The Day of the Lord
It’s Delay, Our Response
In some Bibles, The Day of the Lord is found as a preoccupy of 2 Peter 3:1-17. In chapter 3, Peter is dealing with the hard heart of scoffing at the return of Jesus Christ, the final Judgement and how we should be living.
There once was a man who oversaw a crew, whenever he felt they were not working up to par, he would shout, “You are slower than the Second Coming of Jesus Christ,” meaning you are never going to get it done.
Many believe Peter wrote this letter about A.D. 67-68, shortly before his death.
To help us grasp the truths of 2 Peter 3 we are going to look at it in an outline format of three divisions because Peter gives us three confirmations: 1.) The Writings of the Old Testament 2.) The Teaching of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. 3.) The Promise of the New Heaven and New Earth.
Let us begin with an overview reading: “Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this ‘coming’ He promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2 Peter 3:1-17)
The Writings of the Prophets
Peter wants to stimulate us with wholesome thinking by recalling the writings of the prophets, [the Old Testament]. In dealing with those who scoff or in the dealing with our own tendency to begin to question what is written in the past about the Lord’s return. Peter presents a truth for us to keep our spiritual hearts excited. He reminds readers of the time of the prophets, “But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.”
Peter gave them a reminder of the past – God the Creator is also God the Judge. In His Sovereign will, any changes can occur at any time for He designed and He controls the “natural” processes. By God’s command water played the significant role in the creation of the world also became the agent for destruction to a people who scoffed God’s Word on how to live for Him. The scoffers of Peter day deliberately or rather (thelontas) willingly forgot God’s Creation and the Flood. (2 Peter 1:12–13, 15; 3:1–2, 8)
In modern terms, Peter, the creationist, a believer used the universal flood to point scoffers to Sovereignty of God and His authority to judge sin.
It is interesting that scoffers today deliberately or rather willingly set God’s Word aside, especially when it comes to believing on the return of the Lord. One of the reasons given for not believing in the Word of God is the teaching of a Biblical universal flood. Scoffers today say it is impossible for the writer to know if it was a universal flood.
The Lord has raised up creationist who are scientist who can scientifically prove there was a universal flood. Listen to just one of their scientific proofs from Answers in Genesis: “Consider the fact that it takes special conditions to make a fossil, and the world is covered with billions of them in mass graves. Creatures must be buried rapidly before they rot or get eaten by scavengers. And, in fact, vast numbers of animals were buried rapidly and fossilized so quickly that some could not even finish swallowing their meal or giving birth.” Answers In Genesis have many other proofs of a universal flood. https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/flood-evidence/
When false teachers and scoffers start squawking – we have the written authority of the account of the flood along with the scientific proof – we have the written Word to remind us of the Coming of the Lord to judge wicked mankind the unrepentant.
Present World – Words of Christ and Apostles
The second confirmation Peter describes is the present world and He starts with:
First – Peter wants to continue to stimulate us with wholesome thinking by recalling the writings of the teaching of Jesus [The Gospels] and the writings of the Apostles, [The New Testament].
Second: Peter is saying there will be false teachers to draw question by intriguing their audience to forget the facts of what is written in the past, which affect the present age and the age to come. That alone is proof – if there was not a genuine to believe, there would be no reason to draw question to it. Satan cannot create, he can only adulterate or destroy what God has created.
What should frighten us – is that God may send us false teachers because that is what this country wants. Jeremiah warns us with, “The prophets prophesy lies, the priest rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. Then comes the question “But what will you do in the end.” (Jeremiah 5:31)
Third – the God who sent the world wide flood is someday going to bring a total destruction by fire. Jesus said, Heaven and earth will pass away, but my Word’s will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)
Four – Peter gives us the reason of the delay of the Lord’s coming. Christians need to recall Psalm 90:4, “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by…”
People see time against time; but God sees time against eternity so what seems like a long time to us – it like only a couple of days to God. God’s timeline is governed by patience, a major attribute of our heavenly Father. For us the quicker Jesus returns – the faster we get out of here. The Lord’s delay means there are people who are yet going to come to Christ. We need to have that same outlook.
Five – Peter gives us our dedication challenge and he warns us with, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief…” A thief does not tell us when he is going to break in our house or bank account – if we knew we would be prepared for that moment. The rest of the time we would be negligent. The Bible teaches we are to live like the Lord’s return can come at any moment.
Considering there is going to be so much destruction Peter tells us we must be living so we can miss the total destruction of this earth and the wicked, “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”
Be “holy” (????? hágios) meaning to be separated unto God’s service, abstaining from the earth’s defilements. Be “godly” (e?s?ße?a eusébeia) meaning to be in devotion to God. Being holy and godly will enable us to live in such a way which people who have a fear of God will give us deserved respect, people who hate the Lord, will hate us. (Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.) The Bible says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18) Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
Many a great people of God have had a good influence and they have people who could not stand them, even tried to harm them and stop their work with the Lord.
Peter tells us, “Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
We are to grow in favor with God, a word used (ratson (??????) fifty-six times in the Old Testament meaning to have God’s pleasure, His goodwill and our works have His acceptance. – (Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 1, p. 79). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.)
Future World
Peter pointed us to the truths of the prophets, Jesus and the Apostles concerning the imperativeness of our Lord’s return because it holds an eternal blessing for the future. The Bible says, “But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” The beloved John wrote, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” (Revelation 21:1)
Christians and all creation will enjoy a new earth and new heavenly atmosphere which has never been affected by sin in any way. The Bible says “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:9) Isaiah 11:1-16 gives us The Righteous Reign of Jesus Christ. We read “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow and the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the whole of the cobra, and the young child will put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord…”
We know the Book of Romans tells us the whole of creation is longing for its redemption. According to the whole counsel of God’s Word, at the beginning of the thousand years reign of Christ into the New Earth and Heaven that promise will be fully enjoyed.
In closing: Dr. David Jeremiah said, “People are often surprised to learn that reference to the Second Coming of Christ outnumber references to the first coming by a factor of eight to one.”
When Christ returns, there is no more trials and sickness. Perfection at all times for the children of God. Christians will have uninterrupted communion with God and Jesus Christ. According the Bible when Christ return’s He will deal with those who did not live for Him and in time He will call up the wicked dead and hold them accountable for every evil deed. The Bible says He is going to judge in righteousness. The Bible says, “Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations, And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of God.
All lawlessness, lies and misconduct will be fully exposed and punished, while the righteous in Christ will enjoy all the benefits of living in the glory of God and Christ. Christians will enjoy His provision while resting in His peace. People who had been lost in this world, those who have died in Christ will be reunited to us so we may live in perfection, there will be no trouble in paradise.
