God; and by the unjust are designed, persons without a righteousness, and that are full of all unrighteousness, and take pleasure in it, and live unrighteous lives, committing acts of injustice, both with respect to God and men; and the Lord, that has reserved the fallen angels in chains of darkness unto judgment, knows how to reserve in prison, as the Arabic version renders it, the souls of those in hell, and their bodies in the grave unto the day of judgment; of the last and general judgment, when Christ shall judge both quick and dead, and bring every secret thing to light, which that day shall declare, God has appointed to judge the world in; in order to be punished in soul and body, with everlasting and complete destruction, which, as yet, is not. This phrase, the day of judgment, is used in Judith 16:17 and is a Jewish one. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 3, p. 599). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

FROM MY READING:

Daily Bread: One bumper sticker I saw recently, however, gently challenged my heart about the way I often engage life. The sticker simply said, “Too blessed to complain.” (Bill Cowder)

Those who live by God’s truth enter into more and more freedom, but those who live by lies experience more and more bondage, until “the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” (2 Peter 2:20). This reminds us of our Lord’s parable in Matthew 12:43–45, the truth of which parallels what Peter has written. Temporary reformation without true repentance and rebirth only leads to greater sin and judgment. Reformation cleans up the outside, but regeneration changes the inside. (Warren Wiersbe)

ACCEPTING AN SUBMITTING
The common people heard him gladly. Mark 12:37
If it were a matter of understanding and abstract reasoning, then this Gospel of the New Testament and salvation would just be for a handful of people in this world. You would have to be an expert philosopher; you would have to go to colleges and universities to be trained in philosophy. So there would be no gospel for the common, ordinary man. But thank God, here is a Gospel that tells us that “the common people heard him gladly.”
Philosophers cannot preach to the poor; the poor could not follow them, and all the Greek philosophers have nothing to say to such people. But the Gospel is preached to the poor. Here, then, is a proof of the whole thing. It is not understanding that is essential—it is accepting and submitting; it is giving yourself to Jesus Christ.
So we see that the message of the Gospel is that if you are in trouble and in difficulty about Him, don’t stop with arguing and going around in circles. I say this with feeling because I have known myself what that means. I did it for years, arguing and reasoning, and you come back exactly to where you began. I do not hesitate to say that if you persist in trying to understand the essence of this Gospel, you will die in the same position as you are now—you will never understand. Do what John the Baptist did—go to Christ as you see Him in the Gospels.
That is why, by the grace of God, the Gospels have been written. We cannot go see Christ in the flesh, but we can go to the Gospels and have a look at Him. And this is what we see: We are struck by the way He expounds the Scriptures in a way no one ever did before.
A Thought to Ponder: It is not understanding that is essential—it is accepting and submitting; it is giving yourself to Jesus Christ.
(From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 20-21, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

Joshua 3

God miraculously parts the Jordan River for the people of Israel to cross over.

INSIGHT

There are two times in history when God parts water for the Israelites-once at the Red Sea as they flee from the Egyptian army and again at the Jordan River as they enter the Promised Land.

The Red Sea experience receives more acclaim, but the Jordan River experience is just as miraculous. The water parts for a distance of almost 20 miles as the nation passes over on dry ground during the flood stage.

God is faithful to accomplish His good purposes for His people. (Quiet Walk)

Preciousness
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
The verses leading up to our text explain why we are so special in God’s eyes. We find the key in verse 7, which literally reads, “For you, therefore that believe is the preciousness,” since the Greek word is a noun and not an adjective. But what is this preciousness? The word means honor or honorableness, and in slightly different forms is so translated in 1 Peter 1:7 and 3:7. But whose honor or worthiness is being discussed in this passage?
Peter answers both of these questions in the immediate context. Speaking of the Lord, he calls Him “precious…a chief corner stone, elect, precious” (1 Peter 2:4, 6). Christ, in God’s eyes, is precious. “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Why is He precious? For His purity, love, desire for God’s will, etc.—all the ways (and more) in which we are not precious.
If we choose to remain in disobedient unbelief (1 Peter 2:7), the stone is made “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word” (v. 8). Christ, God’s beloved Son, and His atoning blood are so precious to God that there is a limit to His patience toward those who reject them. God will not allow His Son to be “disallowed” or disobeyed without penalty. Worthlessness is the state of those who reject, and judgment awaits them.
If we disbelieve, we have no hope, but “he that believeth on him shall not be confounded [literally, ‘shall positively not be disappointed’]” (v. 6). Our faith is well-founded. If we place our trust in Him, His preciousness is transferred to us. When God the Father looks at one who truly believes, He sees not only Christ’s sinlessness, He sees His preciousness. (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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