What they were and what they became because of sin.
Jud 1:5 I desire to remind you--although the whole matter is already familiar to you--that the Lord saved a people out of the land of Egypt, but afterwards destroyed those who had no faith.
Jud 1:6 And angels--those who did not keep the position originally assigned to them, but deserted their own proper abode--He reserves in everlasting bonds, in darkness, in preparation for the judgement of the great day.
Jud 1:7 So also Sodom and Gomorrah--and the neighboring towns in the same manner--having been guilty of gross fornication and having gone astray in pursuit of unnatural vice, are now before us as a specimen of the fire of the Ages in the punishment which they are undergoing.
Questions:
- Do the following passages tells us about the sin of angels? if so, what? 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6;Cf 2 Thessalonians 2:4-12
- How do we know there are evil angels?
- Were they created evil angels?
Introduction
We have seen how God created the heavens and the earth. He must have created the angels in the beginning at that time.
There are various names for evil angels. There are devils, demons Satan etc. all reveal something of their characters.
Good and Evil Angels.
Besides the Good their are also evil angels who delight in opposing God and destroying His work.
Eph 6:11 Put on the complete armour of God, so as to be able to stand firm against all the stratagems of the Devil.
Eph 6:12 For ours is not a conflict with mere flesh and blood, but with the despotisms, the empires, the forces that control and govern this dark world--the spiritual hosts of evil arrayed against us in the heavenly warfare.
Eph 6:13 Therefore put on the complete armour of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground on the day of battle, and, having fought to the end, to remain victors on the field.
v.11 Stratagems of the Devil:The wiles of the devil - Τας μεθοδειας του διαβολου· The methods of the devil; the different means, plans, schemes, and machinations which he uses to deceive, entrap, enslave, and ruin the souls of men. A man’s method of sinning is Satan’s method of ruining his soul. See on Eph_4:14 (note).A.Clark
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood - Ουκ εστιν ἡμιν ἡ παλη προς αἱμα και σαρκα· Our wrestling or contention is not with men like ourselves: flesh and blood is a Hebraism for men, or human beings. See the note on Gal_1:16.
The word παλη implies the athletic exercises in the Olympic and other national games; and παλαιστρα was the place in which the contenders exercised. Here it signifies warfare in general.
Against principalities - Αρχας· Chief rulers; beings of the first rank and order in their own kingdom.
Powers - Εξουσιας, Authorities, derived from, and constituted by the above.
The rulers of the darkness of this world - Τους κοσμοκρατορας του σκοτους του αιωνος τουτου· The rulers of the world; the emperors of the darkness of this state of things.
Spiritual wickedness - Τα πνευματικα της πονηριας· The spiritual things of wickedness; or, the spiritualities of wickedness; highly refined and sublimed evil; disguised falsehood in the garb of truth; Antinomianism in the guise of religion.
In high places - Εν τοις επουρανιοις· In the most sublime stations. But who are these of whom the apostle speaks? Schoettgen contends that the rabbins and Jewish rulers are intended. This he thinks proved by the words του αιωνος τουτου, of this world, which are often used to designate the Old Testament, and the Jewish system; and the words εν τοις επουρανιοις, in heavenly places, which are not infrequently used to signify the time of the New Testament, and the Gospel system.
By the spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, he thinks false teachers, who endeavored to corrupt Christianity, are meant; such as those mentioned by St. John, 1Jo_2:19 : They went out from us, but they were not of us, etc. And he thinks the meaning may be extended to all corrupters of Christianity in all succeeding ages. He shows also that the Jews called their own city שר של עולם sar shel olam, κοσμοκρατωρ, the ruler of the world; and proves that David’s words, Psa_2:2, The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, are applied by the apostles, Act_4:26, to the Jewish rulers, αρχοντες, who persecuted Peter and John for preaching Christ crucified.
“According to Scripture, the angels who have rebelled against God have nothing but evil intentions. These personages ceaselessly oppose God in every way in which they are able.
Do The Work Of Satan
The evil angels do the work of their master, Satan. As the righteous angels do the work of the Lord, these evil angels follow the orders of the Devil. Scripture makes it clear that these angels belong to the Devil.” Don Stewart
Demons, as spirit beings, have the ability to take possession of a physical body. Demonic possession occurs when a person's body is completely controlled by demons
2.They were created GOOD but did not retain their Original Position.
2Pe 2:4 For God did not spare angels when they had sinned, but hurling them down to Tartarus consigned them to caves of darkness, keeping them in readiness for judgement.
Jud 1:6 And angels--those who did not keep the position originally assigned to them, but deserted their own proper abode--He reserves in everlasting bonds, in darkness, in preparation for the judgement of the great day.
The angels which kept not their first estate - Την ἑαυτων αρχην Their own principality. The words may be understood of their having invaded the office or dignity of some others, or of their having by some means forfeited their own. This is spoken of those generally termed the fallen angels; but from what they fell, or from what cause or for what crime, we know not. It is generally thought to have been pride; but this is mere conjecture. One thing is certain; the angels who fell must have been in a state of probation, capable of either standing or falling, as Adam was in paradise. They did not continue faithful, though they knew the law on which they stood; they are therefore produced as the second example.
But left their own habitation - This seems to intimate that they had invaded the office and prerogatives of others, and attempted to seize on their place of residence and felicity.
He hath reserved in everlasting chains - That is, in a state of confinement from which they cannot escape.
Under darkness - Alluding probably to those dungeons or dark cells in prisons where the most flagitious culprits were confined.
The judgment of the great day, - The final judgment, when both angels and men shall receive their eternal doom. See on 2Pe_2:4 (note). In Sohar Exod., fol. 8, c. 32: “Rabbi Isaac asked: Suppose God should punish any of his heavenly family, how would he act? R. Abba answered: He would send them into the flaming river, take away their dominion, and put others in their place.” Some suppose that the saints are to occupy the places from which these angels, by transgression, fell. A.C.
3. Their Special Sin is not revealed but they probably revolted against God and His Divine Authority. Cf 2 Thess2:4, 9.
4. Satan was evidently one of Princes amongst the Angels, but he became the recognized head of those who fell away.
Mat 25:41 "Then will He say to those at His left, "'Begone from me, with the curse resting upon you, into the Fire of the Ages, which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Mat 9:34 But the Pharisees maintained, "It is by the power of the Prince of the demons that he drives out the demons."
Eph 2:1 To you Gentiles also, who were dead through your offences and sins,
Eph 2:2 which were once habitual to you while you walked in the ways of this world and obeyed the Prince of the powers of the air, the spirits that are now at work in the hearts of the sons of disobedience--to you God has given Life.
Eph 2:3 Among them all of us also formerly passed our lives, governed by the inclinations of our lower natures, indulging the cravings of those natures and of our own thoughts, and were in our original state deserving of anger like all others.
5. With superhuman power he and his hosts seek to destroy the work of God.
They seek to blind and mislead even is possible the Elect, and encourage the sinner in his evil ways.
Jas_4:7 Submit therefore to God: resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
1Pe_5:8 Curb every passion, and be on the alert. Your great accuser, the Devil, is going about like a roaring lion to see whom he can devour.
Be sober - Avoid drunkenness of your senses, and drunkenness in your souls; be not overcharged with the concerns of the world.
Be vigilant - Awake, and keep awake; be always watchful; never be off your guard; your enemies are alert, they are never off theirs.
Your adversary the devil - This is the reason why ye should be sober and vigilant; ye have an ever active, implacable, subtle enemy to contend with. He walketh about - he has access to you everywhere; he knows your feelings and your propensities, and informs himself of all your circumstances; only God can know more and do more than he, therefore your care must be cast upon God.
As a roaring lion - Satan tempts under three forms:
1.The subtle serpent; to beguile our senses, pervert our judgement, and enchant our imagination.
2.As an angel of light; to deceive us with false views of spiritual things, refinements in religion, and presumption on the providence and grace of God.
3.As a roaring lion; to bear us down, and destroy us by violent opposition, persecution, and death. Thus he was acting towards the followers of God at Pontus, etc., who were now suffering a grievous persecution.
Walketh about - Traversing the earth; a plain reference to Job_2:2, which see.
Seeking whom he may devour - Τινα καταπιῃ· Whom he may gulp down. It is not every one that he can swallow down: those who are sober and vigilant are proof against him, these he May Not swallow down; those who are drunken with the cares of this world, etc., and are unwatchful, these he May swallow down. There is a beauty in this verse, and a striking apposition between the first and last words, which I think have not been noticed:
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