The Strand Study Bible

II PETER 3:5 - 3:18

2110

Written From Babylon (Rome)

coming of the 9 DAY OF G O D , 11 wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? P P The promise of a new world 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for 13 new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. P 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And 14 account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our be- loved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him 15 hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the 16 error of the wicked, 17 fall from your own stedfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To 18 HIM be glory both now and for ever. Amen. to come in eternity (Fulfilled - Rev 21:1)

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that 1 by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, 2 being overflowed with water, perished: The promise to destroy this world and its system (Fulfilled - Rev 20:11) 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, 3 reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and 4 perdition of ungodly men. P 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and 5 a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not 6 slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is 7 longsuffering to us-ward, 8 not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the 9 DAY OF THE LORD will come as a 10 THIEF in the night; 11 in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. P P 11 Seeing then that 11 all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy 12 conversation and godliness, P 12 Looking for and hasting unto the

1. Gen 1:6,9 & Heb 11:3 2. Gen 7:11 & Lk 17:26-27 3. Fulfilled - Rev 20:11 (World Destruction) (See - Psa 102:26) 4. or, “destruction” 5. Psa 90:4 6. or, “slow” - Hab 2:3 & Heb 10:36-37 7. or, “patient” - Psa 86:15 & Isa 30:18 8. I Tim 2:3-4 & Ezk 33:11 9. Fulfilled- Rev 6:5-8 & 13:5 (Great Trib; Day of the Lord) 10. “unexpectedly”- 3½ years earlier than expected” - Mt 24:43-44 & Lk 12:39-40 & I Thess 5:2 & Rev 3:3 & 16:15 11. Fulfilled - Rev 20:11 (World Destruction) (See - Psa 102:26) 12. or, “behavior” 13. or, “an entirely renewed creation” Fulfilled - Rev 21:1 (New World) (See - Isa 65:17 & 66:22 & Mt 12:32) 14. or, “evaluate; consider” 15. Rom 2:4 16. Eph 4:14-15 17. Gal 5:4 18. Rev 5:12-13 & Isa 42:8 & 48:11 & Jude 25

3:7 No matter what man does to this ole earth, he cannot destroy it ( Gen 1:28 b ). The heavens and the earth will be “ kept in store ” until God destroys it due to man’s sin against Him. Climatological scientists can cry all they want about global warming, but global warming will not be the earth’s undoing; global wrongdoing against a Holy God will be earth’s demise ( Jud 21:25 ). William E. Anderson in Rapture? Sure… but when? notes:

Again, all knowledgeable people concur that if things continue as they are, the death of the solar system is inevitable. However, all Bible students know that God has something else planned for the future of our world, something that overrides the natural processes which would otherwise end our existence. These students know that God will end human history on this planet by sending His Son Jesus back to the earth before the otherwise inevitable death of the natural order sets in. Jesus’ return and the events surrounding it will be the concluding chapter of history as we know it. 1

3:8a The “ one thing ” that Peter is referring to here is that “time means nothing to God” as He waits for us to come to repentance. And although God created time , He is not subject to it ( Psa 90:4 ). Dr. Jobe Martin in The Evolution of a Creationist notes: 2 Peter 3:8, does not teach that each day of the creation week was 1,000 years or a longer period of time or vice-versa (1,000 years as a day), but rather it shows that God is above time. 2 3:8b An interesting thought: If “ one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day ,” then:

*a second of God’s time would represent 4 days and 4 hours of our time. *a minute of God’s time would represent 8 months and 10 days of our time. *an hour of God’s time would represent 41 years and 8 months of our time.

Thus, if you prayed a prayer and asked God to answer that prayer and God said, “Give me a couple of seconds to think on it,” you could expect an answer to your prayer in 8 days and 8 hours. Point being: Our timing of things is not necessarily God’s timing of things. 3:9 According to the Bible, God is not willing that any should perish, even though many will (Mt 7:13-14,21-23). Peter said of