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Identifying the mockers and scoffers Mockers and scoffers are at an all-time high in the world and Church today. Prov. 14:9 “Fools mock at sin.” They mocked Jesus as he was to die for sin. (Mt.20:19; Mk.10:24; Lk.14:29, 23:11)
To mock means to make fun of, to make light of, and cause derision. They
are those who are insulting or have contemptuous action or speech. Jeremiah says he as a prophet did, “ not sit in the assembly of the mockers” (Jer.15:17). As a prophet he was to be consecrated to the service of the Lord, meaning having separation from those who think lightly of this service and the Lord. The same is instructed to believers in Christ today. The Psalmist writes in Ps 1:1 “ Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” Jude 17-19 “ But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. ” This word mockers is “scoffers,” this word is not found anywhere else in the New Testament. They are murmurers; complainers who disturb the peace of the church and it has everything to do with the coming of the Lord. It’s a parallel verse to 2 Peter. To scoff includes mockery, further meaning to scorn, cause derision, or have contempt. It carries a lack of respect, in this regard to the Word. What scoffers do, Ps. 73:8-9 “ They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walks through the earth.” Prov. 14:6 “ A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands.” Prov. 21:24 “ A proud and haughty man--"Scoffer" is his name; He acts with arrogant pride .” Prov. 24:9 “The scoffer is an abomination to men.” We are told in Prov. 22:10 the solution is to “ cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.” The place of scoffing, mockery is not from outside, from the world, but is inside the church today. It is about a judgment coming, the Tribulation that both the Old Testament and New Testament prophesy of. 2 Peter 3:3-8: “ knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 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. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day .” V.3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days. There a specific time when they increase and become more vocal. This has everything to do with Christ’s return and the judgment called the Tribulation that is to come upon all mankind to test the people (Rev.3:10). In Peter’s explanation he tells us what they say because they walk to their own desires: “ Where is the promise of His coming, everything stays the same.” with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, meaning God is patient and just because it has not come does not mean it will not come. Peter explains they willfully forget : that by the word of God the heavens were of old” On purpose they ignore what the Word itself says of the earth. “Of old” 1 Gr. ekpalai- 1) from of old 2) of a long time. Gen.1:1 tells us the very first things made were the heavens (1) and the earth (2). The earth was not made inhabitable until the succession of days commenced. “the earth standing out of water.” Let us here what some Bible commentators have to say on this. 2 Peter 3:5 Of old]-` from of old:' from the first beginning. A confutation of their objection, `all things continue as they were FROM THE BEGINNING OF CREATION.' Before the flood, the same objection to the possibility of it might have been as plausibly urged. The heavens (sky) and earth have been FROM OF OLD, how unlikely that they should not continue so? But the flood came in spite of their reasonings; so will the conflagration of the earth come in spite of the "scoffers" of the last days, changing the whole order of things (the "world" [kosmos (NT:2849)], `order'), and introducing the new heavens and earth (2 Peter 3:13). [Earth standing out of], [sunestoosa (NT:4867)]-`consisting of,' `formed out of the water.' The waters under the firmament were at creation gathered together into one place, and the dry land emerged out of, and above them .” (from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary) 2 Peter 3:5 Out of water and amidst water ex (NT:1517) hudatos (NT:5145) kai (NT:2498) di' (NT:1211) hudatos (NT:5145). Out of the primeval watery chaos (Gen 1:2), but it is not plain what is meant by di' (NT:1211) hudatos (NT:5145), which naturally means "by means of water," though dia (NT:1211) with the genitive is used for a condition or state (Heb 12:1). The reference may be to Gen 1:9, the gathering together of the waters . (from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament) The point being made by Peter is just as this flood took place so will the last judgment of fire upon the ungodly. Just as they ignored Noah’s warning back then they will do the same for the coming tribulation. There is a judgment period coming, unlike the flood it will be a series of incremental judgments during the Tribulation period. This is what they deny. v.3 they are walking according to their own lusts, their own desires. What is important to note is that this occurs inside the Church. They speak about the fathers (Patriarchs), and of creation. How serious is this? In denying a Tribulation they exclude Israel from Gods plan of redemption, the way Christ returns at Armageddon to judge his enemies who wait for Him. These are just a few of the denials. Before the first judgment of the flood occurred “ Enoch, the seventh from Adam, (Jude 14-15) prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
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