2 Peter 3:5-6 5For this is ignored by them, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6and that by means of these, the world then was destroyed by being deluged with water.
The scoffers about whom Peter writes claimed that nothing has changed, life goes on, and Jesus is not coming again. The implied warning is that we must never lose the sense of urgency and expectancy as believers. Denial is a close cousin to laziness in mission. We must be driven by the hope of Jesus’ coming again. The scoffers did not know Scripture, particularly the stories of creation and the flood in Genesis. What they forgot is that when God speaks, things will happen. The word of God is a sure foundation upon which to build our lives, but it must not be distorted by wrong interpretation or replaced by human thinking or imagination. When God makes a promise, He will keep it, and what he promises will come to pass. What God says in the Bible will come true. God has a perfect record for keeping the promises made through his genuine prophets.
In reference to Jesus’ second coming, the readers of this letter should not be deceived into listening to the words of the false teachers, self-proclaimed prophets, or mockers. Sometimes it can be difficult to trust God’s promises, especially amid difficult situations that test our faith. If the situation of the readers of this second letter was similar to the first letter, it is possible they were experiencing difficult times of suffering and persecution. They may have begun to doubt God’s promises. This is a natural reaction to discouragement. It is also the devil’s scheme to tempt with doubt and empty words. The serpent in the garden of Eden raised doubts in the mind of Eve about the truth of God’s word: “Did God really say . . . ?” (Genesis 3:1). There are a lot of scoffers today who raise doubts about the Bible. They see it as only a human book about God rather than a divine word from God. We must take seriously what is revealed in the Bible, for it is the record of God’s word to humanity and remains relevant today.