II Peter 3:5-7

II Peter 3:5: “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

I have seen people declare Revelation to be nothing but a fable because God, they say, just wouldn’t act that way. God is a god of love; He doesn’t judge nations. He wouldn’t hurt anyone or punish anybody or send anyone to Hell. He just isn’t like that. He’s a big, cuddly grandfather in the sky who just wants to make everybody happy.

As Peter points out, they “willingly are ignorant of” the fact that four thousand years ago God destroyed the entire world through the Flood! This Flood was not just a local event in Noah’s hometown, but was a planet-wide catastrophe that killed billions of people. Peter points out that just as God destroyed the old world, so He will one day destroy the modern world as well. Next time, though, He will destroy it with fire, not water. This judgment is certain.

This world in which we now live is “reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men”. Though many try to deny it, judgment is coming – a judgment of fire. Peter wants us to be mindful of these things, and not forget them.

God is not a harmless lovable fuzzball in the sky. This is how God describes himself:

Exodus 20:5: “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”

Do not take God lightly. He promised to destroy the old world, and He did. He has promised to destroy this world as well, and He will. He always keeps His promises.