1 Peter 3:20

1 Peter 3:20 ‘who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which. few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.'

‘who once were disobedient…in the days of Noah' -1. The ‘spirits' mentioned in 1 Peter 3:18 are specified. The spirits in the previous verse are not every lost soul since the Creation. Rather, they were the people alive when Noah was constructing the Ark. 2. When Jesus preached is defined. Hence, when Jesus preached to these people they were alive on the earth. When Peter wrote this letter, they were now in prison, i.e. they rejected the message that Jesus brought through Noah. 2. Notice the statement ‘ once were disobedient'. Disobedience and rebellion end at death! The lost sinner isn't allowed to engage in rebellion after he dies. Hell isn't. place where people continue to engage in their sins. Hell isn't. big ‘party'. And the inhabitants in hell won't end up running hell, like inmates run. prison.

‘disobedient' -Disobedient people end up lost! God doesn't change His mind, God doesn't act differently than what is stated in His revelation to mankind (Acts 17:30).

‘when' -‘marks distinctively the time intended by the word “once”' (Alford p. 1654). This marks the time of their disobedience and the time when Jesus preached to them.

‘the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah' -God gave Noah's generation 120 years of ‘grace' (Genesis 6:3). The flood happened after years of long-suffering and mercy. In the same way, already the Second Coming has been preceded by centuries of God's patience (2 Peter 3:8). How can anyone claim that God is cruel or unfair, in view of such patience? How many of the opponents or critics of Christianity are willing to wait for justice? Wait for vindication? Wait for wrongs to be righted? Rather, how many of the same people who complain about the ‘strictness' of the God revealed in the Bible, demand instant revenge?

‘during the construction of the ark' -1. Noah was. real person. 2. The whole account in Genesis 6:1; Genesis 7:1; Genesis 8:1; Genesis 9:1 about the Ark and the flood is historically accurate. It isn't. myth. And the ark didn't represent something besides an actual ark. The flood isn't an allegory. 3. Before we demand God to act right now! We need to think. God's patience with sinners, also gave Noah and his family time to build the ark. God's patience also works for our salvation and the salvation of our children.

‘in which. few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water' -1. Another detail is confirmed. The man Noah in Genesis doesn't represent. nation or something else. Rather, Noah was. real man. The story is literal. Eight people were saved, eight literal people, no more, no less (2 Peter 2:5; Genesis 7:13). This is just one of many “minor details” in the Old Testament which is confirmed as being historically accurate. 2. Jesus preached to. whole generation through Noah, and yet, Noah only influenced. other people! 3. How can we get discouraged, when the Church in our generation is growing much faster than the results that Noah received.

‘safely through the water' -God can use something to accomplish two different purposes at the same time. On the one hand the water meant disaster for the disobedient. On the other hand, water meant deliverance for Noah and his family from. corrupt society. The Second Coming will mean eternal life for Christians, but it will mean eternal damnation for non-Christians.

Point to Note: Years ago someone noted the elements which contributed to Noah's deliverance: 1. God saved Noah (2 Peter 2:5). 2. Noah was saved by his faith (Hebrews 11:7). 3. Noah was saved by God's grace (Genesis 6:8). 4. The ark saved Noah (Hebrews 11:7). 5. Water saved Noah (1 Peter 3:20). 6. Obedience saved Noah. 7. By entering the ark, in. sense, Noah saved himself.