Read with Me
2 Peter 2:10b-16 (HCSB)
Bold, arrogant people! They do not tremble when they blaspheme the glorious ones; however, angels, who are greater in might and power, do not bring a slanderous charge against them before the Lord. But these people, like irrational animals—creatures of instinct born to be caught and destroyed—speak blasphemies about things they don’t understand, and in their destruction they too will be destroyed, suffering harm as the payment for unrighteousness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, delighting in their deceptions as they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery and are always looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse! 15 They have gone astray by abandoning the straight path and have followed the path of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness but received a rebuke for his transgression: A donkey that could not talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s irrationality.
Listen with Me
Peter is still talking here about false prophets and false teachers, people present in the Church, but not a true part of the Church because they are not true servants of Jesus. And the picture he paints of them is not flattering in the least!
Peter sees these people as so bold and arrogant that they slander celestial beings, something even angels do not dare to do. But Peter tells us that these arrogant leaders who try to build themselves up by tearing down all things higher than they are, are not doing it because they are intellectually or spiritually superior people. Instead, they do it because they have ignored their higher spiritual capabilities, suppressing them in their lust to the point where they have become little more than animals, driven by instinct and a thirst for more power and authority, and respect.
They have left the straight path, and have encourage others to do the same, drinking, carousing, and dragging others down. Unfortunately for many of them, they have shown that they are beyond redemption, having in a very real sense allowed themselves and their appetites to become their god. And Peter predicts that God will ultimately destroy them.
Interestingly, Peter paints these false prophets and false leaders as worse sinners than Balaam. Balaam came at the summons of King Balak to curse Israel on the boundaries of the Promised Land. Balaam had been drawn by the promise of a great reward, but had been stopped by his donkey, who saw the danger that stood in his path, and earned a beating for his concern. But then the donkey spoke and made Balaam pause in his recklessness (Numbers 22:1-35).
But these false prophets and false leaders could not be persuaded to pause, even through clear direction from God. Like Balaam, they were ultimately so persuaded that they were right that they heard the warnings and kept on going. And, just as Balaam was ultimately destroyed for his treachery against God’s people (Numbers 31:8b), so destruction was awaiting these false prophets.
Pray with Me
Father, these people are still among us today, false prophets who speak their own self-serving words but portray them as coming from Your lips. And false leaders, who use Your name and a form of Your word to inflate their own importance instead of glorifying You, and who fatten themselves and their pocketbooks instead of advancing Your agenda. Unfortunately, they often gather quite a following as they deceive people, leading them to believe that they somehow have a close connection to You and to Your power. Help us, Lord, to be able to see clearly the true spirit behind those who claim to speak for You, so that we can turn away from all those who are motivated by things other than Your Spirit, so that we won’t be dragged off Your straight way. Amen.