The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 92

hPavens from of old, and e.n earth compacted out of water and a.midst water, by the Word of God; by which means the world that then was being overflowed with water perished." Peter, in putting his finger on catastrophi;m, refers to it as what they wilfully forgot. It required an effort of their will to shut it out. The impression of the event, thongh it bad taken place centuries before, had not died out. His reference to the Flood is introduced by a statement bearing on the way in which it was broucrht about. This is founded on the Mosaic account of creation. The first pa.rt of the statement refers to the bringing of the heavens into existence. There were heavens from of old, by tbe Word of God. This is the first thought of the Bible: "In the beginning God created the heaven." It did not exist from eternity, but was brought into existence by the creative word of God. The second part of the statement refers, not to the bringing of the earth into existence, but to its receiving its present form. An earth was c0mpacted out of water, i.e. as material. The reference seems to be to the waters of chaos in the Mosaic record (Gen. i. 2). It was also compacted, not "amidst water," as it is unwarrantably in the Revised Version, but" by means of water," i.e. as the instrumental element. 'l'he reference seems to be to the gathering together of the waters into one place. Behind the water as material and instrumental element was the directing a.nd potent Word of God. Having made this statement, Peter introduces the Flood as his answer to the mockers. The connecting words are," by which means." The use of the plural creates a difficulty. The most probable solution is that the reference is to the water and the Word of God. This is favoured by the latter being carried forward in the next verse. Water, let loose by God, flooded the then world, i.e. not the earth simply, but the earth as supporting its then inhabitants. There was catastrophism of the most impressive nature. There was (let the mockers note it) a mighty disturbance of uniformity. The world that then was perished. 1 IV. CATASTBOPms:r.i: IN THE FUTURE, "But the heavens that now are, and the earth,· by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judg- ment and destruction of ungodly men." There is suggestion, not of their ceasing to be heavens and earth, but rather of there being still heavens and earth, only not such as we now see them. The Word of God has fixed the destiny of the new heavens and earth. 'l'here is catastrophism in store for them. They are here represented as stored up for fire. The agency is not far to seek, being in the heart of the earth. There is sug- gestion of the fire being needed for the new heavens and earth on account of the ungodly men that have defiled them. For their God-forgetting, God-defying life, they -when the appointed day comes-are to be adjudged to destruction. The heavens and earth that they have defiled are to be subjected, not to water (which is forbidden by promise), but to an agency more penetrative and subduing. The same Word that carried out the catastrophism of water is to carry out the catastrophism of fire. V. THE DIVINE MODE OF BECKONING. "But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." This is Peter's answer to the suggestion in the argument of the mockers," From the day that the fathers fell asleep." By addressing his readers as "beloved," he bespeaks their at ten• tion. He bespeaks their attention to a thing which they were in danger of •forgetting. He bespeaks their attention to a thing which was principally to be considered. "Forget not this one thing." The language in which this one thing is expressed is an extension of what is found in Ps. xc. 4, both sides being presented here. Peter teaches that our ideas of short and long in time are not to be applied to God's mode of reckoning. A day is what is short with us. We think of there being many, many days of life. ·But a day may be long with God. If we think of the days of creation, how much was crowded into each of them! If we think of the day on which the Flood came, how much characterized it ! If we think of the last day of our Lord's Passion, how much affecting human history, and affecting angelic history, and affecting even God himself, was crowded into it! We are taught to think of a nation being born in a day. So we do not need to toiuk of more than a day as required for the events that are to be included in the second coming. On the other hand, a thousand years is what is long with Ill!, Men used to think of that as the limit of human life. But we cannot now think of our living a hundred years. But a thousand years may be a short time with God. "A tbonRand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in tLe night." There was a waiting for thousands of years before the arrival of man on 011. m. 1-18.] THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. 87