“For this they are willfully ignorant: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.” 2 Peter 3:5-6
Over and over in Scripture we read the words, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”. Revelation 22 says, “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy book”. God wants us to hear and understand the truth, His word. That is why the Lord sends us out as witnesses – that people may hear the word of God and respond. But we face a great challenge. Satan does not want the truth or heard. Therefore he tries to silence God’s witnesses and he works to demean and mock God’s word. In addition the hearts of unbelievers are hard and do not wish to hear their deeds are evil. They refuse to understand. This happens, as we read in Romans 1, as people “know God but refuse to glorify Him as God“.
God’s word tells us this is a common event. Job 21:14 says of the wicked “They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.’” Zechariah 7:11-12 warns, “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and
stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.” The Lord himself tells us of this resistance by people to hear the truth. “For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return and I would heal them.”
Peter also writes of the willful ignorant that will be present at the end of the age (the age we live in). For this Peter has just stated that scoffers will arise and mock the return of Jesus. Since it has not yet happened, they believe it will never happen.
They are Peter speak of the scoffers – those who hear but reject God’s word and the message of pending judgment on the unbeliever.
Willfully ignorant Peter tells us the cause of their rejection. It is not because they do not know. They have heard the truth but willfully reject it. The word willfully means they delight or desire to reject this truth, to put up arguments and barriers to contend that it is false. The word willfully shows the desire of the scoffer’s heart. Ignorant means to conceal or hide or shut one’s eyes towards. The truth is in front of them but they will not see it.
Peter goes on to tell us this is a characteristic of those who lived before the flood. Enoch preached judgement was coming, Noah and his family prepared an ark with one door (one way in) to escape God’s wrath. Mankind saw and heard these warnings but scripture says people were “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark”. In other words they lives their lives oblivious to the pending wrath and judgment that was imminent.
What can we learn? We live in the very end of the last days Peter described. The second great worldwide judgment of God is near.
God’s word is clear, the signs of the times are clear, God’s message is proclaimed and yet the great worldwide attitude is as Job described. “They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.’” Just like before the flood the prevailing attitude is that God’s word is an ancient fable written by unlearned sheepherders. People are going to scoff at God’s word. They will willfully reject God’s truth and His warning of pending judgment. But here are many who have not willfully rejected God, they believe the world’s message. God is merciful and not willing that any should perish so He leaves us here to share the truth. We do not need to defend or argue His truth. We are to present it. Don’t be
surprised when people mock. Quote God’s word and tell them this is what God’s word says. God’s word never returns void – it will either lead to salvation or to righteous judgment.