Jude 6 (NET): You also know that the angels who did not keep within their proper domain but abandoned their own place of residence, he has kept in eternal chains in utter darkness, locked up for the judgment of the great Day

In verse 6, Jude begins discussing Gods judgement on rebellious Angels. According to this text, they were created within a proper domain and a place of residence.

God created order, and this by extension of His own divine attribution of perfection. He knows what is good, because He alone is Fully Good. Some have tried to categorize existence into a hierarchy of higher and lower beings, with the Ultimate Divinity at the top. In fact, most Eastern Religions and New Age Western Religions teach this concept. According to this understanding the gods are arranged according to their power, then below them is angelic beings, then humans, “intelligent” creatures, unintelligent creatures, great natural organisms (for instance, trees), and then lesser organisms (like dandelions), to organic microorganisms and so on. In some religious thought, it is possible to transcend or descend your position based on works, being rewarded or punished for action or inaction.

Many Christians actually believe a similar concept, seeing a person who achieves sainthood as a “lesser angel” looking down on them, or as one who can intercede on their behalf. Likewise they may assume when they go to heaven they will become an angel (like they were told grandma did when they were a child). This is not true.

Some will claim ghosts are a lesser spiritual form, punished for their actions or inaction. Additionally, some Christians often will think that devils and demons are lesser beings, cursed below man and punished for their evil villainy. They assume they are unintelligent and animalistic. This is not true.

However, biblically speaking there is two “realms”. Most Christians would agree with this, and if asked would probably divide these realms into the spiritual or unseen realm and the created realm. Although this is true, it is also misleading. Many Christians have wrongfully believed that Angels and Demons only exist in the spiritual realm. Others have believed that this spiritual realm exists in contrast to the created realm, as the uncreated realm (think, immaterial). However that can lead to confusion as many may be led to believe angels and demons are uncreated beings, or apart from “creation”, that they themselves are infinite, unlike humans (and all of the created world) who are finite.

It is helpful then, to highlight the first distinction. Only God is uncreated. He is the pre-existence. The divine Logos. He is the only infinite being. He needs nothing outside of himself, and is complete within himself. The second distinction is then that everything else, including angels and demons, humans, animals and trees, are all created and therefore finite. The third distinction then is everything created exists at different times in both the Seen and Unseen Realms, or perhaps better understood as the overlapping realms of the heavens and the earth.

God created everything, from nothing.

He created everything with purpose, and gave them their domains. The angels He created, according to the account in Genesis, as He created the heavens. I agree with Augustine that these spiritual beings (we call angels) are the greater and lesser lights, and the luminaries that filled the heavens and radiated Gods glorious light. According to Genesis 1:14 they were the intended to be as signs, and to rule over their domains of day and night, and separate darkness or obscurity.

He made these spiritual beings with specific purpose and responsibility. Different then humans, they were made to worship God and radiate His glory in the heavens. They were given authority to rule over their domains, from ‘day and night’ to actual nations (see Psalm 82). Their residence was in heaven, not elevated above God. They worshiped Jesus as the triune God (Heb. 1:6). They declared Gods word to humans (Heb. 2:2) Angels were to minister (Heb. 1:14) or care for and protect humans (Psalm 34:7, 91:11)

Angels, like mankind had the capacity to rebel from God. Satan led the first major rebellion before the fall of mankind.

Isaiah 14:12-14 recalls how Satan wanted to be elevated above God and the other spiritual beings (stars of God). He was consumed with pride, he wanted to be like God, the Most High. He was cast out, alongside his co-conspirators, for leading his rebellion (Rev. 12:7-10).

Jesus, in his humility was made fully human, and put lower than Angels, like all of man (Heb. 2:7 & Psalm 8:4-6). Although at this current state, man is still lower than angels, and subject to powers and authorities (Eph. 6:12), someday those whom are gifted eternal life through Jesus Christ, will judge these spiritual beings.

Jude 6 highlights this judgement: “You also know that the angels who did not keep within their proper domain but abandoned their own place of residence, he has kept in eternal chains in utter darkness, locked up for the judgment of the great Day”

Also, 1 Corinthians 6:3 , where it states:

“Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!”

Yes, even now we are gifted with wisdom pertaining to this life, and some day we will have the wisdom to judge angels. B

For what pastoral application is this fascinating knowledge?

Perhaps 2 Peter 2:4-9 provides final insight and direction:

For 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;

if 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;

if 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;

and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—

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.

We have finite understanding of the totality of existence and creation. We are limited in comprehension and imagination. We don’t understand how God rescues the godly or how or when God will judge the unrighteousness. We will never fully understand Gods ways. Neither will the angels.

But the Lord does. We can trust Him, and should. Like the angels, he has put us in certain ‘dominions and residencies’ for purposes which glorify Him. There is serious consequences for rebelling against the creator of everything. Let’s worship God for his majesty, power and glory. He is far above us, and unlike us in our finitude. Pride destroys. Oh my soul, be humble.

Peace be with you.