For this they willfully forget: 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. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:5-7)

By The Same Word

The world is a magnificent manifestation of the glory of God. Mountains peer into the heavens with a commanding view, oceans teem with an abundance of creatures, prairies expand beyond the horizon and the landscape of earth abounds with incredible visions of beauty, power, and unmatched vistas. Viewing into the blackness of the universe, the soul is overwhelmed by the vastness and unending depths of the billions upon billions of stars that inhabit the expanse of space. Man can’t plumb all the depths of the oceans and discover the untold stories of the earth and he will never be able to conquer the worlds that possess the night sky. In comparison to all things in the universe, man is but a small fuzzy blue dot in the middle of an immense blackness.

Examining the world and universe does not suggest that man is small but confirms the height of humanity is but dust in the scheme of the eternal creation of God. Isaiah said the Creator is so great He can hold the oceans in His hand; He can measure the heavens with His fingers and knows the weight of the earth including the mountains and hills. Peter adds to the dimension of the greatness of God by reminding men the world that now exists is contained within the power of the word of God.

Everything in the world is held together but the determined counsel of God. Referring to the flood in the days of Noah, the apostle Peter explains the power of God. When the time came for the global flood to destroy all things the word of God accomplished two things: it saved Noah and his family and destroyed all other life. The word of God told Noah about the destruction that was coming and what he must do to be saved. Through the grace of God, Noah knew of the impending doom but he also knew what to do to save himself and his family. When the time came for the flood to open upon on the world, the word of God came to Noah and told him to enter the ark. Noah was saved by the word of God.

The same word that saved Noah also condemned the world. After Noah entered the ark, the word of the Lord brought about a flood that destroyed all living things that breathed upon the face of the earth. Through the word of God, the waters from above and below were unleashed. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. The word of God saved those in the ark and destroyed all those outside the ark.

This same word preserves the heavens and the earth for fire. The day will come when the word of God will speak and the day of judgment will come when ungodly people will be destroyed. Through the determined counsel of God, He has but to give a command and all will be destroyed. His word is what perfects the world and allows it to exist. All of the laws of nature are bound through the counsel of the Lord and His will. Creation exalts the power of God as the confirmation of His word. Everything is dependent solely upon the word of God. At any moment God could speak His word and the universe would be destroyed. Without the power of God, nothing can exist.

Before that great and terrible day of the Lord comes, God’s word instructs men what to do to find salvation. Like in the days of Noah, everything man needs to know to save himself is given by the word of God. The challenge is whether ungodly men will heed the word now before the word of God comes and there is no more hope. Regardless, men will be saved or lost by the word of God. Believing the word of God will draw men to obey His will and like Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen will move with godly fear, heeding the word of God for the salvation of their souls. Do you believe in the word of God? It will either save you or condemn you.