Description
Peter prophesies that people will be scoffers in the last days. He tells us to note that a day is like a thousand years. And he describes the destruction of the earth and the heavens when they are melted in fire at the end of the Millennium.
Commentary
Peter wants his readers to recall the bible's teaching about the second coming, including all that the Old Testament prophets, Jesus himself, and the apostles taught (v2).
Scoffers in the Last Days
He says that above all, we must understand that in the last days blatant scoffers will come (v3). They will scoff at:
-the doctrine of Christ's promised return (v4)
-the doctrine of creation (v5)
-the story of God's judgment through the Flood (v6)
-the doctrine of God's end-time judgment (v7).
A day is like a thousand years
Peter tells us not to let it escape our notice that a single day is like a thousand years to God, and a thousand years like a day (v8). This is based on Psalm 90:4. It seems he is trying to give us an important clue. What does it mean?
At a simple level, it means that what might seem like a long time to us is not a long time to God. And because God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance, we might have to wait what seems a considerably long time to us.
Another possibility is that Peter is hinting at a pattern or formula in scripture.
One possible formula is that the seven days of creation correspond to seven thousand years of biblical history before the present earth is burned up and replaced. According to biblical genealogies and chronology, Adam was created in approximately 4,000 BC. If the thousand year reign of Christ on earth is equivalent to the sabbath day of rest, then the second coming should be about 6,000 years later, in about 2,000 AD. Such an understanding might possibly be gleaned from Hebrews 4:2-9. Also in Mark 9:1-3, Jesus tells the disciples some of them will see the kingdom of God. Then after six days he leads Peter, James and John up a mountain and is transfigured before them. Does this imply a pattern of six days / millennia and then the kingdom coming?
Another possible pattern in scripture is of God coming on the third day. This could translate to Jesus returning in the third millennium after his first coming. Examples include:
-Hosea 6:2 which says literally, "He will restore us after two days; he will heal us on the third day so that we may live in his presence".
-Exodus 19:10-11, "The LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and make them wash their clothes and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people".
-Luke 13:32, "But he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work".
Luke 18:33, "They will flog him severely and kill him. Yet on the third day he will rise again".
-John 2:1, "Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee".
The Day of the Lord
The day of the Lord generally refers to the time of Great Tribulation at the end of this age when Jesus comes back and judges his enemies. However, a further rebellion and judgment occurs at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:7-10). After that the earth will be burned up and God will create a new earth (Revelation 21:1). In verse 10, Peter refers to this latter judgment as the day of the Lord, and he relates it to Jesus' teaching that his coming will be like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:43). This suggests elements of both surprise and of loss.
Given that the book of Revelation had not yet been revealed, it seems that to Peter the day of the Lord at the end of this age, and the day of the Lord at the end of the Millennium appeared like one and the same, without clear distinction. Such is the nature of progressive revelation. In a similar manner, when Isaiah describes the new heaven and new earth in Isaiah 65:17, he seems to describe the Millennial state, without revelation of an eternal state beyond it. The distinction was not made clear until the book of Revelation was revealed.
Earth and Heavens Destroyed by Fire
Peter gives us unique insights into the destruction of the earth and the heavens at the end of the Millennium. He says in verse 10, "the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare". The phrase "every deed done on it will be laid bare" links it to God's judgment of mankind. This corresponds to the great white throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. Immediately after that, Revelation 21:1-2 says, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, and the sea existed no more. And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband".
This also fits with Psalm 102:25-26 which says, "In earlier times you established the earth; the skies are your handiwork. They will perish, but you will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear".
Isaiah also foresaw this, as prophesied in 65:17-18, "For look, I am ready to create new heavens and a new earth! The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore. But be happy and rejoice forevermore over what I am about to create! For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem to be a source of joy, and her people to be a source of happiness".
In chapters 13 and 24, Isaiah also gives lengthy visions of earth being ruined and most of its inhabitants destroyed. For example, he says in 13:13, "So I will shake the heavens, and the earth will shake loose from its foundation, because of the fury of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, in the day he vents his raging anger". And in 24:6 he says, "So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people". These visions seem to describe events that occur during the Great Tribulation, and the ruinous state of the earth at the end of this age. But Earth is then restored under Christ's millennial rule.
Concerning earth's destruction at the end of the Millennium, Christians debate whether the earth is annihilated and replaced by a new earth, or whether it is cleansed with fire and rejuvenated. Whichever is the case, the New Jerusalem, which is the new heaven, then descends upon the new earth so that heaven and earth become one (Revelation 21:2). So our eternal dwelling is in heaven on earth.
Peter adds further details about the destruction of the heavens in verses 12 to 13, "Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides".
How should this affect the way we live?
In verses 11 to 12, Peter asks and answers the question, "Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness, while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God?"
In other words, an understanding of end times should motivate us to live godly lives. But how can we hasten the coming of the day of God? The only end-time sign that is dependent upon Christian effort is that Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come". So if we desire to hasten Christ's coming, we should actively share the Gospel and support efforts to reach unreached tribes and ethnic groups.
But given the terrible turmoil that will take place before Christ's coming, why should we want to hasten his coming? It seems God wants us to look forward to the end result when Jesus will rule the earth in glory. It is like an expectant mother looking forward to the birth of her baby, even though the process will be painful.
Scoffers in the Last Days
He says that above all, we must understand that in the last days blatant scoffers will come (v3). They will scoff at:
-the doctrine of Christ's promised return (v4)
-the doctrine of creation (v5)
-the story of God's judgment through the Flood (v6)
-the doctrine of God's end-time judgment (v7).
A day is like a thousand years
Peter tells us not to let it escape our notice that a single day is like a thousand years to God, and a thousand years like a day (v8). This is based on Psalm 90:4. It seems he is trying to give us an important clue. What does it mean?
At a simple level, it means that what might seem like a long time to us is not a long time to God. And because God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance, we might have to wait what seems a considerably long time to us.
Another possibility is that Peter is hinting at a pattern or formula in scripture.
One possible formula is that the seven days of creation correspond to seven thousand years of biblical history before the present earth is burned up and replaced. According to biblical genealogies and chronology, Adam was created in approximately 4,000 BC. If the thousand year reign of Christ on earth is equivalent to the sabbath day of rest, then the second coming should be about 6,000 years later, in about 2,000 AD. Such an understanding might possibly be gleaned from Hebrews 4:2-9. Also in Mark 9:1-3, Jesus tells the disciples some of them will see the kingdom of God. Then after six days he leads Peter, James and John up a mountain and is transfigured before them. Does this imply a pattern of six days / millennia and then the kingdom coming?
Another possible pattern in scripture is of God coming on the third day. This could translate to Jesus returning in the third millennium after his first coming. Examples include:
-Hosea 6:2 which says literally, "He will restore us after two days; he will heal us on the third day so that we may live in his presence".
-Exodus 19:10-11, "The LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and make them wash their clothes and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people".
-Luke 13:32, "But he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work".
Luke 18:33, "They will flog him severely and kill him. Yet on the third day he will rise again".
-John 2:1, "Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee".
The Day of the Lord
The day of the Lord generally refers to the time of Great Tribulation at the end of this age when Jesus comes back and judges his enemies. However, a further rebellion and judgment occurs at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:7-10). After that the earth will be burned up and God will create a new earth (Revelation 21:1). In verse 10, Peter refers to this latter judgment as the day of the Lord, and he relates it to Jesus' teaching that his coming will be like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:43). This suggests elements of both surprise and of loss.
Given that the book of Revelation had not yet been revealed, it seems that to Peter the day of the Lord at the end of this age, and the day of the Lord at the end of the Millennium appeared like one and the same, without clear distinction. Such is the nature of progressive revelation. In a similar manner, when Isaiah describes the new heaven and new earth in Isaiah 65:17, he seems to describe the Millennial state, without revelation of an eternal state beyond it. The distinction was not made clear until the book of Revelation was revealed.
Earth and Heavens Destroyed by Fire
Peter gives us unique insights into the destruction of the earth and the heavens at the end of the Millennium. He says in verse 10, "the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare". The phrase "every deed done on it will be laid bare" links it to God's judgment of mankind. This corresponds to the great white throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. Immediately after that, Revelation 21:1-2 says, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, and the sea existed no more. And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband".
This also fits with Psalm 102:25-26 which says, "In earlier times you established the earth; the skies are your handiwork. They will perish, but you will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear".
Isaiah also foresaw this, as prophesied in 65:17-18, "For look, I am ready to create new heavens and a new earth! The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore. But be happy and rejoice forevermore over what I am about to create! For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem to be a source of joy, and her people to be a source of happiness".
In chapters 13 and 24, Isaiah also gives lengthy visions of earth being ruined and most of its inhabitants destroyed. For example, he says in 13:13, "So I will shake the heavens, and the earth will shake loose from its foundation, because of the fury of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, in the day he vents his raging anger". And in 24:6 he says, "So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people". These visions seem to describe events that occur during the Great Tribulation, and the ruinous state of the earth at the end of this age. But Earth is then restored under Christ's millennial rule.
Concerning earth's destruction at the end of the Millennium, Christians debate whether the earth is annihilated and replaced by a new earth, or whether it is cleansed with fire and rejuvenated. Whichever is the case, the New Jerusalem, which is the new heaven, then descends upon the new earth so that heaven and earth become one (Revelation 21:2). So our eternal dwelling is in heaven on earth.
Peter adds further details about the destruction of the heavens in verses 12 to 13, "Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides".
How should this affect the way we live?
In verses 11 to 12, Peter asks and answers the question, "Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness, while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God?"
In other words, an understanding of end times should motivate us to live godly lives. But how can we hasten the coming of the day of God? The only end-time sign that is dependent upon Christian effort is that Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come". So if we desire to hasten Christ's coming, we should actively share the Gospel and support efforts to reach unreached tribes and ethnic groups.
But given the terrible turmoil that will take place before Christ's coming, why should we want to hasten his coming? It seems God wants us to look forward to the end result when Jesus will rule the earth in glory. It is like an expectant mother looking forward to the birth of her baby, even though the process will be painful.
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Tags: End-time signs, Scoffers in the last days, A day like a thousand years, Day of the Lord, Earth and heavens destroyed, Earth and heavens melt in fire, New heaven and new earth, Looking forward to his coming
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Tags: End-time signs, Scoffers in the last days, A day like a thousand years, Day of the Lord, Earth and heavens destroyed, Earth and heavens melt in fire, New heaven and new earth, Looking forward to his coming
The False Teachers’ Denial of the Lord’s Return
3 Dear friends, this is already the second letter I have written you, in which I am trying to stir up your pure mind by way of reminder:
2 I want you to recall both the predictions foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 Above all, understand this: In the last days blatant scoffers will come, being propelled by their own evil urges
4 and saying, “Where is his promised return? For ever since our ancestors died, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.”
5 For they deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water.
6 Through these things the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.
7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day.
9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare.
11 Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness,
12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze!
13 But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.
Exhortation to the Faithful
14 Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.
15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him,
16 speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men and fall from your firm grasp on the truth.
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the honor both now and on that eternal day.
3 Dear friends, this is already the second letter I have written you, in which I am trying to stir up your pure mind by way of reminder:
2 I want you to recall both the predictions foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 Above all, understand this: In the last days blatant scoffers will come, being propelled by their own evil urges
4 and saying, “Where is his promised return? For ever since our ancestors died, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.”
5 For they deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water.
6 Through these things the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.
7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day.
9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare.
11 Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness,
12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze!
13 But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.
Exhortation to the Faithful
14 Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.
15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him,
16 speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men and fall from your firm grasp on the truth.
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the honor both now and on that eternal day.
(NET)
