Christ Will Return

Text: II Peter 3:1-15

Another Reminder – II Peter 3:1-2

This second letter of Peter was written to stir the memories of Christians. “Stirring up” is the Greek word diegeiro. It means to wake someone up. “Sincere” or “pure” is the Greek word eilikrine. It literally means “to judge in the light of the sun,” such as a merchant examining an item in the full sunlight to detect any flaws. Peter believes his readers are not yet tainted by false teachings so giving them a virtual shake. His reminders are putting his readers’ minds under the examining light of the gospel. This is in contrast to “being darkened in their understanding” (Ephesians 4:17-18).

They need to remember the words spoken by the prophets in the Old Testament (Acts 26:22; I Peter 1:10-12; II Peter 1:19), as well as the commands of Christ relayed to us by the apostles (Ephesians 2:20; 3:5), in order not to be pulled away from Christ (II Peter 2:21).

People Will Doubt Jesus’ Return - II Peter 3:3-4

Peter gives a specific example of how people will be pulled away from Christ. Of utmost importance is to know that scoffers would arise in the last days. The phrase “the last days” refers to the Christian age (Acts 2:17; Hebrews 1:2). There will be no other age to come.

It appears that everything continues as it always has (Ecclesiastes 1:4-9); thus, it is easy to fool yourself into believing this world will continue for millions of years. Peter warns that mockers will come spreading doubt about the fact that Jesus will return. If something is stated that is different from what a mocker believes, he will make fun of it. This is because mockers follow after their own lusts – a reference back to the discussion of false teachers in II Peter 2:10,18-19.

A part of the mocking is noting that nothing has changed since the days the prophets made their predictions regarding the Lord’s judgment (Malachi 2:17). Thus, the implication is that their prophecies had failed. In the near term, there were people who thought that Jerusalem would not be destroyed. However, Peter is indicating distant future disbelief. Their “evidence” is that the world has remained the same since its creation. However, the very argument contains a flaw. Creation changed everything. This proves that change has happened and can happen again.

Some question the validity of God’s promise because they deny the existence of God or His involvement in the world. But you will also find some who deny that the second coming is a future event. Preterists believe that Jesus came in A.D. 70, destroyed Jerusalem, and that fulfilled his promised return. They deny there is a promise of Jesus’ return and the destruction of the world in the future.

Class Discussion:

1. What are some reasons people refuse to believe in the second coming of Jesus and the end of the world?
2. What is the purpose of the question in II Peter 3:4? Are all questions asked in order to seek answers? Compare to Psalms 73:11.
3. What is the flaw in concluding that if something hasn’t changed in a long time then it will never change?

God’s Word Has Power - II Peter 3:5-7

Peter’s point is that God’s word has power. It was by God’s word that the world was created. If God made it, God is able to unmake it. God made the land out of water (Genesis 1:6-7) and stood upon the waters (Psalms 24:2; 136:6) . But it was by God’s word that the world was destroyed by those same waters in a great flood. It is again evidence that God can cause a great change – this time a destructive change. The “by which” at the start of II Peter 3:6 is in the plural. Notice at the end of II Peter 3:5, water is mentioned twice as two sources. Compare this to Genesis 7:11.

That same word promises that the world will be destroyed by fire on a day of judgment. Notice that Peter isn’t talking about the destruction of Jerusalem because what is to be destroyed is the heavens and earth. People purposely ignore that God did once destroy the world in the days of Noah, thus proving that God is capable of destroying the world again.

Some argue that “earth” can just mean “land” as it does in Matthew 2:6 and “heaven” is what the Jews called the Holy of Holies in the Temple. But because something has one meaning in one context, does it retain that same meaning everywhere? Just because the Jews saw the Holy of Holies representing heaven, it doesn’t mean there is no heaven but the Holy of Holies. Quite the opposite actually. However “heavens and earth” are defined in the context of II Peter 3:7 as what God created and what God destroyed with a flood. We are talking about the atmosphere and outer space. The heavens and earth are reserved by God for future destruction by fire (Isaiah 66:15-16; Malachi 4:1-3; II Thessalonians 1:8). And in this destruction, the ungodly (such as the mockers) will not escape.

Class discussion:

1. Does ignoring contradictory evidence prove that your point is factual?

God Doesn’t Forget His Promises - II Peter 3:8-9

Time doesn’t have the same meaning to God that it has to man. The real problem is that people are impatient. People have a tendency to think that if something is going to happen in the future, then it must be happening in their own future. Since none of us live that long, something that is 50 to 100 years out seems like forever. Thus, Peter's point. God doesn't hold time in the same significance as we do. It isn't that God is unaware of the flow of time, but a day or a thousand years is not that big of a difference to a being who lives eternally. This is completely different from men who think there is a huge difference between a day and a thousand years.

There is a version of premillennialism claiming that because God created the world in six days, followed by a day of rest, then the world’s history can be divided into six 1,000-year periods, followed by the peaceful reign of Jesus for 1,000 years. Others use this passage to say that days of creation were actually long periods of time. Then there are people who use this in some way to calculate the end of the world, even though later in II Peter 3:10 it says it is not predictable, like a thief.

II Peter 3:8 isn’t a formula. Note the use of the word “as.” Peter’s point is like Psalms 90:4-6. Time doesn’t have the same meaning to the eternal God that it has to mortal man. God is not delaying the destruction of the world so long that He’ll never get around to doing it.

There is a reason why the world has not already been destroyed. The world continues because of God’s grace to give men a chance to change. God does not want people to perish because of their sins, so He delays the inevitable destruction to give people time to repent. God is not looking to keep people out of heaven, but seeking ways to bring as many in as possible (I Timothy 2:4; Ezekiel 18:23). By the way, notice that all these arguments would not makes sense if Peter was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in a few years from the time this letter was written.

A Coming That Will Not Be Missed - II Peter 3:10

The heavens and earth will pass away. The phrase “will pass away” comes from the Greek word parerchomai. Jesus used this word to say that heaven and earth will pass away, but in contrast, Jesus’ words will remain forever (Matthew 24:35). It is also used in reference to someone dying (James 1:10). The earth and heavens will perish (Hebrews 1:10-12).

It won’t be a quiet going. It is going with a “whoosh.” The elements will melt with fervent heat. “Elements” is the primary materials out of which everything is formed. Thus, the basic ingredients of this physical universe will melt in intense heat. Preterists wish to claim that “elements” refers to the “elemental things of the world” as used in Galatians 4:3,9 and thus refers to a figurative destruction of the Law. However, notice that II Peter 3:10,12 doesn’t use the phrase “elemental things of the world” or “elemental principles of the world.” It just says “the elements.” Again, there is a borrowing of meaning from one context and a claim that all uses must have the same meaning. Recall from II Peter 3:5-6 that Peter is talking about the earth, atmosphere, and outer space. This is about a physical destruction and not a figurative destruction of ideas.

The word “melt” translates from the Greek word luo which means to break up, destroy, or dissolve. In other words, everything will be broken up into elemental pieces.

Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. The same Greek word for “burned up,” katakaio, is used in Acts 19:19. It means to be consumed by fire. What will be consumed? The earth and its works. That would include the towering peaks, the rolling hills, the winding streams, the extended plains, the deep forests, the mighty oceans, the peaceful valleys, the underground minerals, springs, lakes, and oceans. It will also include all the works of man: those expensive homes, the sprawling cities, the parks, the farms, the gardens, highways, books, machines, and merchandise.