Jude 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under deep gloom until the judgment of the great day,
Jude’s next example about angels adds to the warning about turning from the faith and rejecting Jesus. Jude builds on various Jewish traditions about rebellious angels who rejected God’s sovereignty and chose to go their own way. This verse implies that angels have free will, which is required for love since love cannot be forced. By leaving their designated areas of influence and ministry, these angels showed that they loved themselves more than they loved God. The term usually translated into English as position of authority, as here (archēn), can have various meanings. The basic meaning is “beginning,” or first place. In the context of the angels, it has the sense of where God put them and what job God gave them to do.
These angels deserted their duties, abandoned their posts, and rejected God’s will. Their proper dwelling (oikētērion) is another broad and obscure word that can be variously interpreted. The apocryphal book of 1 Enoch (mentioned in verse 14) provides some insight into what Jews like Jude may have thought about what happened to the fallen angels. The key point Jude is making in this verse is that the angels rejected God’s place and plan for them and tried to go on their own. They had the same core problem of self-centeredness as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
The consequences for walking away from God are severe. The rebellious angels are confined by eternal chains until judgment. This is a strong warning for those who would reject the sovereignty of Jesus. They will face the same outcome as the rebellious angels when the day of judgment comes. Judgment is real, and we must take it seriously. We do not need to live in fear, for fear has to do with punishment (1 John 4:18). When we are walking with the Lord in faith, we should have no fear of the day of judgment.