The Profitable Prophet

“Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness” (2Pet 2:15-16).

There’s no business like God’s business. Turn on the TV and see for yourself. Fast-talking televangelists promise the Lord’s blessing for three easy payments of $99.95. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is some sort of modern American phenomenon. No, these spiritual hucksters have been up to their tricks for thousands of years. As a matter of fact, Peter lets his readers know that the false teachers who are infiltrating local churches are pulling an ancient con. They’re just like Balaam, the profitable prophet. Yup, there’s no business like God’s business.

Pete’s sounding the alarm about a posse of spiritual snake oil salesmen who are tearing churches apart from the inside out (2:1-3). They’re peddling an empty gospel that’s really no Gospel at all. Earlier, the apostle reminded us that Jesus has graciously given us everything we need through a relationship with Him. “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” (1:3). You don’t need to waste your money on the trash these jokers are selling.

The false teachers seem to have started out in the right direction. But something has happened. Something VERY bad. “Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray” (v15). If you were to look back at their beginning, these dudes had a great start. First in their class. The best and the brightest. But at some point, they took an exit from the straight and narrow and stopped following Jesus. Every one of us has to be careful and not take our eyes off our Savior. A bad decision here. A questionable choice there. Before we realize it, we’ve put something other than God on the pole position of our lives. If you’re on the path, stay on it. If you took an off ramp, get back on road immediately. If you have a friend who’s gone astray, do what you can to get them headed in the right direction. It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. The false teachers had a great start. You can see that’s not doing them much good now.

So if these dudes stopped following Jesus, who were they following? “They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing” (v15). If you’re in the market for an Old Testament comparison to these spiritual shysters, you’re talking about Balaam. You can read all about this metaphysical mercenary back in Numbers 22-24. Here’s a quick recap. The Israelites have Mt. Sinai in their rearview mirror and are on the short and winding road to the Promised Land. They’re in Moab, just across the Jordan, on the doorstep of the land of milk an honey. When the king of Moab realizes that his nation could end up as the next notch in the belt of God’s people, he calls for Balaam. King Balak hits up the prophetic hired gun to curse the invaders. 

You see, Balaam isn’t a prophet like Elijah or Isaiah. No, he uses whatever paranormal powers he possesses to make a profit. He’s a seer for sale. He’s out to turn a quick buck. Balaam’s got quite a racket, don’t you think? When a team repping the king knocks on his door, they have “the fees for divination in their hand” (Num 22:7). Balak knows the curse comes at a cost. The profitable prophet doesn’t just give his work away. For Balaam, it’s all about the Benjamins.

And if that’s not bad enough already, Balaam knew EXACTLY what he was doing. He loved making a felonious fast buck. He “loved the gain from wrongdoing” (v15). He knew it was a crime and he did it anyway. Think of him like some sort of spiritual hit man. For a price, the prophet would call down a curse on your enemy. So when King Balak was in bind, there was only one person for the job. So he loaded up a briefcase full of loot and sent it to Balaam. There’s no business like God’s business.

There’s just one problem. God absolutely refuses to allow a curse to fall on His chosen people. The Almighty lets Balaam know in no uncertain terms, “You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (Num 22:12). This is an AWESOME reminder that God’s blessing cannot hindered. Not even by the best prophets money can buy! Despite the divine warning, the profitable prophet loaded up his donkey and headed out. Let’s just say, the LORD was NOT happy. “God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary” (Num 22:22). One jackass may not have seen God’s angel, but the one he was riding sure did. When the donkey wouldn’t budge, Balaam beat the living daylights out of his beast. At that point, “God opened he mouth of the mouth of the donkey” (Num 22:28)! A few thousand years before Mr. Ed chatted it up with Wilbur, the prophet “was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness” (v16). 

So what does a money grubbing medium and his talking donkey have to do with the false teachers Pete’s writing about? He wants us his readers to know that they are cut from the same cloth. These hucksters don’t want to speak for God. They’re out to bilk Jesus’ followers. Jesus’ little brother Jude knew all about these same mercenaries too. He writes that the false teachers have “abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error” (Jude 11). The apostle also wants to reassure us that if God can handle Balaam by using a talking donkey, He can certainly take care of these jokers. 

If Jesus has called you into ministry, are you still true to His original invitation? Are you like these false teachers? Is Balaam your hero? Are you “forsaking the right” (v15)? Have you “gone astray” (v15)? Let’s cut to the chase. Too many folks who get into the ministry for the right reasons get distracted by dollars. Satan can use success to steal our original focus. We must be VERY careful not to choose money and fane over faithfulness and obedience. Just so you know, I’m talking to the dude with his fingers on the keyboard. Is my financial security more important than eternal security? Anytime we choose money over the Messiah, we’re making a big mistake. Jesus made that clear. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Mt 6:24).

Be careful. There’s no business like God’s business.

To Catch a Predator

“They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. they have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!” (v14).

“I’m Chris Hansen. Please have a seat.” The NBC correspondent has made his mark catching sexual predators and exposing them on primetime television. Just when these dirt bags think they’re about to bag another unsuspecting victim, Hansen and a camera crew appear around the corner. But Dateline isn’t the first “To Catch a Predator.” Pete perfected the technique 2,000 years before. In his second letter, he exposes a posse of false teachers for what they really are. “I’m the Apostle Peter. Please have a seat.” He’s blowing the whistle on these sexual predators.

The apostle writes, “They have eyes full of adultery” (v14). The original language actually says that all they see is the “adulteress” (Gr. moichalis). These slime balls see every woman as a sexual target. Every lady in the room is someone they consider trying to get into the sack. Their horny heads are on a swivel. These false teachers have infiltrated local churches and are tearing them apart from the inside (2:1-3). One way is by ripping marriages apart. This is completely counter to Christ’s teaching. Peter was sitting at Jesus feet when He said, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28). They treat the church like a singles bar. Let’s be honest. This still happens today. Single men hit local churches looking to hook up. Is the church a bad place to find a mate? No. First and foremost, men must see women as their sisters. 

The spiritual hucksters are “insatiable for sin” (v14). They’re never satisfied. Unceasing. Unrelenting. Restless. Like sharks who can’t stop swimming. They’re always looking for their next victim. They can’t get enough of that sinful stuff. We’re talking both sin in general and sexual sin specifically. They’ve gotta have more and more. That’s the thing about sinful appetites. The more we try to satisfy them, the more we want. There’s really only one thing that satisfies. Or should I say one Person who satisfies. Jesus. The philosopher Blaise Pascal was right. We have a God-shaped vacuum inside each of us. We’ll dump things other than Christ in that hole that seems to do the trick. But before we know it, we need more. Fill it with Jesus. That’s what Mary did. The Lord told her sister Martha, “One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:42). Using anything or anyone else other than Jesus to fill that gap will lead any of us to be “insatiable for sin” (v14).

These sexual predators are on the prowl for the weak, the young and the injured. “They entice unsteady souls” (v14). The former fisherman uses an angling term here. The Greek verb is deleazo. It means to lure or trap using bait. The false teachers make sin look attractive. They polish it up. And it clearly works. Earlier Pete gives us the bad news that “many will follow their sensuality” (2:2). 

The apostle lets us know that the spiritual snake oil salesmen are good at what they do because “they have hearts trained in greed” (v14). He uses the word gumnazo. It’s where we get gymnasium. It means to train in a gym and vigorously exercise. The false teachers are good at greed because it’s part of their regular workout. Coaches always say that you play like you practice. Pete has warned his readers not to fall for their smooth talk. “In their greed they will exploit you with false words” (2:3). They know how to get what they want because of practice, practice, practice.

At this point, Pete just can’t hold back any longer. “Accursed children!” (v14). After describing them as insatiable sexual predators, he blurts out his frustration. He uses an old Hebrew expression that’s not exactly a term of endearment. These false teachers may be setting their sites on women as targets, but the apostle is pleading with God to put the laser site of His wrath on the foreheads of these dirtbags. Seem a bit strong? He’s simply calling it like it is. These greedy grifters have actually cursed themselves already. 

Stains from Project X

“suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you” (v13).

Did you ever throw a party when your parents were out of town? Come on. Be honest. It’s just you and me. While that’s not something I would EVER do, I’ve heard stories about these blowouts. You invite a few buds to come hang out and, before you know it what’s hit you, several hundred of your closest friends descend on your house. It’s exploded into a full scale Project X. When the sun rises in the morning, you can’t believe the carnage. You can pick up the beer cans. You can probably even fix the broken furniture. But those stains aren’t coming out. Your parents’ spotless home is a disgusting and filthy mess. That’s the picture Pete paints of the damage done by false teachers in local churches. Stains are everywhere. 

These sinful snake oil salesman are bilking local churches for big bucks. The apostle warned us before, “In their greed they will exploit you with false words” (2:3). They’ve made more than a couple of quick bucks from these unsuspecting followers of Jesus. But there’s one final score they’ll receive that they don’t know is coming. One final “reward” for their con. It’s what James Brown calls “The Big Payback.” You can be sure that they will suffer “wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing” (v13). You see, Jesus will make sure that they don’t get away with it. Think of it this way. The false teachers will receive wages for their wicked work. But this paycheck is God’s payback. As the great Protector and Hero of His church, Christ will come her rescue (2:9). He’ll also punish the bad guys. As the Godfather of Soul says this is “The Big Payback.” And they’ll never see it coming.

But before they get what’s coming to them, it’s party time. “They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime” (v13). The words Pete uses in the original text reveal an out-of-control, over-the-top lifestyle. They let us in on a life of extravagance. The food and drink never stop. Absolutely and utter hedonism. As a matter of fact, that’s one of the Greek words he uses! These false teachers are using the cash they’ve conned out of the churches to finance a party at the Playboy Mansion. Think “The Wolf of Wall Street.” And this shindig gets cranked up long before the sun goes down. They don’t wait until dark. As the song says, “It’s five o’clock somewhere!” They’re living large and loving every minute of it.

The apostle cuts to the chase and calls these ungodly grifters for what they really are. “They are blots and blemishes” (v13). He previously called them “irrational animals” (2:12). Compared to the sparkling righteousness of Jesus that He’s given the local church, the false teachers are disgusting stains of sin. They aren’t an itty bitty spot from spaghetti sauce. We’re talking huge stains. Smears. Smudges. A huge, greasy streak of filth. They’ve dragged Jesus’ bride through the cesspool of sin. Her beautiful white wedding gown is disgusting. How will it ever come out? 

Forget Oxyclean. Jesus will supernaturally clean His church for the big wedding. He will make sure His bridge walks down the aisle “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph 5:27). Our Savior won’t just kick these con men to the curb. He’s going to come in and clean up the mess they’ve left behind. That’s good news for you and me. There’s no stain to tough. There’s no sin to bad. He can handle it. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Is 1:18).

Pete lets his readers know that the false teachers are nothing but two-faced hypocrites. They’re “reveling in their deceptions while they feast with you” (v13). One minute they’re partying like rock stars. Sex, drugs, rock and roll. The next minute these con artists hit the church doors like Billy Graham. They’re doing all of this right under the noses of their victims. This is all going down while they are celebrating the Lord’s Supper with God’s people.

Just like I, uh I mean, YOU never got away with that wild party, the false teachers are going to have to face the music for what they’ve done. They are nasty stains on the local church. Filthy streaks on the wedding dress of Jesus’ bride.

On a Mission for Me

“And especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones” (v10).

So, you don’t believe in God. You think that some invisible deity has no impact on your life. And because nobody’s going to tell you what to do, you’re on a “mission for me.” Pete lets us know that your lack of belief has nothing to do with God’s treatment of you. Just because you won’t submit to His divine authority doesn’t mean a hill of beans to a holy God. As a matter of fact, the Lord specializes in handling rebels who only care about themselves. 

From Rome, the apostle writes to Jesus’ followers in Asia Minor. He’s sounded the alarm about a team of false teachers that are tearing churches apart from the inside with their destructive teaching (2:1-3). Pete reassures his readers that God is perfectly capable of defending Himself and His Gospel. The former fisherman flips back to Genesis for a quick rundown of unsuccessful rebellions. God dealt with the fallen angels (Gen 6:1-6; 2Pet 2:4), flushed worldwide wickedness with the Great Flood (Gen 6:8-13; 2Pet 2:5), rained down His hot wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:23-28; 2Pet 2:6), and came to Lot’s rescue just before the mushroom cloud rose (Gen 19:1-22, 29; 2Pet 2:7). If the Lord can handle those rebels, He’ll have absolutely no problem with these spiritual snake oil salesmen. 

These hucksters are traveling from church to church selling a “message of me.” They “indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority” (v10). The false teachers don’t live a selfish life some of the time. They live it ALL of the time! They’re on a mission that’s fueled by self. They could not care less about others. They don’t give a flip about Jesus. All they want is what they want. Pete writes about their “lust” (Gr. epithumia). This is that burning desire that must be satisfied. They try to put out that inner fire with sex, food and power. But that’s like throwing gasoline on the flames. That just makes it worse. That just stokes the fire. Who are you living for? What are you living to do?

Just in case you might think these dudes simply have a misguided passion, the apostle lets us know that they are all about a life of “defiling passion” (v10). Here he drops the Greek word miasmos. Pete paints the picture of the very act of polluting and corruption. They’re living lives of moral uncleanness because of crime and ungodliness. They are tainted by evil and stained by sin. Think of someone who sits at a table and gorging themselves. Their shirt is disgusting. They’re covered with stains and crumbs. If you think a spot on your tie or blouse is hard to get out, you haven’t seen what the sin of self will do to your wardrobe.

If that’s not bad enough, these false teachers shake their fists are anyone who tries to tell them what to do. They “despise authority” (v10). The original text literally says that they “look down on the lordship.” They don’t just ignore those in charge. They hate them. They flip off anyone who dares to tell them they are wrong. Flip over to the little book written by Jesus’ little brother. Jude repeats Pete several times in his letter. This is one of them. Jesus’ kid brother not only covers the very same idea, he uses almost the very same words. “Yet in like manner these people also, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones” (Jude 8). These false teachers won’t listen to anybody. They absolutely refuse to submit to any authority. Not no way. Not no how.

Pete describes these infiltrators as “bold and willful” (v10). In other words, they’re not passive aggressive. They’ve made it very clear that they are in charge. They are daring and reckless. They don’t give a hot hoot about consequences. They’re arrogant, stubborn and selfish. It’s so bad that they go out of their way to trash the folks God has placed in authority. “They do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones” (v10). Most of us would be shaking in our boots to say something bad about the boss. Not these mutineers. There’s just one little problem. They are rebels without a clue. You see, God specializes in handling those who blatantly challenge His authority.

Here’s the bottom line. Jesus won’t stand for anyone to challenge His ultimate authority. That was Satan’s lie to Adam and Eve in the garden. That “you will be like God” (Gen 3:5). When God handed down His Top Ten to Moses on the mountain, He put His authority on the pole position. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex 20:3). That includes the person looking back at you in the mirror every morning. Are you on a “mission for me?” Is every decision about satisfying yourself? Is your first reaction to authority to pull away? You may want to pump your brakes, right here and right now. If so, God is an expert at taking care of you. 

Jesus to the Rescue!

“Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment” (v9).

Don’t call one of the Avengers. Forget trying to contact the Justice League. Pete tells us that there’s only one and only one Hero to call. Jesus. Don’t waste your time with anybody else. That’s because when Christ comes to your rescue, He handles everything. Our Savior doesn’t just snatch us out of the fire in the nick of time. He also personally punishes the bad guys. It’s Jesus to the rescue!

The apostle is writing here from Rome to friends in what we know today as Turkey. This is a followup letter to believers “in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bythinia” (1Pet 1:1). His first note encouraged Jesus’ followers to hang tough during a time of awful persecution and pressure from the outside (1Pet 3:19-20). Now he writes because of trouble on the inside. A group of con artists have snuck into the church and are tearing things apart through false teaching (2Pet 2:1-3). The former fisherman wants his readers to be sure that job isn’t too big for God. He dives deep into the OT and uses four examples from the book of Genesis to make his case. Example number one: God dealt with the fallen angels (Gen 6:1-6; 2Pet 2:4). Example number two: He flushed worldwide wickedness with the Great Flood (Gen 6:8-13; 2Pet 2:5). Example number three: He rained down His hot wrath on the terrible twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:23-28; 2Pet 2:6). Example number four: He came to Lot’s rescue just before the mushroom cloud rose (Gen 19:1-22, 29; 2Pet 2:7). Because God came to the rescue in these four examples, He’ll certainly be the Hero once again. It’s Jesus to the rescue.

Just how bad is the situation in these churches? How do we know folks just aren’t complaining to Pete about a couple of boring sermons or the color of the carpet? He talks about their “trials” (v9). While the Greek term (peirasmos) can certainly mean a period of testing, MacArthur: makes the point that it can describe “an attack with the intent to destroy.” In other words, this is a trap. Dr. Luke uses this word to describe the devil’s attack on our Savior in the desert (Lk 4:13). It’s a deliberate attempt by this team of false teachers and destroy the church. Because of what our Savior experienced during that satanic attack, we can be sure that Jesus can rescue us when we need a Hero. And that includes what’s going down in these Asian churches. 

We can be sure that Christ isn’t just flying by the seat of His pants. He’s not making up His plan to save us as He goes along. “The Lord knows how to rescue” (v9). He’s done it before. He’ll do it again. Just as fallen angels, Noah’s family, the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as Lot. Nike sold a ton of sneakers by telling us that “Bo knows.” When we’re in a tight spot, Pete wants us to remember that “the Lord knows” (v9). Jesus knows EXACTLY what to do in order to save us.

We can count on Christ to “rescue the ungodly” (v9). The original language contains the verb ruomai, which means to save or bring someone out of severe and acute danger. Jesus gets busy when the situation is hopeless. His timing is absolutely perfect. He’s always there in the nick of time. God used His perfect timing when Jesus showed up the first time. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son” (Gal 4:4). When Jesus saves, He’s always on time.

You may wonder if God rescues everybody. Good question. King David knew a thing or two about the God who saves. As a matter of fact, he wrote a song about it. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Ps 34:18). In other words, God’s people are going to have a boatload of trouble in this life, but He’ll come to the rescue each and every time. A few hundred years later, Paul let his friends in Corinth know about the very same God who saves. “No temptation (Gr. peirasmos) has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation (Gr. peirasmos) He will provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1Cor 10:13). To put it another way, sometimes Jesus rescues us from the storm. Sometimes He rescues us in the storm. That’s why Christ made sure to teach His posse to pray that God would “deliver us from evil” (Mt 6:13). No matter the situation, it’s Jesus to the rescue!

Our Hero doesn’t just save us from evil, but He holds the bad guys behind bars until the final judgment. Eventually every one of them gets a court date at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11-15). When Jesus pounds the gavel and delivers His final verdict, these spiritual convicts can look forward to eternity at the lake. The lake of fire, that is. He makes sure the wicked “under punishment” (Gr. kolazo). The word means to punish with the implication of severe suffering. It literally means to cut off, lop off or prune. If the bad guys don’t cut it out, God will cut them off. He’ll toss them in the joint and throw away the key. 

It’s Jesus to the rescue!

Drifting from God

“(for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard)” (v8).

For years, I drifted through life. I told folks that I believed in Jesus but you had to squint really hard to find any evidence of it. As a result, I got caught in the tide of culture. I was easily swept away by society. Before I knew it, I found myself in a strip club. On Easter Sunday! That’s when God got my attention. That’s how far I had drifted. Lot’s story is not too different. Abraham’s nephew grew up in a God-fearing family. But he apparently didn’t make his faith part of his life. He drifted. He meandered to the point that he was living in the Twin Sin Cities. Yup, we’re talking about Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot may have wandered away from God, but God didn’t wander away from Lot.

Pete lets us know that Lot is a “righteous man” (v8). As a matter of fact, he tells us three times in two verses about it. “Righteous Lot” (2:7). “That righteous man…his righteous soul” (v8). So if Lot was so incredibly righteous, how in the world did he end up living in such a sexually promiscuous place? He must have been doing mission work, right? Not even close. Just like his Uncle Abe, Lot was righteous only because he placed his trust in God. Let’s face it, in many ways, the dude was a train wreck. One night, he actually offered his two girls up to be raped. Later, he slammed on the brakes when the angels tried to rescue his family. Even after his great escape, he got drunk as a skunk and slept with his own daughters. Like I said, he wandered. Lot may have wandered away from God, but God didn’t wander away from Lot.

What he saw day in and day out eventually drove him bonkers. Pete describes how “he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard” (v8). It was torture for Lot to witness that level of filth and perversion on a daily basis. Every. Single. Day. The original text uses a Greek verb (basanizo) that speaks of physical torture. It’s the same word two demon-possessed guys drop when confronted by Jesus.

“Have You come here to torment (Gr. basanizo) us before the time?” (Mt 8:29). The rampant sexual sin that Lot saw disturbed him deeply. Despite drifting so far from God, Lot apparently began to realize just how bad things were around him. 

The citizens of these terrible twin cities weren’t just running a few red lights and taking too many deductions on their taxes. Lot saw with his own eyes and ears a level of evil that’s hard to comprehend. Most of all, sexual perversion dripped from every street corner. These are the real Sin Cities. Amsterdam? Nope. Forget Vegas. Bangkok? Not even close. Sodom and Gomorrah are one big red light district. We’re talking kinky with a capital K. But these places were known for what we now call an alternative lifestyle. Let’s face it. Your hometown has quite a horny reputation when history names a sex act after your city. And Lot was an eyewitness to all of it each and every day. Lot may have wandered away from God, but God didn’t wander away from Lot.

If God part four

“And if He rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his should over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard)” (v7-8).

For all the great heroes who come to the rescue, none comes close to the greatest Hero of them all. God. Not Superman. Sorry Batman. Jack Bauer? No way. Peter lets us know in no uncertain terms that when the chips are down and clock is ticking, the Lord is at His best. He flips back to Genesis once again to remind us of the day God saved Lot’s bacon. The apostle wants his readers understand that no matter how dark the situation, God will come to the rescue. When the going gets tough, God gets going.

This is the fourth example Pete’s pulled from the Bible’s first book to assure first century believers that God has not left them swinging in the breeze. God dealt with the fallen angels (Gen 6:1-6; 2Pet 2:4). He flushed worldwide wickedness with the Great Flood (Gen 6:8-13; 2Pet 2:5). He rained down His hot wrath on the terrible twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:23-28; 2Pet 2:6). Last but certainly not least, He came to Lot’s rescue just before the mushroom cloud rose (Gen 19:1-22, 29; 2Pet 2:7). Since He snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in these four situations, we can count on Him to do it again. Specifically, Pete’s recipients can take heart that God will handle this team of spiritual hucksters who have infiltrated His church (2Pet 2:1-3). God to the rescue! 

The former fisherman reminds us once again that God is THE Hero of the story. In this case, “He rescued righteous Lot” (v7). He use the Greek verb (Gr. ruomai) that means to save or bring someone out of severe and acute danger. It literally means to pull toward oneself. The Lord reached down and yanked Lot out of danger just in the nick of time. And that’s exactly how it went down. In Genesis 19:1-25, Yahweh sends a pair of angels on a divine rescue mission to Sodom and Gomorrah. When Lot balks at leaving, these messengers “seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city” (Gen 19:16). As the ultimate Hero, God comes to the rescue!

Pete describes our man Lot as a “righteous” dude. So just how righteous is Abraham’s nephew? Well, he was far from perfect. Lot offered up his own daughters to be raped when the exceedingly horny Sodomites pounded on his door and demanded he give them the two angels (Gen 19:4-8). And after God rescued him, this knucklehead let his daughters get him so wasted they could sleep with him (Gen 19:31-34). Not exactly the poster child of perfection. So just what made Lot righteous? Just like his uncle Abraham, “he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:4). Lot didn’t rely on his own goodness but the overwhelming goodness of God. Or as the Apostle Paul would write a few centuries later, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And it is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). God gives us His sinless perfection when we trust in who He is and what He does. It’s what Luther calls the “Great Exchange” (2Cor 5:21). God didn’t rescue Lot because Lot was so wonderful. God rescued Lot because Lot trusted in God’s goodness.

If God part three

“If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes He condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly” (v6).

Has someone ever given you directions using landmarks that aren’t there anymore? “Take the highway until you come to where the K-Mart used to be.” Chances are I’ve never been here before, so I’m pretty sure that I don’t have a clue where the old K-Mart used to be. Here in his second letter, Peter gives us important directions using a couple of important landmarks that aren’t there anymore. Sodom and Gomorrah. You may have heard of them. He uses them as the third of four examples from Genesis of how God will most certainly deal with evil in the world. First, it’s fallen angels (Gen 6:1-6; 2Pet 2:4). Batting second is the Great Flood (Gen 6:8-13; 2Pet 2:5). Next up is Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:23-28; 2Pet 2:6). He wraps it up with Lot’s rescue (Gen 19:1-22, 29; 2Pet 2:7-8). If you have any doubts about God’s ability to come to the rescue and punish sin, flip back to the first book of the Bible for a quick review. 

This is a big deal because Pete is warning his readers about a team of false teachers who have snuck into local churches and are tearing them apart from the inside (2:1-3). In his prequel, the threat came from outside the fellowship. The followers of Jesus faced tremendous prejudice and persecution from society and the government. But this time, it’s an inside job. Here, the former fisherman not only issues a red alert about these spiritual snake oil salesman but reassures folks that God can and will punish them. If they have any doubts about that, just drop by Sodom and Gomorrah to see how those folks are doing. Oh, that’s right. You can’t. They don’t exist anymore!

The book of Genesis tells the horrific story of these twin cesspool cities (Gen 18:20; 18:22-33; 19:1-14). There’s no real need to go into gory detail. Let’s simply say they weren’t exactly Mayberry and Mount Pilot. These cities steamed with all sorts sexual sin. Jesus’ little brother Jude wrote about them too. “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 7). Folks may have been hot to trot but that was nothing compared to fire God rained from the sky when He nuked the cities.

Pete’s not just bringing up sex to get people interested in his warning. These false teachers have done that already. They used sex to sell their message and it worked (2:2). The apostle sounds the alarm to let everyone know that by sleeping around, they are headed away from Jesus, not towards Him. Let’s be clear. God is no prude when it comes to sex. It was His idea! But He designed it for a husband and wife. Anything outside of marriage perverts His plan. Anything outside of marriage does tremendous damage to those involved. God is 100% in favor of sex. As long as you’re married, go for it. Enjoy it. Get it on. But outside of marriage, it’s like fire outside the fireplace. It kills and destroys. Just ask the folks of Sodom and Gomorrah. Oh, that’s right. You can’t. They don’t exist anymore.

If God part two

“If He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly” (v5).

I love movies where the good guys win and the bad guys lose. The shining knight slays the dragon. I especially love the flicks where there’s absolutely no hope and suddenly, out of nowhere, our hero busts onto the scene to save the day and thwart evil just in the nick of time. That’s when the cavalry rides over the hill. That’s when Han Solo roars to the rescue in the Millennium Falcon. No matter how great things look for the bad guys, good wins. Evil is thwarted. 

Peter continues his four part example from Genesis to reassure his readers that God will most certainly take care of a team of false teachers who have infiltrated local churches (2:1-3). He gives four case studies from the opening book of the Bible to calm everybody down. God took care of the fallen angels (Gen 6:1-6; 2Pet 2:4). He flushed worldwide wickedness with the Great Flood (Gen 6:8-13; 2Pet 2:5). He rained down His hot wrath on the terrible twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:23-28; 2Pet 2:6). He came to Lot’s rescue just before the mushroom cloud rose (Gen 19:1-22, 29; 2Pet 2:7). The apostle uses this OT Bible study to let us know God will win and evil will lose. Yeah, these spiritual hucksters may get away with their con for a while. But in the end, Yahweh will have His way. 

The former fisherman flips back to the opening chapters of Genesis for his second case study. For the second time, he says “if.” That’s probably better read as “since.” There’s nothing “iffy” about the big flood. A lot of folks question the truth of the biblical deluge. Maybe you’re one of them. I used to be on that team too. One thing is for certain. Jesus believed it happened (Lk 17:27). And if the One who predicted His own crucifixion and resurrection said the flood is real, then I’m going with what He says. It’s not IF there was a flood. It’s SINCE there was a flood!

Pete makes it clear that God “did not spare the ancient world” (v5). The writer of Genesis lets us know that it took no time for humans to completely jack up God’s perfectly crafted creation. It’s almost the blink of biblical eye from the day Adam and Eve fell for the lies of a demonic snake until “the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth (Gen 6:6). God didn’t just need to eliminate a few bad apples. He had to wipe the slate clean. He had to hit restart. And He was going to do that with a flood.

In one of the spectacular examples of grace in the OT, God reaches out and “preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness” (v5). God didn’t save Noah because he was such hot stuff. He wasn’t some Lone Righteous Ranger in a wicked world. Just before He handpicks Noah, God’s heart breaks over the people He created that must all be wiped out (Gen 6:5-6). Notice the sequence of events in Genesis. God doesn’t make Noah his number one draft pick because he’s clearly the best player available. No, it’s the other way around. Because “Noah found favor in the eyes of God” (Gen 6:8), he then is described as “a righteous man, blameless in his generation” (Gen 6:9). God’s grace radically transforms Noah. He becomes a “preacher of righteousness (v4).” And let’s be VERY clear about just who’s righteousness he’s telling everyone about. Noah is NOT saying, “Hey, look at me! Check out MY incredible goodness!” No, he’s announcing to the world the goodness, perfection and holiness of the One who showered him with descending one-way love. 

God places Noah and his family under the waterfall of His grace. In the meantime, God punishes evil. “He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly” (v5). Pete uses the Greek word kataklusmos. It’s the source for our term “cataclysm.” It describes complete and total inundation. There wasn’t just some localized flash flooding. God totally soaked the entire planet. Global catastrophe. Utter devastation. He flushed the toilet of evil. The apostle makes the point that if God can handle an entire world full of sinners, a few spiritual snake oil salesmen will be a piece of cake. The Good Guy wins. Evil is thwarted.

If God part one

“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” (v4).

The great theologian Dr. Phil likes to say, “The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.” Peter says that’s true of God. If you want to know how Almighty God will handle the lying teachers who have infiltrated local churches, just look back at how He dealt with evil in the past. This is the first of three “ifs” the apostle lists in verses 4-8. Pete flips back to Genesis for three examples of divine punishment of wickedness. Dr. Phil is right. If God came down hard of sin before, there’s every reason to think He’ll do it again with these spiritual hucksters. 

There’s nothing “iffy” about God’s judgment.

It’s probably a good idea to understand “if” as “since.” There’s no doubt these three things happened. “If God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell”…since He did! There’s no “if” when it comes to God dropping the hammer on the fallen angels. It happened before. It will happen again. Pete’s using an old teaching method of Jewish rabbis. He’s proving a big idea from a smaller fact. It’s kinda like those questions on the SAT. “If A is true and B is true and C is true, then D must be a stone cold, lead pipe lock.” The apostle pulls his three examples from the pages of the Bible’s first book. Fallen angels (Gen 6:1-6). The Great Flood (Gen 6:11-13). Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:1-29). Actually, verses 4-10 are one very long sentence. Pete drops three examples in 4-8 to prove his bid idea (God’s punishment of the lying teachers) in 9-10.

There’s nothing “iffy” about God’s judgment.

Let’s take a look at the first of the three “ifs.” “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned” (v4). This sure seems to be a direct reference to the time Satan led a rebel army of fallen angels in a coup against God’s authority. Almighty God quickly crushed the rebellion and booted these insurgent angels out of heaven (Heb 12:22; Rev 12:7-9). Ezekiel gives us some of the gory details of how Lucifer pulled the ultimate heel turn as the “signet of perfection” who eventually “sinned” because he thought he was such hot stuff (Ezek 28:15-19). But Satan and his unholy horde didn’t stop there. Genesis 6 tells us how they took demonic possession of human men in order to hook up with hot chicks (Gen 6:1-3). Jesus’ little brother Jude says God put His holy foot down, chained them up, tossed them into hell and turned off all the lights. “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” (Jude 6). Since God handled the angelic rebellion, we can count on Him to handle the false teachers.

There’s nothing “iffy” about God’s judgment.

The Lord certainly doesn’t look forward to bringing the pain. “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways” (Ezek 33:11). The one sure way to avoid God’s discipline is to repent. Do a 180. Turn from your sin. Turn to Jesus. He really hates the idea of sending us to hell. He’s given us the gift of repentance. Use it. Turn around. Turn around now! Pete hopes that the lying teachers who are tearing the church apart will spin from their sin and follow Jesus. You see, Christ is also proof that God must punish wickedness. The sinless Son of God took on our sin so that He could exchange it for His perfection (2Cor 5:21). God poured out His hot wrath on His Son for our sin (Is 53:4-12). We can either trust in what Jesus has done for us or be on the business end God’s judgment of our sin. It’s our choice. Choose wisely.

Because there’s nothing “iffy” about God’s judgment.

Fleecing the Flock

“And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (v3).

Bernie Madoff. Lehman Brothers. Michael Milken. You figure you’ll see these names when you Google “greed.” Pete lets us know that these corporate raiders and financial swindlers are minor leaguers compared to spiritual hucksters bilking believers in local churches. Two thousand years before “The Wolf of Wall Street,” the apostle took on a money hungry horde of religious con men looking to fleece the flock. But Peter reassured his readers that these crooks won’t get away with it. God will make sure of that.

Pete spends every bit of ink in chapter two warning folks about a team of false teachers who are infiltrating local churches and tearing them apart from the inside out. In his prequel, the former fisherman encouraged God’s people to hang tough during the external pressure of prejudice and persecution as followers of Jesus. Here in this second letter, he sounds the alarm about enemies within the fellowship. There’s a bunch of scam artists looking to pull an inside job.

We find out that these false teachers aren’t simply well-meaning but misguided. They are clearly up to something. Something BIG. “In their greed they will exploit you with false words” (v3). They are looking to make a big score. They are trying to pull a huge con. This is all about the Benjamins. They will say anything. They will do anything. Later in chapter two, Pete says these money-grubbers have actually spent their lives studying their craft. “They have hearts trained in greed” (2:14). They’re looking to take the money and run.

The apostle lets us know that these crooks plan to “exploit” the followers of Jesus (v3). He uses the Greek verb emporeuomai. It means to be in business, exploit for monetary gain or make profit off something. It’s where we get our word “emporium.” In the Greco-Roman world, it described the work of a traveling salesman. They will do ANYTHING to get your money. Robertson goes so far as to say they “shall make merchandise of you.” They don’t give a hot hoot about you and me. They just want what’s in our wallets. This posse of false teachers have taken their act on the road. They leave behind trail of broken hearts, fractured churches and empty bank accounts. 

So how are they pulling off their con? These cats are smooth talkers. They use “false words” (v3). Pete drops the adjective plastos. It’s something that can be molded, shaped or formed like clay. Molded like plastic. They’ve cooked up some counterfeit message in order to bilk believers. It’s fabricated. The false teachers get a feel for folks and then shape what they say to get what they want. Earlier, the apostle told us that “sensuality” is a big part of their sting (2:2). Let’s face it. Sex sells. It’s a key element of their plastic sales pitch.

This spiritual snake oil is so very different from the message Pete and the apostles are sharing. They’re telling everyone about the resurrected Christ Jesus. They saw Him with their own eyes. Their stories aren’t “cleverly devised myths” (1:16). And because they are eyewitnesses of everything He did, folks can trust what they have to say. Here’s the deal. They spent three years with a Rabbi/Carpenter who predicted His own death and resurrection…and then it HAPPENED JUST AS HE PREDICTED!! The apostle says you can’t make that stuff up. Now the crock the false teachers are spreading is something else altogether. 

At this point, you might bet more than a little nervous about the inevitable hoax. Clearly they are on the way. It’s not a matter of “if” but “when.” We need to be on the lookout for false teachers. But Pete lets us know that the Good Shepherd will protect His flock. When it’s all said and done, these hustlers won’t get away with it. “Their condemnation from long ago is not idle” (v4). God has made it blatantly clear that He will not put up with folks who jack around with His Gospel. He has zero tolerance for anyone who’s out to pilfer from His people. God may have established this principle back before time began but it’s still very much in effect today. This isn’t like some city ordinance that still on the books that never gets enforced. It’s “not idle.” The One who will execute their sentence isn’t taking a nap. “Their destruction is not asleep” (v3). God isn’t twiddling His thumbs. He’s not catching a snooze. He’s wide awake and ready for action. He will judge and condemn evil. Count on it.

Sex Sells

“And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed” (v2).

Sex sells. No matter where you look, it’s there. Hot bodies. Tight clothes. NO clothes! We’re not just talking about marketing porn. We’ve sunk to the point where a fast food joint uses a very attractive young lady suggestively eating a cheeseburger in their commercials. They’re asking a lot more than if we want fries with that. That’s because sex sells. And it’s been a hot commodity for centuries. The false teachers that Peter warns about are using sex as a huge selling point. Why? Because it works. 

Sex sells.

Pete lets us know that these spiritual hucksters are leading by example. And what’s their example? They’re sleeping around. “And many will follow their sensuality” (v2). The apostle lets us know that they aren’t just looking at a few girlie magazines. When he selects the Greek word aselgeia, he’s talking about their outrageous sexual behavior. The term generally describes a life without moral restraint. Paul was very worried that some of his friends in Corinth “have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality (Gr. aselgeia) that they have practiced” (2Cor 12:21). The man from Tarsus also encouraged Roman believers to live for Jesus and “not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality (Gr. aselgeia)” (Rom 13:13). Here Pete gives us a XXX-rated picture of erotic and slutty behavior. Simply put, these dudes are horny and don’t try to hide it. They know that sex sells.

Because these false teachers are sleeping around, so will their followers. A lot of folks will fall for their lies. They’ll not just listen to what they teach, they’ll do what they do. Some believers will get sucked into this lewd lifestyle “follow” (Gr. exakoloutheo) these spiritual con artists. Pete uses a word that means to follow out, conform as a follower in a detailed and dependent manner, or tread in one’s steps. This word only shows up three times in the New Testament and they’re all here in this little letter. The apostle says that he and the boys “did not follow (Gr. exakoloutheo) cleverly devised myths” but instead followed Jesus (1:16). Later he lets us in on the fact that these lying teachers “have followed (Gr. exakoloutheo) the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the gain from wrongdoing” (2:15). And now they have their own followers who are following in their filthy footsteps. Because sex sells.

One huge effect of all of this is that “the way of truth will be blasphemed” (v2). “The way of truth” is the jaw-dropping Gospel of Jesus. This is the Big Story of the Bible. God graciously crafted His creation. We quickly jacked it up through our own selfishness and rebellion. He sends His very own Son as the Hero. Jesus comes to rescue us from our own sin and restore the broken universe. But these false teachers want nothing to do with the Good News. They trash God’s truth. Slander it. Insult it. And in doing so, they throw Jesus under the bus. Pete just told us how they are “denying the Master” (2:1). They refuse to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. He’s not their Boss. He’s not going to tell them what to do. And that comes to their sex lives. 

Can I be blunt (as if I haven’t been so far)? Most of the time when people reject Jesus, it’s because they want to sleep around. They want nothing to do with what God says about sex. First of all, sex is His idea. He invented it. Who says God isn’t good?!? It’s not just for making babies. He wants us to enjoy it. Hey, He included the Song of Songs in Scripture. That’s some of the steamiest stuff you’ll read anywhere. But God designed sexual intimacy for husbands and wives. Anything outside of marriage will hurt us. Sexual sin damages us in ways that other sin doesn’t (1Cor 6:18). Christ is protecting us from ourselves. He knows that sex sells. He knows that our libido can be a bulldozer. But we don’t want anybody to tell us who we can’t sleep with. That includes Jesus. 

Why do I know the selling power of sex? I’ve fallen for it. From time to time, I still do. But God has given me the surging power of His indwelling Holy Spirit to free me from own horniness. Do I still have a sexual appetite? No question. But Jesus empowers me to stay true to my marriage. He knows sex sells. He gives me the supernatural strength not to buy what sexual sin is selling.

Spiritual Espionage

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction” (v1).

Inception. Mission Impossible. The Departed. The Manchurian Candidate. Each of these movies tell the story of devious infiltrations by double agents. Moles secretly sneak in only to ultimately cause harm, damage and death. This idea is nothing new. Peter lets us know that it’s been going on a long time. A VERY long time. He exposes their big lie. And he lets us know what will eventually happen to the bad guys. The apostle warns us to keep an eye out for infiltrators.

First, Pete gives us a little history lesson. He wants us to know that this isn’t some new problem. It’s been going on as long as anyone can remember. “False prophets also arose among the people” (v1). Just how long has this infiltration been going on? Flip back the opening pages of Genesis. That satanic snake snuck into the garden to whisper lies into Eve’s ears (Gen 3:4). It started in Eden and has been going on ever since.

Pete uses the word pseudoprophetes. Pseudo-prophets. The Greek prefix describes a liar and a deceiver. One who acts the part of a divine spokesperson and utters lies. This isn’t just a dude who simply pretends to be a prophet. He’s not just a wannabe. He’s a liar. He’s a cheater. He’s a bamboozler. 

Jesus had plenty to say about liar-prophets. “Beware of false prophets (Gr. pseudoprophetes), who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Mt 7:15). Don’t get eaten alive by con artists! Our Savior told His posse that one way to know that the world is headed for destruction is the number of these spiritual hucksters will grow exponentially (Mt 24:11, 24). Later, Pete’s old fishing buddy John sounded the alarm about lying prophets. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets (Gr. pseudoprophetes) have gone into the world” (1Jn 4:1).

Just because our Savior died on a cross and rose from the grave, that doesn’t mean that the big swindle is no more. Our enemy has moved from infiltrating the Jewish people to local churches. “There will be false teachers among you” (v1). Pseudodidaskalos. Pseudo-teachers. First it was lying prophets. Now it’s lying teachers. These aren’t folks pretending to be teachers. They haven’t falsified their teaching certificates. Oh now, they’re teachers alright. They are teachers of LIES!! The apostle warns us to expect their arrival. They’re coming. As a matter of fact, they may well be here already. 

How will we recognize these moles? What will give them away? Glad you asked. They “will secretly bring in destructive heresies” (v1). These liar teachers will smuggle in a message that causes corrosive factions and deadly divisions within the church. It’s similar to what a Trojan Horse virus does to a computer. A malicious program infiltrates your hard drive only to destroy it from the inside. That’s exactly what these liar teachers are up to. Divide and conquer. Split God’s people into factions. If they can get us fighting against each other, their work is done. When we spend all our energy in combat against other Christ followers, the Gospel fails to move forward. It discredits our message. That’s the very reason Jesus told us to love each other. Our sacrificial love for each other will let the world know that we’re His followers (Jn 13:34-35). Pete’s pal Paul dealt with fractured factions in Corinth (1Cor 1:10-13). Is someone around you teaching stuff that’s driving folks apart? They’re probably one of these liar teachers the apostle is warning us about. 

These false teachers will go so far as “even denying the Master who bought them” (v1). Pete pulls the curtain back on the depth of their treason. In the end, these liars are rejecting Jesus as the ultimate authority of the universe. The rotten core of their destructive message is that Christ isn’t in charge. He’s not Lord. He’s not God. They may spit out other lies about Jesus, but these false teachers refuse to let Christ tell them what to do. And they try to convince you and me to follow along. They give Jesus the Heisman. The shove our sovereign Savior away with a spiritual stiff arm. They believe that what God has for us isn’t as good as what we want for us. These liar teachers refuse to admit the truth of who Jesus really is. Don’t forget that the radical Rabbi/Carpenter announced that He is the very personification of the Truth (Jn 14:6). Who are you going to believe? These liar teachers or Jesus. It’s your choice. Let me know how that works out for you.MacArthur: The Greek word for “destructive” basically means damnation. this word is used six times in this letter and always speaks of final damnation (v1-3; 3:7, 16).

The apostle says that these infiltrators reject Jesus but will be destroyed so fast it will make your head spin. They are “bringing upon themselves swift destruction” (v1). It’s important to notice who’s doing what to whom here. This isn’t a big ol’ mean God bringing the pain on innocent people. These liar teachers are destroying themselves. They may do some short-term damage among God’s people, but in the end they’re signing their own death sentence. And when it happens, it’s gonna be quick. Blink of an eye. Boom. Game over.

Let’s be on the look out for liar teachers. They’re out there. And they’re trying to get in here. These agents of our enemy are looking to infiltrate. They’re trying to double-cross. They’re hoping to divide. Let’s not fall for the big lie.

Blown Away

“For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (v21).

People don’t blow away God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit blows people away. Peter wants to make cause and effect clear. God is the Cause. When His Spirit moves, things happen. He has His effect on His creation. That includes human beings. Just like the ocean trade wind fills the sails of a schooner and propels it over the sea. Just like a kite would fight a losing battle the breeze, people don’t influence the Holy Spirit. People don’t tell God what to do. We don’t tell Him what to say. Nope. It’s the other way around. God’s Spirit blows people away.

Pete is talking specifically about the source of Scripture. The apostle lets us know that men didn’t concoct these cockamamy stories and then label it as prophecy from God. It’s the other way around. When God’s Spirit started blowing and inspiring human authors, the result was God’s Word. When the winds blow, the sailboat moves. When God’s Spirit blows, people move.

I admit that there are times when I’m full of hot air. But here the former fisherman chooses his words very carefully. He selects the Greek verb phero not once but twice here in this verse. The term has a wide range of meanings but here he uses it to describe causing an object to move by means of force. To bring something or someone along. There’s a sense of driving by force or speed. To be blown away by the wind. Pete’s already used this word twice before. On that amazing day on the mountain with the transfigured Jesus, the apostle and his buddies heard “the voice was borne (Gr. phero) by the Majestic Glory…We ourselves heard this very voice borne (Gr. phero) from heaven” (1:17-18). Father God’s voice roared from heaven like hurricane to deliver the greatest “That’s My Boy!” the world has ever heard. To say the least, the boys were blown away.

Over in Luke’s sequel, the good doctor uses this word a couple of times to describe powerful winds. Let’s pick it up in the Upper Room as the Holy Spirit starts to blow. “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing (Gr. phero) wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). Those 120 believers were blown away. Later Paul and Dr. Luke are sailing to Rome when their ship gets slammed by a hurricane. “When the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along (Gr. phero)” (Acts 27:15). The ship was blown away.

The same thing happens when God’s Spirit hits humans like a hurricane. We move. In this case, he’s talking specifically about the human authors of Scripture. They weren’t cooking up crazy stories (1:16). They weren’t simply sharing their opinions (1:20). The Holy Spirit blew them away. When the Spirit of God rushes in, it makes a cat 5 hurricane look like a ceiling fan on low. There’s no holding on. There’s no fighting it. The result was that prophets grabbed a pen and put God’s Word on paper. They were blown away.

On the other hand, Pete lets us know that people who manufacture messages from God are big blow hards. That’s exactly what’s going down in several churches. A team of false teachers have snuck into local churches (2:1). The apostle is writing to punch a hole in these heretical gas bags. These hucksters are selling their alleged secret message from heaven. There’s just one problem. One very BIG problem. It’s NOT from God. They’ve simply made all this stuff up. This is about cause and effect. Humans don’t cause God’s Word. God’s Word has its effect on us. It blows people away.

A Cow's Opinion

“Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation” (v20).

Joey Tribbiani will not go down as a one of great thinkers of the modern era. On the other hand, this dude occasionally dropped some serious knowledge as a character on the TV show “Friends.” One of those was when Joey talked to Rachel about something that just doesn’t matter. “It’s a moo point…Yeah, it’s like a cow’s opinion. It just doesn’t matter. It’s moo.” Joey will never be considered a prophet or the son of a prophet. But it applies perfectly when it comes to what Pete writes here. When can be sure that what we read in the Bible is straight from God. This isn’t the prophet’s opinion. It doesn’t matter what you think it. It doesn’t matter what I think. Anything other than God’s intention is like a cow’s opinion. It’s a moo point.

Look back up the page to verse 16. Pete started this section by reassuring us that he and the boys weren’t chasing a bunch of “cleverly devised myths” (1:16). They hadn’t fallen for a fairy tale. Jesus is real. They saw Him. They heard Him. They followed Him. And if that’s not good enough for you, three of them were eyewitnesses to the mountaintop meet up between Christ, Moses and Elijah (1:17). The even heard God the Father boom the ultimate “That’s My Boy” (1:18). The apostle says that as life-changing as that event was, there’s “something even more sure” (1:19). God’s Word. You may not have gotten the personal invite to the Transfiguration, but can trust that what you read in the Bible is legit. This is VERY important to Peter’s readers. A team of spiritual hucksters have gotten their ear and are trying to tear the church apart from the inside out (2:1). The former fisherman tells us to ignore false teachers and pay attention to the truth. God’s truth.

“Knowing this first of all” (v20). This is Pete’s point. This is the lead story. This the most important idea he’s trying to get across here. The whole Transfiguration was awesome. Hearing Father God through the heavenly subwoofers was something they will never forget. But here’s what is first and foremost. This is big idea. Here’s the takeaway. Ready? Are you paying attention? OK. Here we go.

The apostle tells us that “no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation” (v20). Pete’s literally talking about a message from God that has been written down. He’s reassuring us that what we read in the Bible is straight from God’s lips. He’s specifically talking about the Old Testament. Remember, the NT is still in production. But the apostle clearly believes that these new writings are prophetic as well. Later, Pete refers to parts of Paul’s letters as “hard to understand” but equal to “other Scriptures (Gr. graphes)” (3:16). He wants you count on what you read in the OT and NT as legit. Take it to the bank. 

You don’t have to worry that this is just “someone’s own interpretation” (v20). The apostle uses the Greek word epilusis. It describes a disclosure, explanation, exposition, meaning or solution. This is the only time the term appears in the Bible. The word literally means a release or an unloosening. Pete wants us to know without a shadow of a doubt that what we read in Scripture isn’t like a nasty knot that someone has finally untangled. Never forget the Big Story of God’s Word. God created beautifully and perfectly. We jacked it up completely. He’s coming back on the greatest rescue mission the universe has ever seen to fix His creation and save us in the process. Nobody’s making this stuff up. God holds the copyright on what you read in His Word. If you don’t like it, don’t blame dudes like Pete and Paul. They’re only making the delivery.

Be VERY careful when reading passages from the Bible. Don’t sit back and say, “I think that this means…” If someone says that in your small group, run. Run far. Run fast. Can we be blunt among friends? Their opinion doesn’t matter. Your opinion doesn’t matter. My opinion doesn’t matter. As the great philosopher and theologian Joey Tribbiani from “Friends” would say, “It’s like a cow’s opinion. It’s a moo point. It doesn’t matter.” Our opinion doesn’t matter. What DOES matter is what the prophet had to say originally when he was writing. What DOES matters is what God has to say through His handpicked spokesman. Everything else is just a cow’s opinion. It’s a moo point.

That includes the prophet who wrote what you’re reading in 2 Peter. These guys weren’t just throwing ideas against the wall to see what would stick. They weren’t writing down some random daydreams. This is GOD’s Word. This is GOD’s message. This is GOD’s Gospel. You can trust God to get His Good News out. He used His Holy Spirit to inspire the writers of the Bible and say EXACTLY what He wanted them to say (1:21; 2Tim 3:16). So if you don’t like what you’re reading in the Bible, don’t blame boys like Pete, Paul, Luke and John. This isn’t their opinion. They’re just delivering the mail. If you’ve got an issue with Scripture, take that up with God. Let me know how that goes for you.

Everything else is just a cow’s opinion. It’s a moo point.

God's Voice REALLY Carries

“We ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (v18-19).

Pete tells us why being an eyewitness to the Transfiguration was such a big deal. It wasn’t to brag to friends at parties. It wasn’t to score a huge movie or book deal. He says that it allowed the inner circle to be absolutely and totally sure of the God’s voice. When Peter, James and John talk about hearing from God, we can take it to the bank that they know what they’re talking about. 

The apostle reassures his readers that they weren’t just eyewitnesses but “earwitnesses” at the mountaintop meet up. “We ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain” (v18). They saw Jesus’ appearance dazzle and glow as He gave the boys a sneak peek of what was to come. But they also heard the booming Voice of God delivering His supernatural “attaboy” the universe as a proud Papa. “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased” (1:17). They know what they saw. They know what they heard. “We were with Him” (v18)! And the boys heard the Father’s voice echo straight from the heavenly throne room. The Dad’s announcement was “borne from heaven” (v18). The language here describes how God the Father’s voice carries. It’s the verb phero, which means to carry forward. While He sometimes uses a still, small voice. Just ask Elijah (1Ki 19:12). But there are times when Jesus’ Dad uses His outside voice. How loud is it? He cranks it up to 11. And it reverberates from heaven. His voice REALLY carries!

Pete goes on to write that because of all they saw and heard at the Transfiguration, “we have something more sure, the prophetic word” (v19). This “prophetic word” is the whole of Scripture. The apostle makes that clear down in verse 20. We call some books the major and minor prophets. But we need to remember that God prophetically inspired every book of the Bible. Because he’s hearing from God, every biblical author is a prophet. We can be sure that Scripture is anything but a “non prophet” organization. The former fisherman’s letting us know that what they witnessed on the mountain confirmed everything they’ve heard in God’s Word and God’s Word confirmed everything they saw at the summit. The Transfiguration is the supernatural stamp of approval on what God has delivered on the pages of Scripture. Pete uses the Greek adjective bebaios. It means reliable, well-founded, confirmed and verified. God’s Word is legit. Rely on it. Count on it. It’s verified. It’s bona fide.

Don’t forget the whole reason Pete is writing. He’s booting out the snake oil salesmen that have infiltrated numerous churches (2:1). He says forget what those hucksters are selling. It’s all lies. Smoke and mirrors. Instead know that everything they’ve read in the Old Testament and all they’ve heard and received from the apostles is legit. It’s reliable. It’s confirmed. It’s verified. And the same goes for us. It’s a shame when a church is filled with people who don’t bring their Bibles. Don’t just take the preacher at face value. Do what the boys in Berea did. They not only devoured what the Apostle Paul taught them, but were “examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Don’t just blindly take what somebody else says about God’s Word. Check it for yourself. It’s reliable. It’s confirmed. It’s verified. It’s legit.

Pete encourages us to trust in Scripture until Jesus makes His spectacular encore. “You will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns” (v19). In other words, once Jesus headed home to heaven, we’re living “in a dark place.” We’re living in a fallen world. Don’t forget that our Savior encourages to shine His light like “a city set on a hill” (Mt 5:14-16). Let’s be light shiners until He returns. And the apostle wants us to know without a shadow of a doubt that Christ is coming again. Once the reality of His return is part of our lens of life, then “the morning star rises in your hearts” (v19). 

We can take it to the bank because of everything they experienced on that mountain. Jesus is God. Scripture is true. Christ is coming back. It’s reliable. It’s confirmed. It’s legit. All because God’s voice REALLY carries!

That's My Boy!

“For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne  to by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased’” (v17).

The great philosopher and theologian Bill Cosby talks about what it was like watching his own son play football. “Yes, that’s my boy. See that boy running the touchdown with the name ‘Cosby’ on the back? That’s my son. I would have done it myself, but I’m too old now. So I gave him the business. He’s in charge of running touchdowns.” In many ways, that’s very similar to what God the Father said to Peter, James and John that incredible meeting on the mountain. In his sequel, the apostle flashes back to remind us of what they saw and heard. They heard Jesus’ Dad as the proud Papa. 

That’s My Boy!

Pete’s talking about what theologians call the Transfiguration. That jaw-dropping moment when Jesus literally began to shine. This is a spectacular sneak preview of the God-Man’s heavenly glory. If that’s not enough, two OT superstars showed up. We’re talking Moses and Elijah. Yeah, a pair of real prophetic heavy hitters. This supernatural summit shows is such a big deal that three of the four Gospel writers shine their spotlight on it (Mt 17:1-8; Mk 9:2-8; 9:28-36). It makes you wonder just how this impacted Jesus’ inner circle as He headed for Jerusalem and His death on a Roman cross.

Pete describes how Jesus “received honor and glory” from His heavenly Dad. The Greek word for “honor” means respect, worth and recognition. God the Father lets us know that His Son is a Big Deal. As a matter of fact, there are none bigger. Jesus is the Biggest Deal! The apostle recalls how Christ also receives “glory” at the Transfiguration. The word in the original language is doxa. It means radiance, brightness, splendor, majesty, remarkable appearance or shining. He’s talking about how Jesus began to glow and dazzle while they were there. So when Jesus was transfigured, it was His Dad that did it! In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term for “glory” is kabod. It describes a heaviness, weightiness or importance. When He makes His Son shine, Father God says that Christ has gravitas. He’s a Big Deal. A VERY Big Deal. He’s one very proud Papa.

That’s My Boy!

At this point, the former fisherman drops a very curious description of the heavenly voice. It’s “the Majestic Glory.” He uses the same word (Gr. doxa) but adds the adjective megaloprepes. It’s a compound word that literally means “mega-shiny” and “super conspicuous.” It’s the one and only time the term is used in the entire Bible. When you flip over to Matt’s take on what happened that day, “the Majestic Glory” is most the “bright cloud that overshadowed them” (Mt 17:5). The majestically glorious Voice came from the majestically glorious cloud. The One speaking is splendid. The One speaking is  excellent. The One speaking is sublime. The Mega Glorious One is busting at the seams with pride over His Son. 

That’s My Boy!

What exactly did the very proud heavenly Dad say about His Son? “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased” (v17). This is exact quote Matt’s Gospel uses (Mt 17:5). God makes it clear that radical Rabbi/Carpenter isn’t just anybody’s son. He’s HIS Son! He’s the one and only Son of God! The Father doesn’t even try to contain His overflowing parental passion for His Son by announcing that Jesus is His “beloved” (Gr. agapetos). It literally means someone who’s on the receiving end of agape. The term also describes one who is a favorite, worthy of love, esteemed and lovable. No one loves Jesus more His very own heavenly Dad. But God doesn’t just love His Son because He has to. He’s “well pleased” (Gr. eudokeo) with everything about Him. He absolutely enjoys being around Him. The Father takes divine delight in His Son. This is a glimpse at the incredible friendship and fellowship in the Holy Trinity. There’s no closer relationship in the history of the universe than what we find in the Father, Son and Spirit. The love of the Godhead spills over the heavenly dam at the Transfiguration. God the Father is cheers on His Son. He wants the world to know just who He is and what He’s done.

That’s My Boy!