II Peter and Creation

¹ The Apostle, Peter, wrote his second letter to the Christian Church in order it seems to encourage them to believe they would neither be useless nor unfruitful if they stood firm in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. He reminded them that God had granted them everything necessary for life and godliness, through that knowledge of Christ. Given that he was writing from a concern to help them stand firm against false teachers who would lead them astray, it is not surprising that he uses the word “knowledge,”² granted in two forms, four times in the first eight verses of this letter.

So he sets out to remind them of the things they already know. The first thing he draws to their attention is that the message they first heard from the Apostles was not a cleverly constructed tale but the record of eye-witnesses, those who had heard God speak from heaven – confirming the word of prophecy which they had read in the Scriptures (1: 16-19).

Now, he reminds them, they know that prophecy is from God since the prophets spoke as they were moved by God, himself. But in the same way as there were false prophets who arose in Israel, there will also be false prophets arise among them too. One mark of such prophets is their arrogance but they are not only fitted for destruction themselves, they will lead others to the same end (1: 20-2: 22).

It is in this context that he turns to the matter which is really characteristic of their false teaching. They mock the warning of the judgment to come at Christ’s return by denying there is any evidence that it will come. “all things continue as they have from the beginning” they say.

Peter responds to this false claim in two ways. First by pointing to the flaw in their argument; and second, by reminding them that God’s concern is that none who have been promised to Christ will be lost. In the second of those answers, Peter reminds them that just because God has delayed Christ’s coming, does not mean the event is any less sure. On the contrary, the delay is so that none will be missed – God gives the opportunity to find and save those who without that delay would be lost. So they, who know the truth ought to be holy and godly in conduct both looking for and hastening the coming of the Lord (3: 8-13).

It is the flaw in their argument, however, that leads us back to the Bible book of Genesis. Here also Peter has two elements that the mockers ignore – that “by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water” (3: 5-6) and that also by his word “the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (3: 7).

The only part of verse 7 which is clearly spelled out in the early chapters of Genesis is that the present heavens and earth are being reserved (or maintained) although it is hinted at by the state of men’s hearts (their intent is “evil from his youth”) and God’s use of the words “while the earth remains” in Genesis 8: 21, 22.³ Taken together, an ending; possibly an ending with judgment is clearly implied. Further, there would be no need of the reminder, God says he will set in the clouds (the rainbow) to reassure us he would be reminded of the promise every time he saw it. We deserve his condemnation and the rainbow is designed to encourage our trust that God will deal with our sins another way.

Clearly, then, the fact that mockers could point to the continuance of the heavens and the earth from the time the fathers “fell asleep” should remind them that God keeps his promises. If he has promised a coming judgment when Christ returns the delay cannot be that God has forgotten or never intended to keep his word.

More important for a biblical understanding of the origins of our world is the language of verses 5 and 6.⁴ Peter calls to mind two events 1) that the earth was made by the word of God out of water and by water and 2) that, also by water, it was destroyed. So that the world in which we live, and to which the mockers make reference, is not the same one which was first created. This makes it clear that how we understand both creation (Genesis 1 and 2) and the Flood of Noah have profound implications for how we should perceive both our present and future history.

Conclusion:

Peter’s argument for our living holy and godly lives rests to a great extent upon our view of Scripture. He urges his readers to live in a particular manner because they know (as they had been taught) that Christ will return and there will be a judgment in which the world will be purged (as by fire) of all ungodliness and unrighteousness. There is evidence to be found in the prophecies of old and the claims of mockers may be answered by reference to the Scriptures.

Endnotes:

1   This image is included from Wikipedia Commons under the following terms: “Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this image under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.” A copy of the license is included in the section entitled “GNU Free Documentation License.”

2   ἐπιγνώσω in verses 2, 3 and verse 8 and γνῶσις in verses 5 and 6 where, though it is used twice the construction shows it ought to be noted as one use.

3   God responded to the offering Noah made after the flood be saying to himself: “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. While the earth remains, Seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8: 21-22)

4   He says that his readers should “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.’ For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” (II Peter 3: 3-7 emphasis added)