City Life Starter

Written by Stefan Johnsson

The Word

¹⁷ The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. ¹⁸ The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. ¹⁹ And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. ²⁰ The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. ²¹ And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. ²² Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. ²³ He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. ²⁴ And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

Genesis 7:17-24 (ESV)

² you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, ³ knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, ⁶ and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. ⁷ But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

¹¹ Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, ¹² waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! ¹³ But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 3:2-13 (ESV)

Reflection

Peter tells us that the day of the Lord will come as it did millennia ago in the flood. Yet, God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish. It may seem like the time between Adam was short, but there were many millennia between the two. God’s punishment on the earth back then was slow to come. He waited until there were no one left who wanted to walk with Him other than Noah. And Noah had the example of his grandfather Enoch. It may be that the sins of people became worse the older they got. People who may seem like good people now, how would they be in another 700 years when their faults are more greatly exposed?

I used this argument with a friend who asked me why would good people not go to heaven? Even without the concept of a savior, I told him that people do not get better, but their faults only get worse with time. A thousand years can quickly make people worse than what one hundred years would do. In the same way, by God giving us a shorter life, it helped limit how evil we would become on this earth. That alone is merciful.

The final judgment will come and Peter wanted to remind the church of this very thing. God’s judgment is slow to come, but when it does come, it is swift and powerful. The flood is a reminder of this for us. Sin will be wiped out and the old earth will die and make way for the new heavens and new earth. So we are to live in such a way with this in mind. The end will come just as swiftly.

Application

Most of us are stuck in the advice we get from others on how to live our lives, such as planning for retirement, financial investment, building a new house, buying the next best car, etc. Though, how often do we plan and pray for the lives of those around us who do not know God? When judgment comes, it does not matter what plans you had for the future, what your retirement looks like, or the the house you have. What matters is your relationship with Jesus.

So let me ask you this. How are you planning your life around God’s final judgment of mankind?

Prayer

Father in heaven, help me to live a life that puts You first. Let me be a witness and evangelist to those around me. I want to live in such a way where my focus is on saving people from eternal punishment, not to save my money for retirement. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.