Message based on 2 Peter 2:1-8
I believe this to be one of the most powerful sermon passages in the whole Bible. Look at the first verse. It speaks clearly and plainly what will happen in the world.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” 2 P. 2:1
There will be false teachers who will bring damnable heresies, even denying the Lord. They will even deny that there is God who gave them life, who created all things around us and God’s existence which is self evident. Yet there are people denying the Lord. And here is the warning: and many shall follow their pernicious ways.
I pray today that you do not follow these pernicious ways! Turn away from your unbelief. There is a stark warning in the words that we just read. It should awake us to the bone. It says clearly that those who follow these heresies bring upon themselves swift destruction. So if today you are on this way, I plead you again to turn away. Stop mocking in your denial. Come to God. Seek His forgiveness.
Mocking Definition
Let us see what the Bible teaches about mocking God. The Bible is clear that nothing is new. In Proverbs 1:9 we read that: “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”
There is no new thing under the sun. By mocking God in your unbelief, you may think that you do something clever and new and funny. But the Word of God is clear. Nothing this is new. So let us see what it speaks about mocking.
What I mean by mocking? Let me bring up a dictionary definition for that word. It has three possible meanings:
- To treat with ridicule or contempt;
- To imitate in fun or derision
- To mimic or resemble closely
So Persecuted They The Prophets Before You
Let us begin our study on that subject with the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. We read earlier in the gospel of Matthew:
“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Mt. 5:11-12
These verses speak about those who experience such tribulations. They are subjected to mocking and are scorned to laughter by this world. You can rejoice for your suffering is the confirmation you have your inheritance in the Lord! Great is your reward!
The Story of The Righteous Lot
We read in the second epistle of Peter about Lot (2 P. 2:6-8). Let us see more details of what it was that he was mocked. What was his teaching and calling?
“And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.” Gen. 19:14
He was calling his sons in law: come out of this place. Come out of Sodom and Gomorrah. And we know what happened to these cities. They were turned into ashes. Nothing was left. Utter destruction came upon both cities. Lot knew that this would happen and he was warning his sons in law. He asked them to leave this place.
This is exactly the gospel message today. It is a call to repent. Up, get you up of this wicked world. We proclaim that God has appointed a man to judge all the earth and that man is Jesus Christ. We call people to repent from their unbelief. We warn that the Lord will destroy not only the city, but the whole earth in the great day of judgement. And we warn because of His coming wrath to which we provoked him in our sins. But exactly how Lot’s sons seemed him as one who mocked, so are Christians mocked and laughed and scorned.
And by the way, speaking of Lot. If you look for some compelling logic arguments to study the Bible. The words we find in the book of Genesis are the testimonies of one of the greatest patriarchs, the brother of father Abraham. He was a mighty man of his days. There was not sufficient space for his shepherds and flocks. He had so much abundant prosperity that at one point they had to split their ways with Abraham. Lot went to to the east land of Jordan, while Abraham dwelled in the land of Canaan.
Other Examples of Mocking
Let us take a look at some other examples of mocking:
“And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.” 2 Kings 2:23
They speak about Elisha. We see in that verse that mocking is not the domain of adults only. Even little children are prone to the practice of mocking, for we come to this world blind to the truth.
“So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.” 2 Chron. 30:10
And so are Christians these days. They are being laughed to scorn! They believe in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for their salvation. They believe in this old archaic book!
“But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” 2 Chron. 36:16
One can mock the messenger of God. Today there is still hope for you. Today and now the gospel of Christ and the grace of God is still your remedy. But tomorrow there may be no remedy. Therefore repent now for you can still be healed.
Mocking in The Book of Job
Now let us move to the book of Job. We find some great verses about mocking and great wisdom in that book.
“Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?” Job 11:3
It is our obligation as Christians to tell them who are mockers that they are mockers! Are you a mocker? I can give you all the possible logical arguments on why this book is worth reading and studying. Yet you have it in hatred. Is it not self evident? Is it not itself evidence for its truth?
Now is time for my favourite verse on this topic in the same book, not much further from this chapter:
“I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.” Job 12:4
This is Job speaking. Job is calling upon God. His trust is in God. Yet, the just upright man is laughed to scorn. He prays, he has trust in this invisible person of God! Yes! But it is him who is seen as perfectly just before God. And all of us will one day stand in His presence in the day of judgement.
Let us read a few more verses from the book of Job:
“Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?” Job 13:6-11
Shall not his excellency make you afraid? Yes, it should make us all tremble! The majesty of God speaking through His Word. And we dare to mock Him!
And that question that is set forth: Is it good that he should search you out? Is it good that He should find your darkest thoughts, the blackness of your soul, all your sins, all your mind? Yes! Yes, it is good that He should search me out and find all the darkness within me. Indeed, it is my only hope. Psalm 139, verse 23 says:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts”
It is my only hope that God will search me and bring light into my soul, into its darkest corners.
This passage that we read should make us careful. Because whom do you mock? He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? Surely it will come!
Let us take a look at another verse:
“Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?” Job 17:2
Are there not mockers with me here, today? True Christ’s follower will continue to have his eye on God, despite all the laughs, mockery and scoffing.
Mocking in Proverbs
What do proverbs speak on this subject?
“Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” Prov. 17:5
Very strong words speaking for themselves!
“The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.” Prov. 30:17
Prophets Warning Against Mockers
In the book of Isaiah we read:
“Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.” Is. 28:22
It is a very similar message to that of Genesis. Be not mockers. For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. What is determined by the Word of God, will come to pass. This earth will pass. These words were never more on time than today, when we live in the end of times, in the last days.
“I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.” Jer. 15:17
“O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.” Jer. 20:7
What the prophet says is that The Spirit of God won his soul. He is now against the whole world and likewise the whole world is against him. He confesses that he was deceived in his unbelief!
Resurrection The Stumbling Block
Let us now move to the book of Acts.
“And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.” Acts 17:32
We see what is the stumbling block for us. Resurrection! We can hear and we can accept that there was this man Jesus called Christ who died on the cross, but we struggle to believe that He rose again on the third day. For this fact acknowledges that all this is true. That indeed there is a righteous God who has the power over all creation and death and His power goes beyond the grave. Resurrection of Christ is the stumbling block.
They Mocked Lord Jesus Too
We read earlier that they mocked the prophets which were before. But so they also mocked Lord Jesus:
“And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.” Mt. 27:29-31
I hope that this gives us an overview that nothing of this is new.
Final Warnings. God is Not Mocked.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6:7
That should be very clear. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap…
Let us take a moment to go back to 2 Peter and read another fragment from there:
“That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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 the creation.” 2 P. 3:2-4
These words should trigger in us a reflection on the consequences of our sins. Where are we today? Are we counted as the scoffers, who mock God and turn from Him in unbelief? Do we reject the testimony of the Bible about the only Savior that God gave to this world, the only man by whom we can come to God, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who shed His blood for the remission of the sins of the world? Do we reject such a wonderful salvation? Do we mock God?
The warning that this should be a great threat in the last days is reiterated in the book of Jude:
“How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.” Jude 18
They told you! It means, it was spoken from the very beginning. From the book of Genesis, through to the book of Revelation, it was all the same since human’s race fall. People are turned away from God. The wicked people mock God in unbelief and nothing is new. My hope is that you now understand the consequences of such position. Swift destruction…
We read earlier that there shall be false teachers and false prophets and that many people will follow their ways bringing upon themselves swift destruction. I pray again that you would turn away from such a way that leads to destruction and come to God. Come to Jesus, for only in Him your soul is safe. May God have mercy upon your souls!
