People assume that when there are no immediate consequences for their actions they are getting away with their deeds. The Creator’s judgment is sure; none of His creation is beyond judgment, including His judgment of false teachers.
God consigned every false teacher to His eternal wrath for a long time or a long time ago (2 Pet 2:3). Though they appear to get away with their lies and deceit, their judgment is not idle and does not slumber. Jude adds that they were long ago … marked out for this condemnation of God (Jude 1:4).
Peter gives us three examples of God’s judgment from the past to remind, ensure, and warn us that no one gets away with sin. He doesn’t go into details in his examples, but simply makes the point: be sure your sin will find you out (Num 32:23).

I. The Rebellious Angels (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 5-7). Peter refers to a group of angels which sinned and God has reserved for judgment. These angels once lived in the brilliant light of God’s glory, but are now incarcerated in absolute blackness, held in chains of darkness. How incredible to be reminded that the road to Hell is paved by some who knew what it was, firsthand, to have life in the presence of God (David R Helm, Preaching the Word: 1 & 2 Peter and Jude, p 226). While God’s redeemed are reserved for Heaven (1 Pet 1:4) these condemned angels have a reservation in the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:10 - 21:1).
These angels, whose sin Peter doesn’t elaborate (though others speculate upon), rebelled against the bounds set by God. They are held by God in Tartarus, the place in Greek thought where the worst of criminals were punished forever. If God judges angels so severely and finally, He will certainly do the same for humans. Every false teacher has a reservation made by God in eternal punishment.



II. The Apathetic World (2 Pet 2:5; Gen 6:1-13, 17; 7:10-24). Peter used the term ancient world for the people alive at the time of Noah (Gen 6:7-7). These people were enjoying life, keeping busy eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage (Mt 24:38), unconcerned about their sin or God’s judgment.
While humanity was going through life as usual, Noah was not only righteous, having been saved by God’s grace (Gen 6:8; Heb 11:7), but was a preacher of righteousness. While building the ark for 120 years, Noah preached about God’s judgment and salvation, but the world loved its sin and God destroyed every sinner (Jn 3:16-21).
The Flood (kataklusmos) describes a sudden and violent upheaval that changes the existing order (Gen 7:10-24). Not only was the surface of the earth changed, but the social order of mankind changed. The Flood changed everything! God drown everything that breathed air with floodwaters up past the mountain tops so that no living creature could survive!
God judged the ungodly (asebeia), whose wickedness and violence filled the earth (Gen 6:5, 11, 13). Asebeia refers to an apathy and lack of concern, fear, reverence, and worship. The world, minus Noah, was apathetic toward God and in full rebellion against Him.

III. The Sensual Cities (2 Pet 2:6; Gen 18:20 - 19:29). Sodom and Gomorrah are God’s historical symbol of His judgment against sin and false teachers in the church.
These two cities are referred to more than 20 times in the Bible. These two great cities of the ancient world were places of prosperity, leisure, pride, comfort, indecency, and sexual immorality (Gen 13:8-12; 14:8; Deut 29:23).
There are two aspects of sin: those who do the sin and those who accept the sin (Rom 1:32). Private behavior is not a secret to the all-knowing God, and because of their sin, God condemned the five cities on the Jordan plain to destruction (katastrophe), a complete and total overthrow, destroying them by fire and covering them with ashes, which God will one day rain upon the whole earth (2 Pet 2:10, 12; Jude 7).
Unless the sins of the false teachers (and everyone else) be forgiven by God through faith in Jesus (Is 53:6-10; Rom 5:9; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Thess 1:-4, 9-10; 5:9-11), they will all experience the same damnation as Peter’s three examples.