Ignorant

2Peter 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 

‘Ignorant’ [Greek: lanthano] to be unseen or unnoticed. Translated “ignorant of” (3:5, 8); “unawares” (Heb. 13:2); and “be hid” (Mark 7:24; Luke 8:47; Acts 26:26).

‘That by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.’ Things that people are willingly ignorant of: [1] That by the Word of God the heavens were created of old (3:5; Ps. 68:33; 93:2; 102:25; Mic. 5:2). [2] That the earth was established in and out of water (3:5; Ps. 24:2; 136:6). [3] That “the world that then was” refers to the pre-Adamite world or social system which was destroyed by a great universal flood before Adam (3:6; Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:5-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Jer. 4:23-26; Ezek. 28:11-17). [4] That the heavens and the earth which are now were restored from chaos and judgment about 6,000 years ago in Adam’s day (3:7; Gen. 1:3-2:25). [5] That the heavens and the earth entered their second sinful career through Adam and are now reserved for a second universal renovation (by fire) at the time of the great white throne judgment at the end of the Millennium (3:7, 10-12; Rom. 8:18-25; Heb. 1:10-12; 12:25-28; Rev. 20:7-15). [6] That with God a thousand years is like a day and a day like a thousand years. He inhabits eternity and is not subject to time to get His work done before death as is the case with us (3:8-9; Isa. 57:15; Eph. 3:11). [7] That the Lord is not slack concerning His promises but is longsuffering to all men, wishing that all would come to repentance (3:9; 1Tim. 2:4; Rev. 22:17). [8] That the day of the Lord is to come as a thief in the night, in which day (the end of it) the heavens and the earth will be renovated and made new a third time (3:10-13; Isa. 65:17; 66:22-24; Rev. 21-22). [9] That all rebellion will then be put down (3:13; 1Cor. 15:24-28). [10] That the righteous natural people left on earth after the rebellion of Revelation 20:7-10 will multiply and replenish the new earth forever, carrying out God’s original program for Adam, as would have been done if man had not sinned (3:13; Gen. 1:26-31; 8:22; 9:12; Isa. 9:6-7; 59:20; Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 27; Matt. 25:34, 46; Luke 1:32-33; Rev. 11:15; 21:1-22:5). [11] That God will move His capital city from heaven to the earth to dwell with men forever and administer the affairs of the universe from the earth (3:13; Rev. 21:1-22-5). [12] That the resurrected saints, saved from Abel to the Millennium will be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ and will reign as kings and priests on earth helping God administer the affairs of the universe forever (3:13; Ps. 149:5-9; Dan. 7:18-27; Matt. 19:28; Rom. 8:17; 1Cor. 4:8; 6:2; Eph. 2:7; 2Tim. 2:12; 2Thess. 1:4-10; Rev. 1:6; 2:26-27; 5:9-10; 11:15; 12:5; 20:4-6; 22:5).

This ignorance of the Biblical facts is not forced upon man. They are willingly ignorant, preferring to remain in darkness, even scoffing at the second coming of Christ and denying Him who bought them with His own blood (2:1-2; 3:5, 8). They shut their eyes against light and refuse all evidence.

‘By the word of God the heavens were of old’ this refers to God speaking the materials into existence out of which He then formed the heavens and the earth (Heb. 1:10).

‘Standing out of the water and in the water’ this proves the earth was not created all wet as in Genesis 1:2, but dry, then flooded, and later restored to a dry state as in Genesis 1:9-10.