Noah Saved, but the Ungodly Flooded 2 Peter 2:5

As the apostle Peter shared about false prophets in chapter two of the book of second Peter, he began to give historical examples of those who were judged for falling away from the truth. After presenting the angels as a reference of judgment, in chapter two and verse five he turned to Noah and the ungodly as examples. We read:

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

The verse begins, “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person,” Peter calls the church's attention to a time when the whole world was not spared as a precedent for judgment. Bible students remember the story of Noah and the ark as recorded in Genesis chapters six through eight, and recall how people were described in Genesis chapter six and verse five:

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Noah, however, and his family, eight in total, were saved from this judgment.

The verse continues, “a preacher of righteousness,” This is Peter's description of Noah. Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” which meant he was constantly proclaiming the truth. The word “preacher” is defined as “a herald or messenger vested with public authority, who conveyed the official messages of kings, magistrates, princes, military commanders, or who gave a public summons or demand, and performed various other duties”, and Noah's primary declaration was to share how one ought to be to be acceptable to God. He proclaimed “integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting”, and promoted “justice or the virtue which gives each his due.”

Finally Peter says, “bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;” The result of the “ungodly” not adhering to Noah's preaching was the flood came upon them. Because these people who heard and rejected the word of God from Noah judgment fell upon them. They rejected the truth to believe their own lies, and they paid for their beliefs with their lives.

As we can see through Peter's examples it is important that we know whether we believe false prophets or the truth. False teaching and false prophets lead to destruction. As we ponder this verse let us evermore be aware of the pending judgment of the ungodly and the reasons for it. Peter isn't through with his examples, but this one should be enough to make us all take heed.

Next time we will see Peter's third example as he tells about Sodom and Gomorrah, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

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