Ago Amid Amidst Arising Blind Circled Command Compacted Continuously Deliberately Escapes Existed Extending Fact Forget Formed God's Heaven Heavens Hidden Ignorant Ignore Latter Lifted Maintain Memory Minds Notice Standing Subsistence Taking Unobserved View Wilfully Wilfulness Willfully Willingly
3:5 {4} For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the {b} earth standing out of the water and in the water:
(4) He sets against them the creation of heaven and earth by the word of God, which these men are willingly ignorant of.
(b) Which appeared, when the waters were gathered together into one place.
3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of. Their ignorance which causes them to speak thus is willful. They obstinately forget all the lessons taught by the deluge. There the fixed order was interrupted.
That by the word of God. See Ge 1:6,9.
The heavens were of old. This alludes to the beginning of creation. See Ge 1:1,2.
And the earth standing out of the water. Compacted out of water (Revised Version). That is, water is a principal element in its formation, a fact seen in three-fourths of its surface being sea, and water being found in the depths of the earth everywhere, and being found largely in earthly combinations.
3:5 For this they are willingly ignorant of - They do not care to know or consider. That by the almighty word of God - Which bounds the duration of all things, so that it cannot be either longer or shorter. Of old - Before the flood. The aerial heavens were, and the earth - Not as it is now, but standing out of the water and in the water - Perhaps the interior globe of earth was fixed in the midst of the great deep, the abyss of water; the shell or exterior globe standing out of the water, covering the great deep. This, or some other great and manifest difference between the original and present constitution of the terraqueous globe, seems then to have been so generally known, that St. Peter charges their ignorance of it totally upon their wilfulness.
3:5-10 Had these scoffers considered the dreadful vengeance with which God swept away a whole world of ungodly men at once, surely they would not have scoffed at his threatening an equally terrible judgment. The heavens and the earth which now are, by the same word, it is declared, will be destroyed by fire. This is as sure to come, as the truth and the power of God can make it. Christians are here taught and established in the truth of the coming of the Lord. Though, in the account of men, there is a vast difference between one day and a thousand years, yet, in the account of God, there is no difference. All things past, present, and future, are ever before him: the delay of a thousand years cannot be so much to him, as putting off any thing for a day or for an hour is to us. If men have no knowledge or belief of the eternal God, they will be very apt to think him such as themselves. How hard is it to form any thoughts of eternity! What men count slackness, is long-suffering, and that to us-ward; it is giving more time to hisown people, to advance in knowledge and holiness, and in the exercise of faith and patience, to abound in good works, doing and suffering what they are called to, that they may bring glory to God. Settle therefore in your hearts that you shall certainly be called to give an account of all things done in the body, whether good or evil. And let a humble and diligent walking before God, and a frequent judging of yourselves, show a firm belief of the future judgment, though many live as if they were never to give any account at all. This day will come, when men are secure, and have no expectation of the day of the Lord. The stately palaces, and all the desirable things wherein wordly-minded men seek and place their happiness, shall be burned up; all sorts of creatures God has made, and all the works of men, must pass through the fire, which shall be a consuming fire to all that sin has brought into the world, though a refining fire to the works of God's hand. What will become of us, if we set our affections on this earth, and make it our portion, seeing all these things shall be burned up? Therefore make sure of happiness beyond this visible world.
Ago Amid Amidst Arising Blind Circled Command Compacted Continuously Deliberately Earth Escapes Existed Extending Fact Forget Formed God's Heaven Heavens Hidden Ignorant Ignore Latter Maintain Memory Minds Notice Standing View Water Wilfully Wilfulness Willfully Willingly Word
Ago Amid Amidst Arising Blind Circled Command Compacted Continuously Deliberately Earth Escapes Existed Extending Fact Forget Formed God's Heaven Heavens Hidden Ignorant Ignore Latter Maintain Memory Minds Notice Standing View Water Wilfully Wilfulness Willfully Willingly Word
