The Fat Lady Is Singing! Series

One sidebar here: regardless of what anyone says, we go to the text! We let the Bible speak and inform our beliefs and behaviors. If God can intervene dramatically in the course of history, then we’d better believe He can do it again. The only difference…is that the next time will be with “fire.”

That reminds me of the song New Life sang when I was in the group: “It’s gonna rain, it’s gonna rain, you better get ready and bear this in mind. God showed Noah the rainbow sign, it won’t be water but fire next time…” (Charles Johnson).

But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men (2 Pet. 3:7 NASV).

How foolish to believe that God cannot or will not judge and destroy the world He judged and destroyed once before!

At this point, Peter says that the false teachers “deliberately” (NIV) forgot those facts. Hmmm…how convenient! And why would they do that? Because this is really about people finding any excuse to “follow after their own lusts” (2 Pet. 3:3), to do their own thing, to be held accountable to a standard no higher than their own thoughts and desires.

It’s what Jesus said in John 3 where He pointed out that “men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed” (John 3:19-20).

It is a deliberate rejection because they don’t want anyone, much less God telling them what to do. And that’s why Peter calls them and us to “remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles” (2 Pet. 3:2).

Don’t be led astray: the fat lady is singing!

But there’s one more point that Peter says needs to be understood: “…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. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:8-9 NASV).

The false teachers impugned God’s character by implying that He had been unfaithful to a promise He hadn’t kept.

But why hasn’t God made good on His promise of Jesus’ return?

First, because God doesn’t reckon time like we do. In God’s eyes, how much time has passed since Jesus ascended back to Heaven?

Answer: 2 days! (Now, I know we are an impatient people, but come on – two days!

Second, because our purpose for wanting Jesus to return may not be in line with God’s purpose for delaying. When we want Him to come back right now, what are we missing?

We may be missing the heart of God (as much as we’d like for Him to return now, but His delay is a gracious delay: “…Not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

And why is He giving us time to repent? Because He is returning. The false teachers got it all wrong: His judgment, His timing and His love.

Are you ready for the finale? Because the fat lady is singing!