Wells Without Water 2 Peter 2:17

As the apostle Peter continued his discourse to the church about false prophets who would rise among them, he used more and more descriptive language to describe these false teachers. In chapter two and verse seventeen he employed two additional metaphors and shared the false prophets' destiny where we read:

These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

The verse begins, “These are wells without water,...” Peter uses the example of an empty well to describe the false prophets. They are like fountains or springs that are dry. In other words, they have the appearance of being refreshing and revitalizing, but when they are needed, emptiness prevails.

The verse goes on to say, “clouds that are carried with a tempest;” Peter likens these false teachers to threatening thunder clouds that have a pretense of rain but blow overhead without producing a drop. They are like a whirlwind, a tempestuous wind that is like unto a squall or “storm breaking forth from black thunder clouds in furious gusts, with floods of rain, and throwing everything topsy-turvy”. Oh these false prophets appear as they have much on board in the way of “opinions that will procure most applause and advantage to themselves” but in reality are like “clouds that obstruct the light of the sun, and darken the air”.

Finally the verse says, “to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.” Justice for these false teachers who obscure the truth will be “the mist of darkness” which they have given unto others. The idea of the word “mist” is “clouds”, so in other words Peter said these who are “clouds of darkness” to others will dwell eternally in “clouds of darkness” themselves. Notice too that there is a reservation for them within this “mist of darkness” “for ever”. The darkness they promote will be their eternal fate.

There is nothing more refreshing than a glass of cool or cold water on a very hot day, and there should be nothing more refreshing than when ministers give instruction, direction and comfort to those with whom the Lord Jesus has allowed him to care. False teachers care about themselves and their own aggrandizement rather than providing life and truth to others. As we ponder Peter's words about these false teachers, let us ask the question as to whether or not we provide life and truth to others. Are people around us refreshed and encouraged by our lives and words, or do we cover the truth with darkness and prevent them from seeing the light? May the Lord Jesus help us to reflect His image that all may see there is no greater truth than Jesus Christ in this world.

Next time we will see the alluring behavior of these false prophets, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

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