‘And did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly,'

These next two examples were regularly used by Jesus (Luke 17:26; Luke 17:32; compare Matthew 24:37). Here Peter is saying that God also did not spare the ancient world of which ‘the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually' (Genesis 6:5). This included their lusting after the ‘sons of God' (Genesis 6:4). Thus He brought a flood on the world of the ungodly.

On the other hand this time there were some who were delivered from judgment. These were Noah and the seven who were with him in the Ark. Compare here 1 Peter 3:20. The idea of Noah as a preacher of righteousness is found in Jewish tradition (e.g. Josephus' Antiquities I. 2 Peter 3:1, ‘But Noah displeased and distressed at their behaviour, tried to induce them to alter their dispositions and conduct for the better'). He was one who stood up to be counted in the world of his day (compare Hebrews 11:7). Thus Noah was in total contrast to these false teachers that Peter is talking about. He was delivered, they will perish.

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