Since We Know It’s Coming
2 Peter 3:10-13 NKJV
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
This is another passage that is probably not embroidered on many throw pillows. Peter is delivering a message about the end times. And he states that the day of the Lord will come. And when it does, we won’t have to wonder about it or ask, "Did the day of the Lord just come?” We’ll know. Because the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the earth will be burned up.
Peter must have had some type of vision of the day of the Lord. That’s an opinion, not scripture. But Peter was given insight into the end of the age as we know it. I believe we won’t be a part of this great dissolving. Again, my opinion, but if the Lord rescued Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction, I believe God will do the same for His children.
Peter adds to this end-time message with an admonition. Since we know this day is coming and all things will be dissolved, we ought to live holy, separate from the world, and devoted to God. Peter is reminding us that the things we get so attached to in this life are temporary, and we ought to live with eternity in mind. It’s easy to look at the world around us and think it’s always going to be this way. But there is a day coming when these things we think are so permanent are destroyed.
Peter also indicates we should be looking for that Day of the Lord to come and should hasten its coming. Not sure how we hasten that day, but again I stick with my belief that we are not going to be ones who are burned up. Why would we hasten our own destruction?
Peter does leave us with some hope. According to God’s promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth. The new heavens and earth will not be under the curse or influence of Satan. The new heavens and earth will be established in righteousness, not lawlessness and death. We definitely are going to be a part of that day.
I admit that all of this sounds a bit mind-blowing. But Peter was an apostle of the Lord Jesus. He was very aware of the Lordship of Jesus and not prone to creating wild stories. Peter was a foundational apostle and a pillar of the church. We can hold onto his words and trust that his encouragement to live right in our lifetime is both valid and important. Peter gives a warning, even repeating the importance of living holy and blameless because we know this day is coming.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!