II Peter 3:3-15a

In the closing chapter of Peter’s second epistle, the apostle urges believers to be mindful of the words of the prophets and the commandments of the apostles. Failure to be mindful can be cause for one to be led away with the error of the wicked (see v. 17).

We are to be mindful, knowing that there shall be scoffers in the last days who would turn us from the scripture which has been given to us by the Holy Spirit through the prophets and the apostles of the Lord Jesus.

We are forewarned. Scoffers will reject the literal and inspired truth of God’s word, the truth of both the Old and New Testaments. They shall scoff at the promise of Christ’s return (v. 4). They will argue that there is no evidence for the existence of God. They will argue that all things continue as they have been from the beginning of creation. They shall deny that which the scriptures clearly state.

Scoffers deny that God created the world and everything in the world in six days. We are to be mindful that God’s word states that different works of creation took place during each day. The scripture states that God rested on the seventh day from His work of creation.

God’s days are not as the days of men. Psalm 90:4 states that a thousand of man’s years are as a watch in the night (a four-hour period) with God. God’s days are not defined by divisions of time created by men. God’s days of creation are constrained only by the works which God performed on each day.

In verse 4, Peter uses the Genesis account of creation to refute the false claim of scoffers that all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. Creation began at the beginning of the first day. God did not create man until the sixth day. Peter states that scoffers are willfully ignorant that the world which God caused to come into existence on the third day has since perished (v. 4-5). Peter, inspired by the Spirit of God, states that by the word of God the heavens were of old. What does this say? It says that in the day God created the heavens, He did so in such a manner that His creation would have the appearance of great age. God’s word is not subject to the understandings of men.

That said, astronomers of today, not seeking to verify scripture, state that stars appear to be of great age. Scientists, over the years, have assigned various ages to the universe, and all are in agreement that it is old and it had a beginning. Scoffers who argue that the Genesis account cannot be correct because of the vast age of the universe are willfully ignorant of that which Peter states in verse 5.

The world which is now is not the world which was overflowed with water and perished. The world which is now has been reserved “unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (v. 7). The day of God’s judgment of the ungodly awaits the resurrection of the dead that shall follow Christ’s reign of one thousand years (Rev. 20:11-15).

Returning to verse 4. The scoffers ask, “Where is the promise of his coming?” Zechariah prophesied of that day, saying “. . . they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son” (Zech. 12:10). The promise of His coming is the promise of His return.

“. . . be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (v. 8). This verse has been misused and abused by some. This verse does not state that Jesus shall return on a particular date. All that this verse says is that God does not count time in the manner in which we count time. The thrust of what Peter states is that since God doesn’t count time in the manner of men, we should expect Christ to return at anytime. God wants us to be found faithful when Jesus returns.

One mystery which has puzzled Christians for centuries is why the wait for the Lord’s return is taking so long. Peter explains that the Lord is not slack concerning the bringing of judgment, but that He postpones that day so that all who will come to repentance shall do so. God may postpone His judgment, but His return and judgment are certain. His coming shall be sudden and it shall be unexpected. It shall be as a thief in the night (v. 10).

Peter has written that which he has written so that we will not become slack. God desires that we should be found in holy conversation and in godliness when He returns.

God wants us to look to the day of judgment, not desiring the destruction of the earth by fire, but looking for the fulfillment of the promise of new heavens and a new earth in which dwells righteousness. We are to be in peace, without spot, and blameless. We are to be His righteous testimony until the very end. In verse 15, Peter tells us to regard the long-suffering of our Lord as an opportunity for men to repent and be saved. Let us glorify Him now and forever by making His love known.