The name “Noah” is mentioned 46 times in the OT. In Isaiah 54:9, God mentions Noah by telling Israel that His promise not to destroy Israel entirely was just like God’s promise to Noah that He would not destroy the world with water again.
Noah is also mentioned by the prophet Ezekiel twice in the same chapter: 14:14, 20. In that text, God through Ezekiel tells Israel that Noah’s righteousness would not save them from going into exile in Babylon.
Noah is mentioned in the NT 8 times. In Matthew 24:37-38, Jesus tells His disciples that the destruction of Jerusalem will come as suddenly on the Jews as the flood of Noah came suddenly on the world at that time. Of course, neither the flood nor the destruction of Jerusalem came without warning even if it came suddenly. It’s just the fact that people would not listen.
The Hebrew writer also mentions Noah in Hebrews 11:7 when he writes that Noah was warned by God and things that had not yet been seen – a worldwide, global flood. But Noah obeyed and became an heir of righteousness.
The apostle Peter will also mention Noah, twice. Once in 1 Peter 3:20 when he uses the flood as an analogy for baptism when Peter writes that “baptism does now save us.” Peter mentions Noah again, the last time Noah is mentioned in the Bible, in 2 Peter 2:5 where he writes that Noah was a “preacher of righteousness.”
The text I want us to consider however is the following chapter of 2 Peter… chapter 3.
MOCKERS WILL COME – 3:3-4:
It was their sinful lifestyles that influenced their thinking. If fact, it often happens that our behavior influences our thinking as much as our thinking influences our behavior. We also mock God when we live as if there is no unexpected return of our Savior. When we live as if we will not give an account of our obedience to God. When we live as if His commandments are just suggestions. We will not get by with mocking God no more than Noah’s generation did.
THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD – 3:5-7:
It was God’s word that the heavens and earth were eventually preserved – to one day be destroyed by fire, on the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. God separated the waters from below the heavens from the waters that were above the heavens and in the process, He formed dry land (Gen. 1:6-10). All God had to do was speak the word.
GOD IS NOT LIMITED BY TIME – 3:8-9:
One day is like 1,000 years to God. He is not limited by time. To God, it has not been 2,000 years since Jesus ascended into heaven. In other words, God does not forget because time has passed nor has God weakened His expectations of humanity because time has passed.
God wants all to come to repentance. Notice that God has not watered-down His commands which compel mankind to repent.
JUST AS THE FLOOD DESTROYED THE WORLD – 3:10-12:
The “day of the Lord” refers to the final manifestation of Jesus Christ, His second coming. It will be like a thief – unexpectedly.
Jesus taught that the world would be destroyed at some point: Matt. 5:18; 24:35. The Hebrew writer taught the same thing: 1:10-12.
In the same way that Noah’s flood happened unexpectedly and when the rain started, there was no changing one’s fate, so when Christ comes again – unexpectedly – there will be no changing one’s fate.
WE LOOK FOR A NEW HOME – 3:13-16:
The world upon which Noah and his family stepped after being on the ark was a very different world than the world they had left behind. It was the same, but different. The world where we are going – heaven – is very different; it will be a spiritual world. It will be a home characterized by righteousness.
Now, we should also consider the fact that since Jesus has not come back, He is giving us a chance to repent of our sins and get right with God. The patience of our Lord is salvation.
PETER’S CONCLUSION – 3:17-18:
Peter warns us to “be on our guard” so we will not be carried away, deceived, deluded into believing error is okay with God by “unprincipled men” and we fall away from being persistent in our faith.
On the other hand, we need to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom we desire all glory from now throughout eternity.
There are mockers at the coming of Jesus Christ, but God’s word is power and He is not limited by time. Just as the flood destroyed the world one time, so it will be destroyed again. So we look for a new home. Let’s be careful to live carefully for that promise.
Paul Holland