5”Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” (Jude 5–7 (ESV)
“Many people today are tempted to surrender the fight for absolute truth, give up the belief that Jesus is the only way to heaven, and accept the plurality of beliefs around the world as valid ways of salvation. Sadly, churches have not been immune to such pervasive teaching, and indeed some have succumbed to the pressure, turning their backs on truth to embrace error. The letter of Jude, which has much to say about these issues, has often been neglected. Perhaps this is because the letter, though brief, is packed with difficult allusions that can be confusing. However, Jude’s message is especially needed today, for it reminds “those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1) to contend for the faith and continue in the faith,” writes Bible teacher and conference speaker Sarah Ivill
We previously examined the doctrine of angels. They are ministering spirits or messengers sent by God and are an order of God created beings superior to man (Hebrews 2:7; Psalm 8:5), belonging to Heaven (Matthew 24:36; Mark 12:25) and to God (Luke 12:8) and are engaged in God’s service (Psalm 103:20). Angels are spirits (Hebrews 1:14) in that they have no material bodies like human beings. They appear in human form when necessary (Luke 24:4; Acts 10; Daniel 9). They are called ‘holy’ in Mark 8:38 and ‘elect’ in I Timothy 5:21, in contrast to their original number (Matthew 25:41).
Attention is now given to the particular angels Jude has in mind. He mentioned angels who did not stay within their own position of authority. The phrase did not stay within (τηρήσαντας; teresantos) means to not continue, retain, or keep.
What these angels did not keep or stay within was their own position of authority (ἀρχὴν; archen) or their proper domain. They rebelled against God. They left their proper dwelling (ἴδιον οἰκητήριον; idion oiketerion). They rejected their proper estate and the rule and reign of God.
2 Peter 2:4 (ESV) says, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;”
The statement “cast them down to hell” refers to Tartarus (ταρταρώσας; tartarosas). This is the lowest place found in Hell, the deepest pit, the most terrible place of judgment.
“The angels in questions rebelled against their God-given responsibilities and abandoned their areas of ministry or residence. Some take this to mean they left heaven and came to earth (Gen.6). It may refer to a primordial fall of angels at the time Satan rebelled against the Lord,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
“Now you have apostate angels. And again, in one sense you could wish that he (Jude) said more about this. But he doesn’t say more about it because it’s all by way of reminder, knowing that they already knew about this. He’s assuming that these people already knew about the angels that apostatized, the angels that rebelled, the angels that defected. They’d heard it before. Whatever this special, extraordinary, and terrible event was, they knew about it,” states Dr. John MacArthur.
There are three predominant perspectives as to the identity of these apostate angels. First, a rebellion by angels we know nothing about. But how could Jude remind his readers of something of which they knew nothing? Second, the fall of Lucifer. Third, a rebellion recorded in the Old Testament (Gen. 6:1-3) of which Jude made no further mention because he did not have to. His audience would have known the circumstances of what he wrote. Regardless of the identity of these angels, or when they fell, the judgment of God upon their apostasy of rebellion is sure.
God has given these fallen angels a new home. “He has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness.” The phrase He has kept (τετήρηκεν; tetereken) is a perfect active indicative verb. It refers to a past completed action with continuing results. It is a place or state of being continually retain and guarded. It is a place of confinement or a prison.
Eternal chains (δεσμοῖς ἀϊδίοις; desmois aidiois) is eternal imprisonment. Gloomy darkness (ζόφον; zophon) refers to a condition of despair and foreboding.
“Until the judgment of the great day.” Judgment(κρίσιν; krisin) means condemnation. The great day (μεγάλης ἡμέρας; megales heremas) is the intense court of justice.
The third and final biblical example Jude provided are the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19). We will examine Jude 7 when next we ,meet. Have a blessed day in the Lord and His Word of truth.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 