Epistle of Second Peter & Jude VII

Fred R. Coulter—December 9, 1995

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Let me mention that we are not going to go through the book of Jude separately. We are going to take the book of Jude side-by-side or end-to-end as we go through 2-Peter, the second chapter, as we have done so far. Let me just review the six categories of prophets that we covered last time, and then we will get right into the combination 2-Peter and Jude section.

• true prophet/true teachings
• true prophet/true and misapplied or deficient teachings
• true prophet/true and false teachings
• false prophet/nearly true or true-sounding teachings
• false prophet/false and few true teachings
• false prophet/false teachings

Let's come to Jude 5—study translation that I have done to try and help make it more understandable and readable, and hopefully a little more accurate than certain sections of the King James Version of the Bible. I do not intend anything grandiose out of it, but it's just something to help us to really study and to know and learn the Word of God a little bit better.

Jude 5: "But I personally want to remind you… [Remember how that ties in with 2-Peter 1 where he said 'I'm putting you in remembrance; I'm going to have for you to remember always after my demise.' We are dealing with a time when people were forgetting. They were forgetting the Gospel that was preached, how it was preached, the basics that were there.] …though you once understood this… [We're going to see how he divides down these major sins, and the categories of them, as we go through here.] …that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, in the second place destroyed those who did not believe."

This is telling us something very important: You can lose salvation if you turn your back on God!

2-Peter 2:4—What he's talking about in Jude 5 is Israel—the nation of Israel—the 12 tribes. Here in 2-Peter he's talking about something even greater. "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned…" Angels are greater than human beings, but even God gives them free moral agency and choice, and some of them sinned. We won't go through the whole account of everything that is there, but according to Rev. 12 the 'tail of the serpent drew a third part of the stars of heaven,' which is symbolic of the angels that went with Satan. Rev. 12:9 it says that Satan and his angels fought against Michael and his angels.
"…but, having cast them into Tartarus… [that is the actual Greek word: 'tartaroo' and translated hell, and in this case this hell is not an ever-burning hell, but a place of restraint. It's a place where they are held captive.] …delivered them into chains of darkness… [totally cut off from God; totally restrained and put away and cut off from God] …to be kept for the judgment" (v 4).

Now, Jude 6: "And the angels who did not keep their own original domain, but deserted their habitation, He is hold in eternal bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." There's one important aspect of the Last Great Day that I think that we have not been covering, and that is of the judgment of Satan and the demons. That is a very important aspect of the Last Great Day.

Let's look at this, let's go back and analyze each of three verses here. First of all, look at Israel; let's go to Numbers, the fourteenth chapter. As we're going through this, especially when we get to Baalim and Korah, all of those are in the book of Numbers. The book of Numbers is really quite a tragic book. I mean, when you read the whole thing it's one horrendous problem upon another.

What is being said here in Jude 5 is—talking about Israel—that even a whole nation, if they all sin, is going to be judged of God. And let's see why; let's see what their sin actually was. We're going to see that it was more than just rebellion, as you have commonly heard in the past: speaking against Moses and speaking against Aaron.

Numbers 14:1: "And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried. And the people wept that night…. [an all night affair] …And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the whole congregation said to them, 'Oh that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or, Oh that we had died in the wilderness! And why has the LORD brought us into this land to fall by the sword so that our wives and our children should be a prey? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?''" (vs 1-3). Now they're accusing God:

1. of lying
2. of taking them out of Egypt under false pretenses.

God is willing to forgive many sins, but don't accuse God! Should God be accused?

• The One Who is perfect!
• The God Who is love.
• The God Who is perfection.
• The God Who is righteous!
• The God Who is Holy!

Here's the whole lesson for us. As Paul said, these things were examples so that we don't do after them. Even though things may be going tough, don't accuse God! Let's look at the rest of this here:

Verse 4: "And they said one to another, 'Let us make a leader, and let us return into Egypt.'" (v 4). Going right back into Egypt; right back into where they were—abandoning God—abandoning Moses and just going off on their own. They were in a little bit different situation, as you know; because what did they have perpetually before their very eyes every moment of every day? Either the pillar of cloud or the fire by night! Every moment of every day! And furthermore, everyday in the morning for six days a week there was manna! So, accusing God of this becomes really a very miserable and hateful thing.

Notice the reaction of Moses and Aaron. They knew God! Verse 5: "And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel." I think that means more than just bowing their face to the ground. I think this is laying flat, prostrate! I mean, you can't get any lower than this.

Verse 6: "And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those that searched the land, tore their clothes." This was a tremendous thing that was happening. As we go through, I want you to think of spiritual parallels within the Church today. Think of the attitudes that come down.

Verse 7: "And they spoke to all the company of the children of Israel saying, 'The land which we passed through to scout out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey" (vs 5-8).

Now let's take and look at the other side of the coin here. How about all the Canaanites that were in the land. I imagine they thought that Baal and Ashtoreths were really blessing them. Really giving them a bountiful and good land, that all of their rituals to Baal and Ashtoreth produced all this good stuff. Whereas, God was preparing it for the children of Israel.

That's why it is such a deceptive thing to look around at your circumstances and environment and think: 'My I must be right with God because I have all this.' Remember the parable of the farmer/rancher who had such bountiful crops. He had more than he could hold. All of his barns were bursting, and he said, 'What am I going to do? I'm going to build new barns and I'm going to store this up and I'm going to say, Soul, hug myself, love myself—have a wonderful time.' And God says, 'Fool, your soul is going to be required of you this night.' So, never look to the physical circumstances around you! Always look to your spiritual relationship with Christ!

Comment was made: Just reminded of, remember 'Nebby'—Nebuchadnezzar—he bragged and boasted. One of the most important things we all need to remember, always: We have nothing we didn't receive!—physically or spiritually.

Here they had a chance to repent—didn't they? They could have said to Moses and Aaron and Joshua and Caleb, 'Yes, you're right. We're really being stupid in this.' But they didn't because this went on all night.

Verse 9: "'Only do not rebel against the LORD, neither fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.'…. [Listen! What does it say? If God be for you who can be against you?Nothing can!] …But all the congregation said to stone them with stones…." (vs 9-10).

That was the last straw! There they were taking this all into their hands—right? This is not a lynch mob, this is a stone mob. If you have thousands of people out there—and there are lots and lots of stones out there in the desert—and you pick up these stones and you start hurling them, my you're going to be out of it!

Now God intervened instantly: "…And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel…. [that stopped the whole thing.] …And the LORD said to Moses, 'How long will this people provoke Me? And how long will it be before they believe Me, for all the signs which I have shown among them?" (vs 10-11).

Can you imagine how it was? How you would feel? Just put yourself in Moses' shoes/sandals, and just picture yourself standing up alongside the Red Sea. And it's not like this stupid movie The Ten Commandments. It's a pretty good movie, but their depiction of the Red Sea is really very narrow-minded. What had to happen, the Red Sea had to dry out for a long space; probably 7-10 miles long, because the Israelites took a flanking move and all went across, and they were across in just a very short period of time.

Can you imagine doing what God said, hold the rod over it and God would cause the dry ground to appear. So, here comes the dry ground and you look all the way down on either side and it's dry! Now you know why Pharaoh went in there; he didn't see the water at either end. He thought this was a permanent thing. Just that one miracle alone, if you let it sink into your brain real deeply, you're going to fear God, let alone all the other things that were done. How about the death of the firstborn? How about the giving of the manna? My! My!

Verse 12: "'I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them…'" Think of this spiritually. As we're thinking about this complaining and accusing God, what was the sin of the man who received the one talent? Remember that (Matt. 25) one received five, one received two, one received one. What was the sin of the man who received one? He accused God! He said, 'I know.' But God is not that way. God is loving, merciful, kind and long-suffering—is He not? But he wanted to accuse God to relieve himself of his responsibility; and say, 'God, You're responsible for my inaction.' That is not correct! Same way here—and God gave it to him in the first place.

"'…and will make of you a greater nation and mightier than they'" (v 12).

Can you think of anyone who would say, 'God, I'm so glad that You know I'm important. Go ahead, kill them all; you do it with me because I'm such a good guy.' NO! Moses didn't do that. Notice what Moses did. Now this shows another thing, too. How strongly can you reason with God? As strong as you need to! But you don't need to accuse Him.

Verse 13: "And Moses said to the LORD, 'Then the Egyptians will hear, for You have brought up this people in Your might from among them. And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, LORD, are among this people, Who is seen eye to eye. You are the LORD, and Your cloud stands over them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. And will You kill this people as one man? Then the nations who have heard Your fame will speak, saying, "Because the LORD was not able…"'" (vs 13-16).

This is some pretty strong reasoning. He didn't say, 'God, You're not able.' He's saying, 'Just think what they're going to think, and think what they're going to say.' That's different.

"'"…to bring this people into the land which He swore to them, therefore He has slain them in the wilderness." And now, I beseech You, let the power of my LORD be great, according as You have spoken, saying… [What did he appeal to?] …"The LORD is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression…"'" (vs 16-18). What is he repeating? He's repeating what God told him when He revealed Himself in Exo. 34. This was after another one of these fiascos that they had.

Exodus 34:5: "And the LORD came down in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but Who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, to the third and to the fourth generation.''" (vs 5-7). But then He says in the second commandment that 'He extends His blessings to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments.'

Numbers 14:18—here again he's reiterating this: "The LORD is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation." Notice how he approaches God when he finalizes his request: What does he do? He uses God's own words! Why is that important in approaching God? Because God spoke those words and He will back those words up, and when you ask according to the will of God, He will do it! Because He spoke it! That's why that's very important. This gives us a good example of how to reason with God.

Verse 19: "'I beseech You, pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your mercy, and as You have forgiven this people from Egypt even until now.'…. [This sounds almost like the plea of Abraham when he was bargaining for Lot's family's life.] …And the LORD said, 'I have pardoned according to your word'" (vs 19-20).  How ready is God and will is God to forgive? There it is, instantly! He didn't say, 'Well, come back in three days and I'll let you know; let Me think this over here a little bit, Moses.' NO! He said, 'I've pardoned according as you asked.'

One of the things you have here is that even though God will forgive sin—which He does; even though He's desirous to forgive sin—which He is; He does not want anyone accusing Him, and He is not going to stand for people going around and abusing His forgiveness and abusing His grace. He forgave the sins so they wouldn't die in that minute, because that's what God proposed. 'I'll kill them all as one man right now, Moses, and I'll stand by you.' No, He says—after Moses beseeched Him—'I forgive them according to your word.'

Psalm 86:1: "Bow down Your ear, O LORD, answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am Holy; O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You. Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I cry unto You all day long. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O LORD, do I lift up my soul, for You, LORD, are good and ready to forgive, and rich in mercy to all those who call upon You…." (vs 1-5).

That's a powerful Psalm, brethren! Powerful words! This helps us understand how we need to approach God, and how God is willing to intervene and help us. And He is!

Verse 6: "Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me" (vs 6-7).

How much different would it have been if they would have said, 'Magnificent, the Lord is with us! We see this cloud every day and this pillar of fire every night and God is with us! We saw what He did to the Egyptians. We saw what He did to the Red Sea. Let's go in and take the land.' What a different story—My! My! But it also shows how people can get carried away with their free choice.

Numbers 14:20: "And the LORD said, 'I have pardoned according to your [Moses'] word. But truly, as I live…'" (vs 20-21). Understand something very profound and important: When God says, 'As I live' He's basing what He's going to say on His very eternal existence.

"'…all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD…. [That's the ultimate goal of God! Fulfilled in Rev. 21-22.] …Because all those men who have seen My glory and My miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice, surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it. But My servant Caleb…'" (vs 21-24).

Verse 26: "And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 'How long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmurs against Me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel which they murmur against Me'" (vs 26-27).

This should never, never, be translated and transferred from God to any church leader—never! This is no comparison. Never put complaining against a human being in the same realm as complaining against God, because that is not so. If you're truly complaining against God then you are truly complaining against Him. But one of the big sins of the past was: 'we're going to shut the mouths of the brethren; we are going to put them down, because any criticism coming to the ministry is like criticizing God. NO, it is not! We need to be able to sit down and reason together if there is a difficulty. And the pulpit should never, never be used for that.

Verse 28: "Say to them, 'As I live,' says the LORD, 'as you have spoken in My ears… [God is going to judge you out of your own mouth, just like He did the servant who had the one talent. He said, 'I'm going to judge you out of your own mouth.'] …so I will do to you. Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against Me, you shall certainly not come into the land which I swore to make you dwell in, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which you said should be a prey, I will bring them in…'" (vs 28-31). Completely reversing the judgment—right?

"'…and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall feed in the wilderness forty years and bear your whoredoms… [That's an interesting definition—isn't it? When you accuse God it's just like whoredoms.] … until your dead carcasses have been consumed in the wilderness'" (vs 31-33). That must have been every day; I wonder how many we're going to bury today? Every day someone died. That must have been something!

Verse 34: '''According to the number of the days in which you searched the land—forty days—each day for a year you shall bear your iniquities, forty years; and you shall know my displeasure of this generation. I the LORD have spoken it; I will surely do it to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. They shall be destroyed in this wilderness, and there they shall die.' And the men whom Moses sent to scout out the land, who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report upon the land, even those men that brought up the evil report upon the land died by the plague before the LORD" (vs 34-37). Doesn't pay to accuse God! Just doesn't!

Now let's go to Deuteronomy, the first chapter, and see what they did. There comes a time when you can't get repentance. There comes a time when you may make your heart so hard you can't get repentance. Remember what happened to Esau. Not only did he sell his birthright, turned his back on God, but also he was in hatred and vehemence against Jacob. Then he couldn't repent. 'Though he sought it carefully, with tears' (Heb. 11). Just exactly like the lake of fire—there's going to be what?—weeping and gnashing of teeth! So, while there is life, while there is sensitivity, always remember: keep a tender heart that you may always repent! That's what we all need. Not a fake repentance, so you can continue doing evil—we've seen that, too.

Deuteronomy 1:36: "Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him I will give the land that he has trodden upon, and to his sons because he has fully followed the LORD…. [There's the whole key. God wants us to wholly follow Him. To love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and being; to seek Him with our whole heart. Put all of those things together.] …Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, 'You also shall not go in there'" (vs 36-37). And Aaron's going to bring a sermon as to why it was more than just pounding the stick on the rock when he was told a command.

Verse 38: "Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Make him strong, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. And your little ones…" (vs 38-39). It's just like in a court scene: When the person who is guilty is finally sentenced, he doesn't believe that the sentence is coming down. So, he wants to do something to mitigate the sentence. This is what the children of Israel were doing here.

"'…who you said would be a prey, and your children who in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in there. And I will give it to them, and they shall possess it. But you turn and take your journey back into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea.' And you answered and said to me, ;We have sinned against the LORD… [too late!] …we will go up and fight according to all that the LORD our God commanded us." And when each one of you had buckled on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the hill'" (vs 38-41).

Now here's another thing, a lesson that we've learned before over and over again: you cannot accomplish spiritual things by physical means. To get into the land was a spiritual thing, and God would fight for them. They thought: 'We'll just put on our weapons of war and we'll go up there and we'll just take it. God, we repent, bye-bye, thank You.' Slam!

Verse 42: "But the LORD said to me, 'Say to them, "Do not go up, nor fight, for I am not among you, you will be beaten by your enemies."'" I can add here: he who has an ear, let him hear. If you're being smitten before your enemies and God is not with you, you're in terrible shape.]

Verse 43: "So I spoke to you. And you would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill. And the Amorites who lived in that mountain came out against you and chased you, even as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, to Hormah. And you returned and wept before the LORD. But the LORD would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear to you" (vs 43-45). You end up accusing God! That's why Jude mentioned this. This is an important lesson. Even a whole nation is going to be punished. Even a whole generation is going to be punished if they accuse God and turn their backs on Him. Just put in your notes Heb. 3 & 4, which has to do with provoking God in the wilderness and not believing Him. And we are told to be careful what the deceitfulness of sin does not come against us.

Now, let's consider the angels. We're dealing with major categories here: angels who sinned. Just put in your notes: Rev. 12, when the rebellion took place—took a third of the angels; Ezek. 28, Satan was created perfect and then sin was found in him.

Isaiah 14 is the attitude that we want to cover here, and this is an attitude by choice. We're responsible for those things. And we know from other things in the Scriptures that this took place before the creation as recorded in Gen. 1-2. That takes a little bit of discovering to go through and understand and put that together correctly, but it did happen then. And the geologic timetable really shows that it did occur.

I was talking to a woman in Salt Lake City and she is studying geology, and they're getting into a very sophisticated kind of geology and paleontology, and she says the more that she studies it the more that it confirms what we have taught out of the Bible that there was the first civilization of angels and it was destroyed—and then there was the re-creation of the earth and man and his civilization and the story of the Flood of Noah. There is a geological succession: two floods, two dyings. That's how profound God is. Sin is so important to not do that God will even punish the angels, curse a whole generation, and He even flooded the whole world because of sin. The first dying is the dinosaur dying, and certain of the sea animals also died, too.

Notice the attitude; let's think on this for a minute.

• Is God perfect? Yes!
• Is God righteous? Yes!
• Is God Holy? Yes!
• Is there any greater than God? No!

That's why Lucifer was cast down. Here's his attitude.

Isaiah 14:12: "How you are fallen from the heavens, O shining star, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!…. [which he has starting with Adam and Eve] …For you have said in your heart… [it was a choice] …'I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God… [now that can be taken two ways: the literal stars of the creation where God's throne is; and also the angels of God] …I will also sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High'" (vs 12-14). That's a profound statement.

Romans 9:15: "For He said to Moses, 'I will show mercy to whomever I show mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I have compassion.' So then, it is not of the one who wills, nor of the one who runs; rather, it is of God, Who shows mercy. For the Scripture said to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I raised you up in order that I might show in you My power, so that My name may be declared in all the earth.' So then, He shows mercy to whom He will, and He hardens whom He will. Will you then reply to me, 'Why does He yet find fault? For who has opposed His purpose?'…. [In other words, why do you find fault and judge God?] …Yes, indeed, O man, who are you to answer against God? Shall the thing that is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me this way?'" (vs 15-20).

That's what Satan was saying about himself—Lucifer: 'I want to be like God.' Well, God never made him that way! What is behind all the 'rights' movements in the world? Men's rights, women's rights, black rights, Oriental rights, Arab rights, Jewish rights—what is it? They're demanding something, rather than turning to God and saying, 'God, here we are, we need your mercy and kindness and goodness to know how to live and understand'—we demand this! And a lot of that is to undo the whole structure of the blessings and curses of Gen. 9 that God gave when the incident occurred with Canaan. You think on that for a while, because no one's going to undo that! No one is going to undo—by their will, by their power, by their force, by their might—what God has determined to do. that's what He's saying here.

Verse 21: "Or doesn't the potter have authority over the clay to make from the same lump of clay one vessel unto honor, and another vessel unto dishonor?"

Remember the Canaanite woman? Came screaming and yelling after Christ and the disciples and said, 'Oh, Lord, heal my daughter, she's vexed with a demon.' Didn't even answer a word. They were going along, she kept yelling and screaming, following Him, going after, plaguing—'stalking.' Finally the disciples said, 'Lord, will you please tell her to shut up. (sort of paraphrasing this) And He [Christ] said, 'Woman, it's not fit to give the children's food to the dogs.' And she said, 'Yea, Lord. But the dogs eat the crumbs under the table of the children.' He said, 'Great faith that you have, woman. You're daughter's healed!' It's the same thing here. She didn't try to become something she was not. She said, 'Lord, yes.' Now, that's a pretty derogatory statement to be called a dog—I mean, think on that! How would you respond? I've thought of that. Most of us would respond with a sharp tongue and a fist.

Verse 22: "And who dares to question His purpose if God, willing to show His wrath and to make known His power, chose in much long-suffering to put up with the vessels of wrath which were created for destruction; in order that He might make known the riches of His glory unto the vessels of mercy, which He prepared before for glory" (vs 22-23). That's what He was doing with Israel. That's what He was doing with Lucifer.

Now you know why this attitude was such an attack upon God. Not only was this an act of war against the angels, but it was the act of the mind and choice and the sin, saying, 'I will be like the most High God.'

Isaiah 14:15: "Yet, you shall be brought down to the grave, to the sides of the pit. Those who see you shall stare and watch you closely, saying, "Is this the man who made the earth to tremble; who shook kingdoms" (vs 15-16). That's going to be some day when we see that, brethren! I mean, this is something! So, this is quite an attitude. Even the angels cannot go against God. So, then they were restrained and put in the abyss (Rev. 20 & 9) that the demons come out of the abyss—Satan and the demons are going to be put there.

Let's come back here to 2-Peter, the second chapter, and let's now talk about the world. Since we covered some of that recently when we went through the short series of three studies on Genesis, we won't go back there at this particular time, but we'll just read this into the record.

2-Peter 2:5: "And ifGod did not spare the ancient world… [[Think of it: because of sin, where 'every thought of the imagination of the heart was only evil continually.' And just imagine what it's going to be like when they get the super-information highway out—oh my! it's going to be something!] …but saved Noah, the eighth [person from Seth], a preacher of righteousness… [with seven others] …when He brought the Flood upon the world of the ungodly"—and that's the result of the way of Cain.

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We have the specific instance in what we would call today lifestyle or sexual immorality—two specific places in particular. Jude 7: "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah—and the cities surrounding them, in the same manner as them—having given themselves over to sexual debaucheries, and having gone after different flesh… [that's bestiality—with other animals] …are themselves exhibited as a perpetual example of undergoing the punishment of eternal fire." We know that the angels rained down fire and brimstone from heaven upon them.

2-Peter 2:6: "And having reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes…" This is for us today. Remember how many times recently we've gone back and we've look at the verse: Rev. 11:8, that the morals are Sodom and the religion is Egypt. Isn't it interesting that the Israelites said, 'Let's go back to Egypt.' Of course, that means all that it was—right?

"…condemned them with a catastrophic destruction, making them an example for those who would be ungodly in the future…. [and that's the sense of the Greek] …and if He delivered righteous Lord, who was oppressed by the lawless ones living  in licentious conduct; (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, thorough seeing and hearing their lawless activities, was tormented day-by-day in his righteous soul)" (vs 6-8). There are times when you feel like that—isn't it? You get out there in the world and it just tears you upside down and crossways when you see all this stupidity and nonsense going on.

I know I've mentioned it sometimes, it's like I need to have a couple of old television sets—that's what I ought to do, go an old television set demolition. Buy these old sets, turn them on to these raunchy stations and get my 44-Magnum and shoot them all. There are times when you feel like shooting the TV. Sometimes it's so outrageous! It's incredible!

Verse 9: "The Lord knows how to deliver the Godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unrighteous to the day of judgment to be punished." Some hope in here, brethren, in spite of the circumstances around you that are fit for destruction, God is able, capable, willing and wanting to save you—don't forget that!

Now, let me tell you a little bit about Sodom and Gomorrah. Marvin Wilson, who lives near Dallas, Texas, has taken several trips to the place where there's the true Noah's Ark. That's not the one at the top of the mountain, it's the one that sits between the saddle of a couple of mountains, because it's the mountains of Ararat. They also found the exact place of Sodom and Gomorrah. And they found it this way: they were going south of the Dead Sea and all of a sudden—just like from one side of this table to the other side of this table—the landscape changed dramatically!

On one side was sand, on the other side was powdered dust! They didn't know what this was. The road looked like it went on down around, and it looked like cliffs. They went back the second day and they found that it had rained. It rains about once every ten years. And it rained just enough to move some of this powdery dust; and what did they find? They found sulfur-balls anywhere from the size of a pea to a size of a big-sized steely [marble]. Millions of them everywhere! as far as the eye could see! Then they began looking at this and they saw that these cliffs were not cliffs of rock, but they likewise were the dust. And they could see the faint outline of buildings. Now, when fire and brimstone comes down with sulfur, it heats up to 5,000-degrees Fahrenheit, and it turns even rock to powder. Amazing!

Then they found the area where there was a sphinx just nearly the same form that is in Egypt today. And they brought back some of these sulfur-balls. They had them tested and analyzed. And they were the strongest, purest sulfur that the chemist had ever seen. They took one and lit it and held it on a spoon and it burned right through the spoon.

That's an example for what does God think of that kind of thing. He gave them plenty of chance; even if there would have been ten righteous people, God promised Abraham He would spare it. Couldn't find ten. So these are examples. We're getting into the same kind of conduct today.

Jude 8: "In the same way also, these dreamers of filthy dreams are defiling   the flesh… [out of the imagination of the heart comes evil] …and are declaring as invalid the Lordship of God [in one's life], and are blaspheming [angels] the Divine powers."

Aldous Huxley was one of the leaders of the evolutionary and sexual revolution that occurred beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century. His goal was: we need to liberalize everything and get rid of God, because if we can get rid of God and bring in evolution then we get rid of all sexual restraints, because we want to do what we want to do. There it is, right there. 'We do not want God ruling over us!' That's what 'lordship' means. That's why I put 'of God in one's life'; and that's what it means; that's what we're talking about. "…and are blaspheming [angels] the Divine powers."

2-Peter 2:10: "But particularly those who are walking after the flesh in corrupting lust, and are holding in utter contempt the Lordship of God [over one's life]. they are audacious [presumptuous] and self-willed; they are not afraid to blaspheme the Divine powers [angels]." Now, there's another aspect of it, too. Not only are they following the corrupting lusts of the flesh, but what they are doing…

Jude 4: "…They are ungodly men, who are distorting the grace of our God into licentiousness…" How did they do that? By saying the laws of God have no validity anymore! That's what they're doing. Or, by saying and being so presumptuous, if they are religious, that 'my work in the Lord is so important that God will overlook any of my sins.' NO! Judgment is at hand! Yes! Because they're saying, 'I'm going to use the Word of God to rule over someone else's life, but don't, God, use Your Word to rule over my life. But I want all the grace I deserve! But I'm going to deny it to the congregation so I can control them.' NO! The judgment of God is just around the corner!
2-Peter 2:10: "…they are not afraid to blaspheme the Divine powers [angels]."

Jude 9: "But Michael the archangel, when he was personally talking issue with the devil, disputing about the body of Moses, did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment against him, but said, 'The Lord Himself rebuked you!'"—that is a middle verb; that God is the One Himself Who did this.

This is interesting, the way it is in the Greek: "…rebuked you'" How often does God have to say something for it to be so? Once! That's what this is telling us. This in the Greek is a very special verb. This is what is called an 'aorist' verb—a second aorist verb, which means a punctiliar event, by this verb, happened and was completed at one time in the past. So, this one rebuke of God is good for all eternity against Satan. That's what it means. Now, this gives you a clue on how to handle things when you come up against a spiritual struggle. You don't say, 'I rebuke you.' You say, 'The Lord HAS rebuked you; and this I say in the name of Christ.' It's an entirely different thing. You don't take it upon yourself, not even an angel did.

Why were they fighting over the body of Moses? When I first read that I wondered why would they fight over the body of Moses? And I got to thinking about that, and one day the answer came to me through television. I was watching a special of the temple in Mexico City with the virgin of Guadeloupe and in there they have the casket of one of the founding bishops, or whatever it was that was there, and it is a see-thru casket. And the body is there all submerged in honey. Honey is a perfect preservative. The body won't rot, it won't decay, it won't let any oxygen in there. And I thought to myself: look what the Catholics have done to this, just think of what Satan could have done with the body of Moses. Put him in a see-thru coffin and say 'here is the true religion of God; here is the one who talked with God face-to-face; here is the one who brought the law; here is the one who did all of this.' They could make a temple that would just knock your eyes out.

And also, another thing that is important: When people go by this coffin, there's a little place to put some money. So, Satan is up to his old merchandising tricks again—right? Think what he could have done to sell an indulgence to go view the body of Moses. My, that would have been something!—wouldn't it? That's why they were fighting over it. Now notice, Michael the archangel was in charge of burying Moses, and to hide the place where he was buried.

When we were at the Feast of Tabernacles in Glenwood Springs, they had a special tourist thing. They had a special little graveyard where you could go up and see the grave of Doc Holiday, who was the doctor for Wyatt Earp, I believe. You had to go at about a 40%-incline to get there—it was a steep climb. You had to go about half-mile to get up there. You get up there and there's a sign which says: The Burial of Doc Holiday—disclaimer: we cannot tell you exactly where it is, because people will dig up his bones and take them. So, think of what would happen if they ever discovered where Moses was buried. I mean think what the Jews would do with that. It would be something! So, we're glad that God took care of it this way.

2-Peter 2:11: "Whereas angels, who are greater in strength and power, do not bring a railing condemnation against them before the Lord."

Jude 10: "But these, whatever things they do not understand, they blaspheme; but whatever things they understand by instinct, as irrational brute beasts, they are corrupting themselves in these things." Just gone after the flesh; fulfilling their lusts.

2-Peter 2:12: "But these—as irrational brute beasts, born to be caught and killed—… [This, brethren, is a sentence and condemnation of second death. Now we're talking about some profound things!] …are blaspheming those things of which they are ignorant, and will be utterly destroyed in their own corruption. They are bringing upon themselves the reward of unrighteousness, while finding pleasure in satisfying their lustful desires in the daytime…. [there is a pleasure for sin, there is!] …They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their own deceptions, while feasting together with you" (vs 12-13).

I just recall your attention to the report on the internal takedown of the Worldwide Church of God, and there you have it perfectly described, right there. These are stains and blemishes while feasting together.

2-Peter 2:14: "Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, they are engaged in seducing unstable souls; having a heart trained in lustful craving—cursed children." Statement was made, 'I don't care if we lose sixty-percent of the people, we're changing.'

• What is it to be when we come to services?
• What is it be when we're gathered together as a congregation?
• What are we here for?
• Who's day does it belong to?
• It belongs to God!
• We are to study the Word of God.
• We are to drink in of what God has for us.
• We're to make this day a delight.

What is 'carousing in the daytime'? That's going out and being licentious and partying and all of the things that go with it, including 'sexual debaucheries' in the daytime! You're so bold you just do it in the daytime. Don't sneak out at night under the cover of night, you just go out and do it in the daytime. And to 'blankity-blank' with the rest of anybody who pries into your private life. When it gets to that point:

Verse 14: "Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, they are engaged in seducing unstable souls; having a heart trained in lustful craving—cursed children." And to have all the audacity, after being caught, to say, 'Oh, brethren, this wasn't nothing. Send us more money.' Spare me!

Malachi 2:1: "'And now, O priests, this commandment is for you…. [Let's just say to the ministry, whoever is a teacher—those who handle the law—God says, 'You didn't know Me.' How can you handle the Law of God and not know God? That's unreal stuff!] …If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to My name,' says the LORD of hosts, 'then I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yea, I have indeed cursed them already because you do not lay it to heart…. [didn't listen] …Behold, I will rebuke your seed; and I will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your appointed feasts. And one shall carry you away with it" (vs 1-3).

Have you ever been to a Feast of Tabernacles or a Feast of God where you came away feeling just YUK!? Just like you walked through the barnyard and got your feet all splattered with manure, and some of it splattered up in your face? I remember, as a kid milking the cows, when the cows would be eating that fresh green grass in the spring, you'd be milking the cows and when it came time for their duty, and you were milking, you'd grab the pail and you ran, because if you didn't it would come down, splatter! Plop! Plop! all over, all over you and all in the milk and everything; and then I'd be in trouble for bringing in dirty milk. So, I grabbed the pail and ran! I use to milk two to three cows twice a day when I was nine-years-old. Don't want that!

Verse 4: "'And you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, so that My covenant might be with Levi,' says the LORD of hosts." Is not the covenant that God has made with the Church a greater covenant than with Levi? Yes! Is it not more important that we preach the Word of God? Yes!]

Verse 5: "'My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him for fear; that he might fear Me, and he was in awe before My name…. [He started out good] …The Law of Truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and turned away many from iniquity…. [that's how it started] …For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and thepeople should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts" (vs 5-7).

Brethren, that's what a true teacher and elder and minister ought to be. He should teach God's Word. Pray tell, Jesus said, 'I don't speak My own words, I don't do what I do, I speak what I hear the Father speak, and I do what He does.' If Christ be in us, what should we be doing? That very thing, yes!

Verse 8: "'But you have departed out of the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Therefore I have also made you contemptible and base before all the people…'" (vs 8-9). My! My! Is that not happening today to some leaders in the Church of God?

"'…just as you have not kept My ways but have been partial in the Law.'…. [those are pretty strong words] …Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously, each man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?'" (vs 9-10). Then it gets all into divorce, and God says, 'I hate divorce. I'm wearied with your words.' There comes a time when God says enough is enough and that's what's in here.

Jude 11: "Calamity be to them!… [It says in the King James: 'Woe unto them'—means calamity. It's not just that there's going to be some little 'woe' that's going to happen—this is calamity!] …For they have walked in the way of Cain…"—we're going to talk about three ways:

• The way of Cain—"…and for gain, they have wholly given themselves up to Balaam's delusion, and have perished in the rebellion of Korah."

We have three distinct things which have to do with the relationship with God, and has to do with those God has selected and chosen.

2-Peter 2:15: "Who have abandoned the straight way…. [Jesus said, 'straight is the way and narrow is the gate'—right?] …They have gone astray, having followed… [asauthoritative—because that's their authority for doing it] …the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the reward of wickedness…. [Sin and wickedness 'profits for a season.' It does! Does crime pay? Yes, it does today. Yes!] …But he received a rebuke for his own transgression; the dumb ass, speaking in a man's voice, restrained the madness of the prophet" (vs 15-16).
Now, let's look at a couple of things here concerning the reward for wickedness. 'Sin for a season is pleasurable'—afterwards is when the problem comes! All those who run off and commit illicit sex before they are married, now they have very little chance of escaping some kind of immediate punishment because there are 36 venereal diseases, of which the worst is AIDS, and incurable syphilis, and incurable gonorrhea. It would be fun, a blast! if you stole a million dollars and spent it all. You could have a ball while you're spending it—until you are caught!

Hebrews 11:24: "By faith Moses, after becoming a great leader, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the temporary pleasure of sin; for he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking intently to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as if he were seeing the one Whois invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not slay them" (vs 24-28).

Let's look at a very interesting Psalm right now. This is a good one. This is most apropos for us today. Psalm 37:1: "Do not fret yourself because of evildoers, and do not be envious against the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down like the grass; and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and cherish faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (vs 1-4). Think of that, brethren. Tie that in with what I covered earlier concerning that He's able to give to you above and beyond exceedingly even what you even ask or think.

Verse 5: "Commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your judgment like the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret yourself because of him who prospers in his way; because of him who carries out wicked schemes" (vs 5-7).

Psalm 73:1—notice this one, and this can happen to people if they're not truly looking to God. "Truly God is good to Israel, even to those who are pure of heart." What did Jesus say after the Passover ceremony? He said, "You are clean through the words which I've spoken.' Clean heart—that's how God cleans us up.

Verse 2: "But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped, for I was envious at the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (vs 2-3).

Driving around in Rolls Royce limousines, and living in great spacious palaces. The other night Delores was watching…showing some of these homes. I think it was Palaces or Castles in America—showing great, huge homes which just ornate everything. And guess what they were of; all the rich, all the famous. You look at that and you think, my! my! poor little me. Well that's when you're looking at the little ole table. Get your mind on God! Prosperity of the wicked. Crime pays! The mafia's making it.

Verse 4: "For there are no pangs in their death… [NO!] …and their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men… [That really means he's talking about himself: they're not in trouble as me.] …neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore, pride is as a chain about their neck. Violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness; they have more than the heart could wish for. They scoff and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth: (vs 1-9). Sounds like our infamous President [Clinton]—doesn't it?

Verse 10: "Therefore, his people return here: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, 'How does God know? And is there knowledge in the most High?'…. [Oh yes, God is dead, we'll work it out.] …Behold, these are the wicked, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Surely…" (vs 10-13). Notice: when you compare yourself with someone else, the Bible says 'you are not wise.'

Notice what he's doing here: "…I have made my heart pure in vain and washed my hands in innocence." (v 13). 'God, I've tried to follow your way and look at all those wicked out there just prospering and just money galore and everything, just so much it's just like a big, fat balloon that's popping out everywhere.'

Verse 14: "For all the day long I have been plagued and chastened every morning. If I say, 'I will speak thus;' behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. When I thought to understand this, it was too painful for me… [some of those things are hard to figure out. He had a splitting headache, it was blowing his mind.] (here's the cure—not Advil): …until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end" (vs 14-17).

That's what 2-Peter and Jude is all about—to tell us what their end will be. Sometimes God let's them prosper and come to the full before He cuts them off—but cut them off, He will!

Verse 18: "Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down into destruction. How have they been brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors, Like a dream when one awakens; so, O LORD, when You awake, You shall despise their image, for thus my heart was grieved and I was pricked in my reins…. [Put in there (Luke 15) about the prodigal son finally coming to himself—this is repentance!] …So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was like a beast before You" (vs 18-22). There are times when you go through that!

I remember there were times and I was driving along in my old Isuzu diesel and the times were kind of tough back then, and I barely could keep the thing going, and I barely could keep enough loans coming in to keep everything afloat at the household, and so forth. I would go into these loan offices where it was nothing but riches and wealth, money, power, everything right there, and I would go and say, 'Oh, God, just a little, please.' Then go along, those diesel Isuzu's would make a lot of noise and I didn't have air-conditioning, so I had the two window type, let the air come through—anyway I was glad to have the car. Then I drove along one time and I saw this beautiful, beautiful Jaguar or something, or a Mercedes Benz, all smashed to smithereens, just crinkled up! And the people who had been driving it, it's one of these displays they put out, they died. And I thought, 'Oh, Lord, thank You for my Isuzu. Oh, God, thank You that you provide for me. You haven't let me go hungry.' I was just like this, stupid foolish. I foolish and ignorant.

"…I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless, I am always with You; You have held me by my right hand. You shall guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You I desire none upon earth. My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever" (vs 22-26). Those are some tremendous promises there—right?

Verse 27: "For lo, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all who go a whoring from You…. [Those today in the Church of God, you better have an 'ear to hear.'] … And me, it is good for me to draw near to God; I have made the LORD God my refuge, that I may declare all Your works" (vs 27-28).

When we come back and compare that with the way of Cain and the way of Baalim and the rebellion of Korah, I think all of this will really come clear in focus for us.

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, AFaithful Version by Fred R. Coulter (except where noted)

• Exception: 1& 2-Peter, from The Seven General Epistles by Fred R. Coulter—author's translation

Scriptural References:

• Jude 5
• 2 Peter 2:4
• Jude 6
• Numbers 14:1-18
• Exodus 34:5-7
• Numbers 14:18-20
• Psalm 86:1-7
• Numbers 14:20-24, 26-37
• Deuteronomy 1:36-45
• Isaiah 14:12-14
• Romans 9:15-23
• Isaiah 14:15-16
• 2 Peter 2:5
• Jude 7
• 2 Peter 2:6-9
• Jude 8
• 2 Peter 2:10
• Jude 4
• 2 Peter 2:10
• Jude 9
• 2 Peter 2:11
• Jude 10
• 2 Peter 2:12-14
• Malachi 2:1-10
• Jude 11
• 2 Peter 2:15-16
• Hebrews 11:24-28
• Psalm 37:1-7
• Psalm 73:1-28

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Revelation 12:9
• Matthew 25
• Revelation 21, 22
• Hebrews 11, 3 , 4
• Revelation 12
• Ezekiel 28
• Genesis 1, 2, 9
• Revelation 20, 9; 11:8
• Luke 15

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 8-12-09
Corrected: 3/12