How lovely God is Pt 24: God knows how to rescue
2Peter 2:4-10 4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 10This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority.
God did not spare angels
I have always thought of angels as fully holy and righteous spiritual beings who were God’s ‘arms and legs’—who manifested God’s glory to human beings, acted as spirituals go-betweens, and basically God’s logistical experts. With that in the background, one of the quiet fears many believers carry is this: Will God really come through when things get dark? When pressure builds, when culture grows hostile, when temptation feels relentless, we may believe the right doctrines but still wonder if God truly sees, truly cares, and truly knows how to act in time.
Peter begins with a startling example: angels. These were not ignorant creatures, nor morally weak humans, but powerful spiritual beings. In my mind they are the last beings who would ever rebel against God’s authority, but they did rebel. The rebellion is not the point here, but that there was no hesitation in God’s dealing with that rebellion. What Peter wants us to see is not curiosity about angels, but certainty about God’s holiness. Position, privilege, and power do not exempt anyone from accountability. Even heavenly beings are subject to God’s moral order.
This matters because false teachers often minimize sin or redefine it. They promise freedom while living in rebellion themselves (2 Pet 2:18–19). Peter counters that mindset by reminding the church that God’s justice is not symbolic or delayed because He is indifferent — it is purposeful and certain.
At the same time, there is something quietly comforting here. If God governs even the unseen spiritual realm with perfect justice, then nothing in our visible world is outside His control either. Chaos may appear to reign, but it never does. God is not confused about how to deal with evil, and He is not uncertain about how to rescue His people. This is extremely comforting because we often see the world with myopic vision—concerned only with our little problem and not really understanding that God has it all under control.
He punished ungodly people
But there is a flip side to God’s governance too. If God will not tolerate wickedness in the hearts of angels, certainly He will not tolerate it in the hearts of men. In Noah’s generation, violence and corruption had become normal (Gen 6:11–12). In Sodom, wickedness was aggressive and shameless (Gen 19:4–5). In both cases, judgment was not impulsive; it followed prolonged patience. God warned, waited, and gave space for repentance — but eventually, justice came. Peter says these events stand as “an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly” (2 Pet 2:6). That may sound uncomfortable to modern ears, but it protects two essential truths:
Evil is not permanent.
God will not allow injustice to reign forever.
For believers who suffer under oppressive systems, corrupt leaders, or spiritual abuse, this is not frightening news — it is hopeful news. God does not ignore wrongdoing, even when human courts fail. Peter is saying: the moral structure of the universe is intact. God’s patience should never be mistaken for approval.
And He rescues righteous people
Here is where Peter shifts from warning to reassurance. In both stories of judgment, God also rescued His faithful people. Noah was preserved through the flood; Lot was pulled out of Sodom before destruction fell.
What’s striking is that neither man lived in perfect conditions. Noah preached righteousness while surrounded by violence (2 Pet 2:5). Lot lived daily among people whose values grieved his soul (2 Pet 2:8). He was not untouched by the culture, he was distressed by it. That detail matters. Peter is not describing righteous people as those who are comfortable or socially approved, but those who remain faithful while being spiritually burdened by sin around them. As I drive people to their destination in my Uber job, I am heavily burdened by the horrible, horrible language that seems so acceptable this days. One time I counted 14 F-bombs in one sentence, so it seems to be no accident that God has brought this particular section of Scripture to my heart this particular day.
Many believers today know that feeling of spiritual burden well:
trying to raise children in confusing moral climates,
working in environments hostile to faith,
navigating constant temptation and compromise.
Peter is saying: God sees the pressure. He sees the grief. He sees the quiet faithfulness.
And more than that — He acts.
Jesus Himself said:
“Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matt 6:8)
“I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:20)
Rescue does not always mean escape from hardship, but it always means preservation of faith, protection of the soul, and ultimate deliverance from judgment.
So, He knows how to protect us
“If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.” (2 Pet 2:9)
This is Peter’s conclusion — and it is wonderfully practical. Notice what he does not say:
He does not say God will prevent every trial.
He does not say believers will avoid suffering.
He does not say justice will always be immediate.
What he says is far more realistic and far more reassuring: God knows how to rescue His people in the midst of trials. The word “knows” here means more than awareness — it means skillful knowledge, experienced competence. God is not learning as He goes. He has been rescuing His people for thousands of years. From Egypt’s slavery to Babylon’s exile, from Roman persecution to modern hostility, the story has always been the same: trials come, faith is tested, and God preserves His people.
Paul echoes this confidence:
“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom.” (2 Tim 4:18)
That rescue may be physical, emotional, spiritual, or ultimately eternal — but it is always real. At the same time, Peter reminds us that God is also perfectly just. False teachers, abusers of grace, and those who exploit others will not escape accountability. God may allow them time, but He never loses track of them.
For believers, this truth does two things:
It removes the burden of revenge — we don’t have to make things right.
It strengthens perseverance — suffering is not meaningless or unseen.
What about me?
So how do we live in light of this passage?
First, we learn to trust God’s timing. When evil seems to flourish, when truth is mocked, and when obedience feels costly, Peter reminds us that history always moves toward God’s justice, not away from it.
Second, we learn to take comfort in God’s attentiveness. If God saw Noah’s faithfulness and Lot’s distress, He certainly sees yours — your prayers, your quiet obedience, your grief over sin, your longing for righteousness.
Third, we learn to stay anchored in holiness. Peter’s warning about false teachers flows into a call to godly living. Rescue is not promised to those who flirt with compromise, but to those who remain faithful even when it is uncomfortable.
And finally, we learn to rest in God’s competence. We do not need to engineer our own salvation, defend ourselves against every threat, or carry the weight of justice on our shoulders. God knows how to rescue. He always has.
As the psalmist said long ago:
“The LORD is righteous in all His ways and faithful in all He does.” (Ps 145:17)
And He still is.