And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
In verse 5, Jude begins, “Though you already know all this…” and then tells me this thing about angels that I didn’t know. Maybe there is information about angels that was common knowledge in Jude’s day that didn’t make it into the Bible.
In some respects, this information should not surprise us. We know that God created all things (Colossians 1: 16), and we know about Satan (Job 1:6). What we don’t know is why a created angelic being would turn against God.
There is much we could speculate on regarding angels. There is one fact we do not have to speculate about: some angels rebelled against God. Another fact we do not have to wonder about is God’s response. They have been bound with chains and are being kept in darkness until the day of judgment.
If we are banking on God granting us leniency in our sins apart from Christ, all we have to do is look to this passage in Jude. God doesn’t show favoritism. Not to his angels. Not to us. Those who are ungodly, who pervert the grace of God, who deny Jesus should expect the same treatment.
Only in turning from sin to Christ, through accepting Jesus as our savior, do we have hope of avoiding the same fate as these wayward angels.
Application: There is no one more important to our survival than Jesus Christ. Praise Him. Honor Him. Obey Him.
Food for Thought: How does knowing that there has been rebellion in heaven help you understand rebellion on earth?
The foundation to sin is rebellion to God and His authority. We want to be god instead of Him. That was what Satan wanted. It is how he tempted Adam and Eve. “Did God really say…”. In other words, he was saying God is a liar. Then he claimed that we could become a god ourselves and not answer to anyone but ourselves. There was rebellion in heaven and there is rebellion on earth. Jesus taught us to pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Satan taught us “my will be done.” That is still our choice every moment of every day.
Amen to that, Rich. We are challenged with that choice every day. Thank God that God Himself is willing to help us.
In both situations, the created being makes a choice to become like God, and fails. God is Omnipotent,
God offers us the power to overcome our sinful nature and seek to live in humble obedience to God through Christ.
I find comfort in thanking God for setting limits, restraining the evil powers seeking our destruction, ( chaining and confining the rebellious angels in hell ) and providing the power to overcome our flesh through Jesus Christ.
Thank you, Ron. I appreciate the reminder about the comfort we have in knowing that God is all-powerful. Ultimately judgment is His.
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