◄ What Does 2 Peter 3:5 Mean? ►

Like all New Testament apostles who were ordained by God to write the Scriptures, Peter wanted to ensure that Christian men and women remain mindful of past prophetic writings and important apostolic commandments.

As he neared the end of his second epistle, Peter expressed his deep desire that believers maintain their hope in the Lord's return, and pay heed to the signs of the times in which they live - signs which would indicate the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter alerted his readers, and us, to the shocking truth that scoffers would arise in the last days - both from outside the Church and within its walls. Both carnally minded Christians and scornful sceptics would express contemptuous disbelief of biblical truth and the promised return of Jesus Christ for His Church.

"What has become of His promised return?" would be their mocking cry, and incorrect assessment, "for from the time that our forefathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been - ever since the creation of the world." This attitude is increasingly evident in the times in which we live, and we should all take heed of Peter's sincere and serious warning.

Such an attitude dismisses any divine intervention into our world. It fosters atheistic attitudes and engenders a deep contempt for those that hold fast to the truth, believe in the Rapture of the Church, and trust in God's prophesied judgement on a world that rejects both His existence and His authority.

As the day of Christ's return draws ever closer and as the times in which we live become increasingly darker, the foundational truth recorded in the Word of God, is mocked and belittled, condemned and refuted, censored and criticised - and demolished with foolish claims and deceptive arguments.

However, in this verse Peter explains that such people are 'willingly ignorant'. They are stupid on purpose, declaring that such supernatural acts are futile and impossible. They claim that such things have never happened in the past and will never happen in the future.

They have bought into Satan's deceptive lies and adopted a false, unbiblical worldview which claims that God is either dead, deaf, doesn't exist, doesn't care, is grossly incompetent OR is nothing more than a spiritual crutch for foolish individuals. They argue that He has never used His supernatural power to change the status quo - where the cycle of life and the continuous flow of nature, must remain constant.

They deliberately choose to ignore the Word of Truth and refuse to consider the indisputable evidences throughout the world and within the Scriptures. By maintaining their own, ungodly belief system, it escapes their notice that "by the Word of the Almighty God, the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water - and by water."

The earth was formed out of water when the Spirit of God hovered over the waters of the deep, and said, "Let there be light." He caused an expanse in the midst of the waters, to separate the 'waters above' from the 'waters below', and instructed the waters below to be gathered into seas so that dry land could appear. He set in motion the rain cycle to bring life to the vegetation and refreshment to the animal kingdom and to man - who was made in the image of God.

It was not only by God's Word that the earth was formed out of the water and in the water - but at the time of Noah, water was once again used by God to fashion and form the post-diluvium contours of earth's towering mountains and the world's little valleys.

May we hold fast to the truth of God's Word and not allow the foolish scoffing of ungodly men who are willingly ignorant and refuse to accept the truth... that by the Word of God the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed as recorded in the Word of God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the many reminders in Scripture to hold fast to the truth of Your Word. Help me to continuously bring to mind that You are my great and mighty Creator Who spoke the world into being and fashioned man in Your own image. Thank You that despite the sin of our forefathers, You purposed to redeem mankind by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. As the day of His return draws ever closer and so many are choosing to remain ignorant of the things of God, I pray that in Your grace You would convict many of their need of Christ and restore hope to those that are lost. In Jesus' name, AMEN.