The Second Book of Peter, Chapter 3, The Purpose of This Letter, The Coming Day of The Lord, A New Heaven and A New Earth

 

The Book of Second Peter, chapter 3

The Purpose of This Letter, The Coming Day of The Lord, A New Heaven and A New Earth

This letter serves as a summary and a recapitulation of Peter’s previously (inspired and God breathed) words of instruction and warnings. (I find myself asking what this all means to me and all other Christians alive during these times? In fact, since our responses, actions and behaviors, as Christians, should emanate from our commitment to our covenant with our Lord and from the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, I should ask the fundamental of all questions: (1). What truly is God’s salvation of my soul? (2). Am I truly saved? (3). What do I believe is the result of this salvation, which is the most telling of all questions? (4). Do my thoughts, behaviors and actions, particularly in response to this, Peter’s epistle, show that I truly believe what he is saying? Do I believe God’s Word is for me and do my actions show it? (Please consider these questions as you finish this letter).

Purpose of This Letter

2 Peter 3:1, Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder, verse 2, to remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

(Commentary Break): Peter is reaching back to the prophetic writings and warnings of the holy prophets of Israel and continuing in remembrance to what Jesus said and taught (all of which is prophetic in its nature) and which has been passed to the Apostles. Typically, only the most ardent student of the Bible and of Biblical prophecies, would be able to recall all of and to which Peter is referring. So he summarizes. (End Commentary Break).

The Coming Day of the Lord

Verse 3. Know this first-of-all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, Verse 4, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.” Verse 5. For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, verse 6, through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water. Verse 7. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

(Commentary Break): Take careful notice that Peter says “in the last days” mockers will come with their mocking. Peter, in agreement with Jesus, and along with the Apostles Paul and John and the disciple Timothy, is warning that the Last Days – the Tribulation had already begun.

Again, please note: This was written in or around A.D. 68 and the mocking had already begun has only intensified since that time. This is just another clear sign that the “Birth Pains” of the tribulation, (see the Words of Jesus in Matthew 24:8), had already begun in or around the birth of the Christ. Peter continues speaking of the Last Days, (re-read verses 5 through 7), as Peter refers to a time “from the beginning of creation”, going through the judgment by the great deluge, the flood of Noah’s days as a harbinger of judgment and destruction at the End of Days, Bowl Judgments of the Great Tribulation, which conclude with the destruction of the heavens and the earth by a fervent heat. WE HAVE BEEN WARNED IN ADVANCE. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 8. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. Verse 9. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

(Commentary Break): “With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day”, is a reference to Psalm 90:4, and is God’s POINT OF VIEW or FRAME OF REFERENCE and NOT a reference to the actual passage of a specific period of time. It reflects God’s divine perspective of time contrasted with a human perspective of time. God’s promises and decrees, including the return of Christ, are not delayed but are unfolding according to His perfect timing. (End Commentary Break).

A New Heaven and Earth

Verse 10. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered. Verse 11. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, verse 12, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! Verse 13. But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

(Commentary Break): Jesus also says, in Matthew 24:42-44, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” This is not saying Jesus is a ‘thief’ but that He will return stealthily and without warning. The great question here is what does He mean to “be on the alert” of to be ready for His return? (See Matthew 24:42-51 through Matthew 25:1-29 and the parables of the ten virgins and of the talents given to His servants.) (End Commentary Break).

Verse 14. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, verse 15, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, verse 16, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

(Commentary Break): We, as His children, are to pray for and realize the fruit of the Holy Spirit of peace, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control which dwell within each of us which we must exercise. Peter also urges us to know that we are to be patient as Jesus reminds that “it is the one who endures to the end who will be saved”. Furthermore, Peter is speaking of God’s merciful patience, allowing more time for repentance and salvation. This aligns with 2 Peter 3:9, which states that God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish. The concept of divine patience is also seen in the Old Testament, such as in the story of Noah (Genesis 6-9), where God waited patiently while the ark was being built. This patience is a reflection of God’s character, as seen in Exodus 34:6, where God is described as “slow to anger.” (End Commentary Break).

Verse 17. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unscrupulous people and lose your own firm commitment, verse 18, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (End Second Peter).

Peter finishes by once again warning against spending time around or with false teachers and unscrupulous people and the deleterious effects of being around such.

Dear friends, it would be easy to read these things and think “this is just too much for me to remember or too hard for me to do. So I will do what I can and that will have to be enough”. There is some truth to that line of reasoning, but I caution even myself to exercise all discipline and care to educate and inform myself by the full Word of God. There is no such thing as being “partially saved” or “sort of saved”. You either are or you are not. It is to your benefit to “go all in”. Be that fully devoted follower and disciple of Jesus and God will know your heart.

If you want to discuss any of these matters or just want to talk, please email me at whitestonefellowship1@gmail.com.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Previous): The Book of Second Peter, chapter 2, The Appearance of False Prophets.