In the first century, as now, some people scoffed at the idea that Jesus would someday return to earth again to judge the world. In response, St. Peter used a history lesson to demonstrate the error of this kind of thinking. He explained: “These people deliberately forgot that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world at that time was deluged and destroyed.”

So what’s he saying? Peter refers back to creation. God created the earth out of water. It was initially covered with water and it wasn’t until the third day that God separated the dry ground from the water. But later, in the time of Noah, when people had decided they didn’t need God and could do their own thing, God sent a flood of judgment that eradicated most of human civilization. Only righteous Noah and his family were spared. God judged the earth with water.

The point that Peter was trying to make is that history has not gone uninterrupted since the beginning. God does not let misbelief and misbehavior go unjudged. In the days of Noah when things got really bad, God intervened and poured out his judgment on the human race. It’s a mistake to think that God will let our world go merrily along, ignoring his commands. God does intervene against the unbelief and sin of humankind.

And just as God judged sin in the past, you can count on God to judge sin in the future. There are consequences to be paid.