Some of our dear friends went into labor yesterday with their first child. I had thrown her a shower, and they knew it was going to be a girl, so all of the decor said, "Welcome Clara Kate!" She just recently finished decorating the baby's room with gorgeous pink curtains, a chandelier, and beautiful pink bedding. The closet was stocked with precious little girl clothes. They were ready! Well, last night, we get the e-mail that says, "It's a boy!" Sure enough, the technician had been wrong, and there is no Clara Kate, at least not this time! Of course, they are both over-joyed regardless. But here they were planning for what they thought would be, only to be completely surprised when the day actually came!
And so it is in 2 Peter 3 which talks about the day of the Lord coming like a thief -- Christ will return when we least expect it. Are we ready for that? Let's dive in!
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."
It is difficult for us to remember some days that Christ really is coming, isn't it? The world certainly doesn't take this to heart. Peter says that it should be no surprise to us when people mock that Jesus will ever return. To them, they only see what is in front of them now, so if its been thousands of years since Jesus left, shouldn't He have returned by now? And in their doubt, they continue to do whatever it is that pleases them at the moment, forgetting that once Christ is here, it will be too late. People may think that God is a hands-off God and what they choose to do doesn't really matter to Him, but here Peter reminds them that no, the world was formed by God out of water and by water. We are His creation! Then by those same waters, God did destroy the world in the flood. At God's command, this happened, and at His command, there will be a fiery destruction one day for those who do not follow Christ.
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.
So when will this happen then, if it hasn't happened yet? Here, Peter reminds us that God doesn't operate on "time" the way our finite minds do. But he reminds us that God is not slow in this promise the way we understand slowness. My dear old dad, for instance, plans to make something happen, but it usually takes him much longer to accomplish the project than he anticipated...this has become a running source of humor in my family (I love you, Dad.) But our God is not like us in that -- He has not forgotten parts at the store, gotten distracted by other things, nor feels the need to wait for better weather to make it happen. He is patient in this process SO THAT everyone might have the full opportunity to come to know Him. That's why He's waiting! He's waiting for you to come to Him, and He's waiting for your co-worker, your sibling, your friend to come to Him because He doesn't want us to perish!
But make no mistake, Peter says, the day WILL come, when we least expect it and when we aren't "prepared" for it -- we can't know the day it will happen and be sure that God finds us at church or serving at the homeless shelter when He returns. By the time the earth is destroyed by fire, Christ-followers will already be gone, and God's wrath will be poured out on the earth...so we don't want to wait to make this decision!
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."
Since all the physical materials of this earth will be gone, what kind of people should we be now -- concerned about money, possessions and superficial power that we cannot take with us? No, instead, we should strive to live holy (pure and blameless) lives. Those pure and selfless actions and the lives we impact, that is what we will take with us! And I love this part -- after everything is destroyed and burned up, we can be looking forward to the new heaven and the new earth that God will restore for us where we will live forever!
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."
So since we are looking forward to this time when we will live with Him forever in the most incredible place you have ever seen or could imagine, we need to be preparing for that day now because the Bible is full of talk about the rewards that await us in Heaven! We aren't living holy lives for nothing -- there are rewards to come based on how we've lived our lives on earth. Jesus is our ticket in, but there is even more than just "getting in" once we get there.
And what I really like about this part of this letter is that Peter says that Paul speaks of some of these same things in his letters, and "some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." Thank you, Peter, for assuring me that no, I'm not dumb, but some of these things ARE hard to fully understand! It's okay if I don't get all of it. Yes, Romans...don't even get me started...sometimes I get headaches reading that book and trying to think deeply. It's OKAY. Keep studying it anyway!
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."
Peter says, because people will distort the tricky parts of Scripture, it is very important in these last days to be on our guard so that we do not get swept away by their false thinking and ways. Instead, we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus...grow in knowledge so that you yourself can know what is right and wrong. This is so important! May we not passively soak in what others say, but may we use our MINDS to honor and glorify God as we increase in our personal knowledge of Him.
Christ could come today, or He could come in a thousand years...we cannot know. Even Christ doesn't know, only the Father does. But regardless, are we ready to stand before God? What will He say to you on that day?
Lord, help me to continually become more like Christ. That is my heart's greatest desire. I long to please You only and do Your will. Keep working in me, Lord, and give me the desire to continue on this daily journey toward You. I cannot wait to be in your presence someday. Thank you for waiting for me all these years.
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