WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING? (2 PETER 3)
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The future Queen of England, Princess Elizabeth, then just 19, and her sister Princess Margaret, 14, did an unthinkable thing when they joined thousands of revellers to gather in front of the royal residence on May 8 1945. The princesses did the hokey cokey and the Lambeth Walk, and took part in chants of "We want the King" at the Palace railings. They also danced the conga through the Ritz Hotel in nearby Piccadilly. As part of the official celebrations in 1945, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth made eight appearances on the Palace balcony in ten hours - on one occasion accompanied by Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Elizabeth and Margaret themselves appeared six times with their parents throughout the day and evening.
Huge crowds gather at Trafalgar Square celebrate VE (Victory in Europe) Day in London, marking the end of the Second World War in Europe. In an unprecedented and spontaneous breach of royal protocol, they also hurried out of the Palace after dinner to join the crowds, accompanied by a group of Guards officers, who were friends of the princesses. It was Margaret's idea and the King and Queen agreed to the excursion, with the monarch writing in his diary that day of his daughters' lack of social life: "Poor darlings, they have never had any fun yet."
https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/royals/queen-elizabeth-sneaked-crowds-danced-to-celebrate-ve-day-a4435671.html
The shorter phrase “the day of the Lord” (v 10), instead of the longer version of “the day of the Lord Jesus,” aptly appears in the last chapter of 2 Peter, just as it appears the only time in Paul’s epistle in the last chapter of 1 Thessalonians 5, both epistles comparing the day of the Lord to a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:2). The last day is always singular in the Gospels (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54, 7:38, 11:24, 12:48), but plural from Acts on (Acts 2:17, 2 Tim 3:1, Heb 1:2, James 5:3, 2 Peter 3:3). The prophets describes the day of the Lord as the day of the Lord’s vengeance (Isa 34:8), great and very terrible (Joel 2:11), the day of the Lord's wrath and anger (Zeph 1:18-2:3), and the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Mal 4:5). Scoffers, however, asked the only question in 2 Peter 3, "Where is the promise of His coming?” (vv 3-4) All things continue as they are (v 4), as far back as creation. Al things are unchanged, unwelcome and unbearable for some.
What are we to beware of and watch for? How is the Lord coming? Is His coming a good day or a gloomy day for you? Why is the Lord’s coming slow and steady instead swift and speedy? How are we to prepare for His coming?
Be Sure and Strong
1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 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. 3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 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." 5 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. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 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.
The deadliest fires in Hong Kong since 2001 occurred last year (December 2020) when at least seven people from 8 to 48 were killed and 11 injured in a fire at an apartment building in Yau Ma Tei’s Nepalese community who were celebrating a Hindu festival as well as a birthday. The building lacked a sprinkler system.
https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-fires-carrie-lam-1f24e04baf8d99326e63c44b10d14d4d
On the night of the fire, one of the decorative festival lights set the wall near the door alight. The fire spread rapidly because of the sound-proof material that was used to line the wall of the dining area. The unlicensed restaurant did not have a fire extinguisher, and no emergency exits and no fire insurance.
The owner’s wife, a club manager and two employees were also among the dead. “As soon as the fire started, they told the women and children to go to the kitchen and storeroom, and tried to put out the flames themselves,” a relative of one of the dead said. Those who escaped jumped out of the windows to the street below, and some broke their legs. https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/7-nepalis-killed-in-hong-kong-fire/
2 Peter is a very hard letter to write in times of repression, rejection and relocation, so Peter tenderly called his readers “friends/beloved” five times in the chapter (vv 1, 8, 14, 15, 17), more than any chapter in the Bible, reminding them not to be ignorant (vv 5, 8) of what’s coming. The reason (v 2, gar) for this second letter is to recall God’s word spoken through the prophets and the apostles. Recall (v 2, mimnesko) is traditionally translated as “remember” (Matt 5:23) and mindful (2 Tim 1:4).
DO NOT FORGET (V 5, 8,IGNORANT KJV)
Why V 5 For this they willingly are ignorant
Where V 5 out of the water and in the water
(perished)
How (participle) V 6 overflowed (aorist)with water
V 7 kept (perfect) in store
reserved (present) unto fire
When V 6 then
V 7 now
the day of judgment and perdition
What V 6 perish
Who V 7 ungodly men
The verb “forget/ignorant” (vv 5, 8) is more than that; it is translated elsewhere as hidden (Acts 26:26), unaware (Heb 13:2) and ignorant (2 Peter 3:5). In ESV it’s “overlook” and in NASB is “escape their notice” What did they forget? That ungodly people (v 7) perished before. How? By water – three times (vv 5 twice, 6). Water is contrasted with fire reserved for the ungodly on the day of judgment and destruction/perdition (KJV).
The key verb is destroy (v 6), or perish (Matt 9:17) and lose (Matt 10:39). . Unlike water (v 5 twice, 6) that destroyed Noah’s generation fire will destroy the future generation. Water is contrasted with fire, day of judgment and destruction (v 7). Fire spreads, surrounds and strays. In less than 30 seconds, a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house. In minutes, a house can be engulfed in flames. Room temperatures in a fire can be 100 degrees at floor level and rise to 600 degrees at eye level. Inhaling this super-hot air will scorch your lungs. In five minutes, a room can get so hot that everything in it ignites at once; this is called flashover. Heat is more threatening than flames. Fire isn't bright, it's pitch black. Smoke and toxic gases kill more people than flames do. https://www.edmondok.com/535/The-Nature-of-Fire
Be Sympathetic and Sober
8 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. 9 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. 10 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. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 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. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
Here are some quotes on “patience” (v 9):
“The secret of patience is to do something in the meantime.”
“Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of their soul.”
“A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.”
“Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet.”
“Patience is the ability to count down before you blast off.”
“Patience is also a form of action.”
“Patience is the mindset of saying no to anxiety.”
“Patience is the support of weakness. Impatience is the ruin of strength.”
“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”
“Patience is the art of caring slowly.”
There are two “do not forget” in the chapter (vv 5, 8), of which this is more important because this is an imperative. The imperative “forget/ignorant” is important in contrast to previously in verse 5 with scoffers who asked, Where is the promise of His coming? Forget means hid (Mark 7:24) or unaware (Heb 13:2). It is hidden in plain sight, out of sight, out of mind, an open secret, Slowness has its benefits. This is the opposite of the infinitive “to stimulate/mindful” (v 1).
Slow (v 8) is tarry long (1 Tim 3:15) or slack (2 Peter 3:9). The Lord is not timid, tired and toothless, but thoughtful, tolerant and timely. There is no delay, disruption, disturbance or deviation of his plans.
Why be patient? Because good things take time! Patience?? (v 9, makrothumeo) occurs 10 times in the Bible, but three times is associated with the “coming of the Lord” (James 5:7, 8), because it requires maximum, optimum patience. Patience (macro-thumeo) is long or far (macro) +
fierceness, indignation, wrath (thumeo). God’s judgment is a slow burn, not quick to erupt, explode or enrage.
God’s heart is always for man’s repentance (v 9) not retribution, deliverance and not damnation, conversion not condemnation. I hope your heart is too!
The day of the Lord is too spectacular, sensational and shocking when it happens.
The heavens will do three things: disappear/pass away, destroy/melt and laid bare/burned up (v 10).
endure.
The heavens will disappear with a roar (pass away…great noise KJV) and the earth and the elements will be destroyed by fire (elements shall melt with fervent heat) everything in it will be laid bare (earth…burned up)
Heavens Elements Earth
Disappear Disentangle Disintegrated
Crash (noise) crumble (melt) Consumed (burned up)
lapse (disappear) liquidify Light
expire Evaporate extinguish
Scare you Shrink you Scorch you
Fear Fluid Furnace
Holy and godly lives (v 11) is with man (behavior in Greek) and God, witness and worship, community and Christlikeness.
Be Spotless and Steadfast
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 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. 16 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. 17 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. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
A man visiting a certain school gave out that he would give a prize to the pupil whose desk he found in the best order when he returned. "But when will you return?" some of them asked.
"That I cannot tell," was the answer.
A little girl, who had been noted for her disorderly habits, announced that she meant to win the prize.
"You!" her schoolmates jeered. "Why, your desk is always out of order."
"Oh, but I mean to clean it the first of every week."
"But suppose he should come at the end of the week?" someone asked.
"Then I will clean it every morning.
"But he may come at the end of the day."
For a moment the little girl was silent. "I know what I'll do," she said decidedly; "I'll just keep it clean." (Mattie M. Boteler)
Verse 14-18 have four imperative, of which the first “make every effort” (v14) is translated as forward (Gal 2:10), endeavor (Eph 4:3), study (2 Tim 2:15), do diligence (2 Tim 4:9) and labor (Heb 4:11). The purpose (infinitive) is to be found spotless (aspilos) and blameless (amometos). One is inside and the other is by others. Spotless is in nature while blameless is with neighbors. Spotless is character while blameless is with reputation. John Wooden said, “Character is what you really, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
The second imperative in verse 15’s”bear in mind” (hegeomai) is judge (Heb 11:11) is think (Acts 26:2), esteem (Phil 2:3), suppose (Phil 2:25), count (Phil 3:7) and judge (Heb 11:11). Other bewildering translations include governor (Matt 2:6), chief (Luke 22:26) and rule (Heb 13:7). Why? Bear in mind comes with not just appraisal, but authority, assurance and acknowledgment.
The third imperative in verse 17 “be on guard” is keep (Matt 19:20), observe (Mark 10:20), beware (Luke 12:15) and believe (John 12:47). The purpose is not to This “fall” (ek-pipto) is more than “carried away/fall,” (pipto) but led away (KJV), which occur ten times versus 91 times the regular “fall.” The preposition “ek” or “out” in English added means fall away not just fall aside – but fall out, out of, outside. This means depart or left from the flock, the fellowship and the faith.
The last imperative “grow” is about size, spread, stature or standing.
V 14
make every effort/ be diligent (spoudazo) V 15 Bear in mind/ account (hegeomai) V 17 be on your guard/ beware (phulasso) V 18 grow (auzano)
Promptness Privilege Priority Physical
Speed mobility Strength Sense Size
Agility Authority Attitude Advancement
Industry Importance Intensity Increase
Conclusion: In His C.O.M.I.N.G. are you:
Compassionate to unbelievers?
Obedient to God?
Maturing in growth?
Industrious in service?
Nurturing other believers?
Godly in behavior?
