2 PETER CHAPTER 3
By
1.
VS 3:1-2 - “3:1 This
is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring
up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the words
spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and
Savior spoken by your apostles” - Peter writes that this is
the ‘second letter’ which he has written to them
1.1.
There is good reason to
believe that the first letter is the epistle of 1 Peter.
1.1.1. This would also promote the concept that the intended readers, whom
Peter doesn’t mention in this letter, are the same group that are mentioned in
1 Peter (primarily Jewish converts in the five Roman provinces in Asia
Minor: ‘Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia.’
1.2.
Peter writes that the people
have a ‘sincere’ or ‘pure’ mind as they are dedicated to the Lord and His
service.
1.2.1. Having a ‘sincere mind,’ Peter wants them to go before the Lord and
look deeply into God’s Word, free of any presuppositions or prejudices.
1.2.1.1.Most people who inquire into
God’s Word come there with many presuppositions or prejudices, and thus their
hearts are not open for the Lord to speak to them.
1.3.
Peter tells the people that
he is writing this letter in order to “stir” them up.
1.3.1. We all need to be stirred up from time to time so that we don’t live in
sloth.
1.3.1.1.Peter stirs them up to
consider what is the true character and motivation of the false teachers as
well as the impending judgment awaiting false teachers.
1.3.1.2.Peter stirs them up by
writing to them in chapter 1 about the 7 character traits which they must
diligently apply themselves to perfecting within themselves.
1.3.1.3.Peter stirs them up by
writing to them in chapter 1 about how that they have the prophetic Word of God
that they can be just that much more sure of since Peter was an eyewitness of
the gospel events.
1.3.1.4.Peter stirs them up in this
chapter by reminding them of the words which Jesus and the prophets spoke about
the mockers who would come in the ‘last days’ and deny the promise of His
second coming.
1.3.1.4.1.This is what is primarily in
focus when Peter writes that he is stirring them up by way of reminder.
1.3.1.5.The Second Coming of Christ
is a key doctrine to be held onto, preached, and taught in the church, yet
sadly many churches have gotten away from emphasizing it.
1.4.
The prophets who wrote the
books of the Old Testament prophesied not only of the first coming of Christ as
the ‘Suffering Savior,’ but also of the Second Coming where He rules and reigns
and regenerates the earth.
1.4.1. Jesus also taught that He would return again and that we were to always
remain ready for His Second Coming.
2.
VS 3:3-4 - “3 Know
this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking,
following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His
coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was
from the beginning of creation.”” - Peter tells his readers a
first principle, namely that mockers will come in the last days
2.1.
In 1 Tim. 4:1-4, Paul
prophesied of an apostasy which would occur in the last days, “4:1 But the
Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith,
paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of
the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,
3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has
created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4
For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is
received with gratitude.”
2.2.
The author of Hebrews, in
Heb. 1:1-2 writes that we are currently in the last days, indicating that they
began with the resurrection of Christ from the dead, “1:1 God, after He
spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many
ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir
of all things, through whom also He made the world.”
2.3.
It is probably not the false
teachers of chapter 3 that are spoken of here as being the mockers, however it
is very interesting that these mockers speak “Christianese” and have
understanding about Christ’s promise to return to the earth.
2.4.
Peter tells us that the
mockers who will come will deny that the Lord is going to return in His Second
Coming because of the fact that everything continues on today as it always has.
2.4.1. This prophesy is being fulfilled even today as there are many of a
scientific mindset today who believe in a ‘steady state’ theory of the
universe, and they don’t believe that there is a God who created everything,
but rather that everything (that is matter) has always existed in some form.
2.4.1.1.When Albert Einstein heard
the theory of the ‘big bang’, he believed that this was the compelling evidence
that there was a creator.
2.4.1.2.There are only three
explanations for the existence of matter.
2.4.1.2.1.It either always existed in
some form.
2.4.1.2.2.It came into being from
nothing.
2.4.1.2.3.God created it from nothing.
2.4.2. Peter writes that these mockers who will come and deny His Second
Coming are ‘following after their own lusts’, which means that “their
motivation” for what they are doing is “a strong desire for evil.”
2.4.3. Just because Christ’s coming has been delayed does not at all mean that
He will not in fact return.
3.
VS 3:5-6 - “5 For
when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the
heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6
through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water” - Peter writes that the mockers fail to take into account the fact of
creation and the flood
3.1.
Mockers who speak out that
everything in the world just keeps on going in a ‘steady state’ as it always
has are blind not realizing that everything that exists (the heavens) had to
come from somewhere, and God spoke it into being from nothing.
3.1.1. It is really a crazy thought to think that everything that exists has
come about as a result of chance over time, as those who adhere to the theory
of Evolution believe.
3.1.2. The “Watchmaker Theory” is that
order and design in the universe show the handiwork of a creator.
3.1.2.1.If you took a Swiss watch
apart and put the pieces in a shoe box, and then began to shake the box, it
doesn’t matter how long you shake the box, you will not open it up and find a
fully assembled and running finely tuned watch.
3.2.
Peter writes that the mockers
fail to take into account that the ‘earth was formed out of water and by
water.’
3.2.1. This is not meant to be a scientific explanation of how God created the
earth, saying that it was made from water, but rather it is just a reitteration
of the events recorded in Genesis 1:6-10, “6 Then God said, “Let there be an
expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the
waters.” 7 And God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below
the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. 8 And
God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a
second day. 9 Then God said, “Let the
waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land
appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering
of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.”
3.3.
Peter writes that when the
mockers say that everything continues on just as it always has, they fail to
take into account the fact that there was a flood once where everyone on earth
but 8 people were destroyed.
3.3.1. People make a big mistake when they assume that since God has not moved
quickly to judge the world that He will never judge it, for in time judgment is
coming.
3.3.1.1.Solomon wrote in Ecl. 8:11
about the fact that people get hardened in evil because God’s judgments don’t
come upon them speedily, “11Because sentence against an evil work is not
executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them
to do evil.”
3.3.1.2.People don’t realize that
the Lord is being ‘long-suffering’ towards us by delaying His return, for He is
giving them all the time they need to repent of their sins.
3.3.1.3.If God previously judged the
world because of its wickedness this is evidence that He must do the same to
all one day who live wickedly.
3.3.1.4.It was not an act of
coincidence nor of nature that brought about the flood, for Peter writes that
it came about from the Lord’s direct working.
4.
VS 3:7 - “7 But
the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for
the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” - The mockers
say that all things have been and will continue as they are, however in fact
the present heavens and earth are going to be destroyed by fire
4.1.
Not only will the earth be
destroyed by being melted, the heavens will be likewise destroyed.
4.1.1. Destruction may not exactly be what is really in mind concerning the
heavens and earth however, for God may create a new heavens and earth out of
what is left of them.
4.2.
God has been delaying His
return because His return is going to be a return for judgment upon the earth,
and by delaying He is showing His mercy by allowing people time to repent.
4.2.1. The mockers misjudge God’s intentions thinking that He has not returned
due to neglect of His promise.
4.3.
When Christ returns to the
earth, this is called the Second Advent (it is not the rapture of the church),
and it will occur at the end of the 7 year Tribulation Period in the book of
Revelation.
4.3.1. The Tribulation Period will be the time when, after the church has been
“raptured” out of the world, God begins to pour out His wrath on the nations.
4.3.2. The 1,000 year reign of Christ will commence at the end of the
Tribulation Period, and then after this will occur the Great White Throne
Judgment of non-believers to everlasting destruction.
5.
VS 3:8 - “8 But do
not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day
is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” - The mockers fail to realize that God does not at all view time in
the way that they do
5.1.
JOKE: A guy was praying and he asked God, "Lord, isn't 1,000
years just like a minute to You?"
God said, "Yes, it is." "And Lord, isn't a million dollars
just like a penny to You?" "Yes, it is."
"Well, God, could I have a million
dollars?" God answered, "In just a
minute."
5.2.
God is outside of time and
in all points of time at once, and for Him it is but a blink of an eye for
1,000 years to pass by.
5.2.1. The Psalmist wrote about 1,000 years as being a day to the Lord in Ps.
90:4, “4 For a thousand years in Thy sight Are like yesterday when it passes
by, Or as a watch in the night.”
5.3.
God notices time pass by,
but He is not at all influenced in His decisions by the urgency to act due to
time pressures, the way we weak humans do.
5.4.
Because of God’s view of
time being different than ours, it is not wise to judge why God does or does
not do anything based upon our concept of time.
5.4.1. Men have a very limited and short-sighted perspective of things (about
as long as the end of their nose).
6.
VS 3:9 - “9 The
Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient
toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” - The mockers fail to realize that Christ has not returned to earth
due to His patience
6.1.
God is not slow or slack
about fulfilling the promises to us which He has made.
6.1.1. Saying this, the mockers misjudge God’s motives for Christ not
returning to earth.
6.2.
God does not desire that
anyone perish for eternity in hell, He would much rather extend His grace and
mercy over all, if they would just come to faith in Christ for salvation.
6.3.
Christ has not returned to
earth yet because God is trying to give as many people as possible the
opportunity to repent of their sins and come to Christ.
7.
VS 3:10 - “10 But
the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away
with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth
and its works will be burned up” - Peter promises that the
earth is going to be destroyed by the melting of fire
7.1.
The ‘day of the Lord’ refers
to the day known as the Second Advent when Christ comes at the end of the
Tribulation to judge the nations and set up His 1,000 year reign.
7.2.
Peter writes that ‘the day
of the Lord will come like a thief,’ which means that He will come when we do
not expect Him and are not ready for Him to come.
7.2.1. Jesus taught that He would return as a thief in this way.
7.2.1.1.In Matt. 24:43-44, Jesus
taught, “43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at
what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert
and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 “For this reason you
be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He
will.””
7.2.1.2.In Rev. 3:3 and 16:15, He
taught, “3 ‘Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep
it, and repent. If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief,
and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you. ...15 (“Behold, I am
coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments,
lest he walk about naked and men see his shame.”)”
7.2.2. Paul wrote that Christ would
come as a thief in this way in 1 Thess. 5:2-3, “2 For you yourselves know
full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them
suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
7.2.3. We must be constantly making ourselves ready for the Lord’s return by
spending time with Him each day, trying to be faithful to be doing all of the
things that He wants us to be doing, and avoiding doing the things that He
tells us not to do.
7.3.
Peter writes here that ‘the
elements’ will be burned up, and we do not want to think that these are the
four basic elements that are being spoken of here, rather it is probably just a
general reference to the stuff that the world and the universe are made of.
7.3.1. Some have tried to make this say that ‘the elements’ refers to the
‘works of man,’ but this is not what is intended here, although the ‘works’ on
earth are mentioned here as part of what will be destroyed.
8.
VS 3:11-12 - “11 Since
all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you
to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of
the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning,
and the elements will melt with intense heat!” - Peter makes
some applications for our personal lives based upon the fact that the earth and
the universe will be burned up when Christ returns to judge
8.1.
The first thing that Peter
does is asks his readers a question for them to contemplate, ‘What sort of
people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?’
8.1.1. If we are going to give account even of every idle word that is spoken
by us when we go before the Lord’s judgment throne (whether as a Christian or
unsaved), then it will be wise if we try to live as holy and godly of a life
here as we can.
8.2.
The next thing that Peter
writes that we ought to be doing in application of this truth is, ‘looking
for and hastening the coming of the day of God.’
8.2.1. We as Christians are to be expectantly anticipating the return of our
Lord.
8.2.1.1.If you knew that tomorrow
the Lord would be returning for you, I’ll bet that today you would think very
carefully about your attitude and the kind of things that you did.
8.2.1.2.Jesus taught in some of His
parables that we are to be looking and anticipating His return for us.
8.2.2. We Christians can “hasten” the coming of the Lord by trying to preach
the gospel to everyone we can since He will be coming after the gospel has been
preached to the whole world.
8.3.
Peter writes again that the
‘heavens’ are going to be destroyed when Christ returns.
8.3.1. There are a few places in the Old Testament where the prophets
prophesied that the heavens would be destroyed. For instance, Isaiah wrote about this in Is. 34:4, “4 And all
the host of heaven will wear away, And the sky will be rolled up like a
scroll; All their hosts will also
wither away As a leaf withers from the vine, Or as one withers from the fig
tree.”
9.
VS 3:13 - “13 But according
to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which
righteousness dwells” - Peter writes that the
Lord is going to create ‘new heavens and a new earth’
9.1.
This promise of a ‘new
heavens and a new earth’ is found in several places in the scripture.
9.1.1. Isaiah wrote about this in Is 65:17, 66:22, “17 “For behold, I
create new heavens and a new earth; And
the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind... 22 “For just as the
new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me,” declares the
Lord, “So your offspring and your name will endure.”
9.1.2. John wrote about His vision of this in Rev. 21:1, “And I saw a new
heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away,
and there is no longer any sea.”
9.1.2.1.I have never understood how
those of the Post-millennial persuasion have been able in their minds to
allegorically interpret these references to God creating a new heaven and
earth. They believe that this earth is
all that there ever will be for mankind.
9.2.
Peter writes that what will
characterize the new heavens and earth is ‘righteousness.’
9.2.1. Sin and its effects will be removed in the new heavens and earth and
this is really all that we need to set our hope upon: that ‘righteousness will dwell’ there.
10.
VS 3:14-15 - “14 Therefore,
beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in
peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord to be
salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given
him, wrote to you” - Peter ends his letter
here with some more things to apply to their personal lives due to the fact of
Christ’s soon return to the earth
10.1. Peter bases his applications for them upon the fact that they are
looking for ‘these things.’
10.1.1.Like Peter’s readers, we
should heed the exhortation to be living in anticipation of His imminent
return.
10.2. Since their hope is such, Peter exhorts them to ‘be diligent’ to be
found by Him in peace, spotless, and blameless’ (This is then the third time
that Peter exhorts his readers to ‘diligence’ in the letter).
10.2.1.They should be diligent to
be found by Him in ‘peace,’ dwelling in His peace, not striving against God nor
their brethren in Christ.
10.2.2.They should be diligent to
be found by Him ‘spotless’ with no source of reproach by God or men in their
lives, but they are to be living a Christ-like life.
10.2.3.They should be diligent to
be found by Him ‘blameless’ with nothing with which they have wronged God nor
men.
10.3. Peter calls Paul, ‘our beloved brother Paul.’
10.3.1.Paul had openly confronted
and rebuked Peter before the brethren in Jerusalem, yet Peter received this
rebuke as being from the Lord, and thus we see here that Peter loves Paul in
such a great way.
10.3.1.1.Peter should be our example
of one who is willing to receive rebuke by our brethren and not let those
things hinder a relationship.
10.3.2.Peter goes on to show his
strong support of Paul’s ministry.
10.3.3.Paul had probably already
been martyred, and one of Peter’s goals in writing these two epistles is to
show his support of all of the work which Paul had done in these Gentile
churches which he has written to.
11.
VS 3:16 - “16 as
also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some
things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do
also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction” - Peter shows his support of Paul’s teachings and doctrine
11.1. Peter admits that in Paul’s writings there were some things which were ‘hard
to understand.’
11.1.1.Peter may be referring
specifically about Paul’s teachings about the Second Coming of Christ, and
perhaps even the role of the Anti-Christ (as in 2 Thess. 2) in that.
11.2. The ‘untaught and unstable’ are the ones who ‘distort’ Paul’s teachings.
11.2.1.Probably Peter is referring
to both the ‘mockers’ mentioned in this chapter as well as the ‘false teachers’
in chapter 2.
11.2.1.1.The ‘false teachers’ were
probably distorting Paul’s doctrine of grace and doing what he himself exhorted
them not to do in Rom. 6, and that is saying, “Let’s sin that grace may
abound!”
11.2.1.1.1.Jude exhorted us about the
false teachers doing this in Jude 4, “4 For certain persons have crept in
unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation,
ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our
only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
11.2.2.Peter writes that they are
distorting these teachings ‘to their own destruction,’ since unless they repent
they are headed for hell.
11.3. Peter teaches that Paul’s writings were ‘scripture,’ just as the rest
of the Old Testament books.
11.3.1.Whenever this word for
‘scripture’ is mentioned in the Bible, it refers to the Word of God.
11.3.2.Whatever a true apostle
taught or wrote was considered on a level as scripture, for they had been
personally taught by the Lord Himself.
11.3.3.Peter could not have shown
his support for Paul’s ministry in any greater way than by saying this.
12.
VS 3:17 - “17 You
therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being
carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own
steadfastness” - Peter warns his readers
to be discerning of the truths that he has mentioned in this letter
12.1. Peter exhorts them not to be ‘carried away’ by the ‘error of unprincipled
men.’
12.1.1.This may refer specifically
to the ones who would distort Paul’s teaching on grace and say that its good to
go on and live in sin since that will just cause God’s grace to be poured out
all the more.
12.1.2.On the other hand, this may
just be a warning not to be enticed by those who are off in any kind of
doctrine or promoting any kind of rebellion or sin against God.
12.2. Peter exhorts them to continue on in their ‘steadfastness’ in
continually seeking the Lord and holding to the truths of the apostles doctrine
and teaching.
13.
VS 3:18 - “18 but
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be
the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” - Peter exhorts his readers to grow in grace and the knowledge of the
Lord
13.1. If there is no spiritual growth, there will be backsliding in the
Christian life, for a person is either moving forward or they are moving
backward.
13.1.1.If we do not grow in grace
and the knowledge of the Lord, then we could easily fall into the error taught
by the false teachers.
13.2. Peter writes that ‘all glory’ is to go to Jesus Christ, not just now,
not just in the new heavens and earth, but now and throughout all eternity.