In the interim between Christ’s ascension and return, God has granted humanity the opportunity to repent.
Peter
explains the apparent “delay” in Christ's return. God is merciful with no desire for anyone to perish, and, if anything, the conduct
of the church may “hasten” its onset.
The relationship of men with God is
dynamic, not static, and He responds eagerly to repentance. In his letter Peter is reacting to false information about the return of Jesus, claiming
either that his “coming” is delayed or will never come at all.
That hope was a fervent expectation in the
early church. But as time progressed, the surrounding world remained the same,
and seemingly, things and conditions remained essentially unchanged.
DELAY?
Wars, earthquakes, and other disasters continue
to occur, and the earth remains intact. The great “beast,” Rome has not
fallen, and the stars and planets are moving in their respective courses.
Thus, it is easy to assume that Christ’s
return has been delayed. And this causes “scoffers to scoff, saying, where
is the promise of his coming?” - (2 Peter 3:1-4).
In defending his position, Peter explains why
Jesus has not appeared in glory. Rather than “delay” or failure, the apparent “postponement”
is in accord with God’s plan and mercy, His desire for all men and women to
repent and receive salvation.
- (2 Peter 3:5-7) – “For this, they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of the water and amidst water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
Deceivers “scoff” at the idea of his
return and final judgment on the disobedient, and they point to the routines
and regular rituals of human society continuing daily as evidence that God is
not about to judge the world.
Did not the apostles promise the soon
return of the Lord, a claim now falsified by the passage of time and history?
WILLFUL IGNORANCE
But these deceivers have “willfully forgotten”
that God previously destroyed society “by His word” in the Great Flood.
Rather than prove that life simply continues as before, history demonstrates
the opposite.
Not only have natural and manmade catastrophes occurred with regularity, but God has intervened more than once to bring destruction to sinful nations.
And by that same “word” that
brought the Flood, the universe is being kept for the “day of judgment and
destruction” yet to come - (2 Peter 3:8-10).
Peter quotes the ninetieth Psalm to
demonstrate that what men consider “delay” is no such thing. God does not
account for the passage of time in the same manner that men do, and He is not
subject to human timetables and expectations - (Psalm 90:4).
DIVINE PATIENCE
Moreover, the non-arrival of Jesus is not
due to delay, but instead, to the mercy of God. Peter gives a rational explanation
for the present situation – God desires
all men to repent and become saved. In the end, His “delay” will mean
salvation for many.
Men and women must not deceive themselves
and take advantage of His patience. The “Day of the Lord” will
arrive at the appointed time, and “like a thief in the night.”
The simile of a “thief in the night”
is from a saying of Jesus, and it stresses the inability of men to know when
the Lord will arrive - (Matthew 24:42-43, Luke 12:39, 1 Thessalonians
5:1-3, Revelation 2:2, 16:15).
Peter
links the return of Jesus to the “Day of the Lord,” a belief found
elsewhere in the New Testament. When that day does “arrive,” the heavens
and earth will “pass away and dissolve,” making way for the New Creation
where “righteousness will dwell.”
Thus, the “Day of the Lord” will mean
the destruction of the disobedient but also the vindication of the
obedient. Considering this, “what manner of persons ought you all to
be in the interim in holy ways of behavior and acts of godliness?”
HASTENING THAT DAY
- (2 Peter 3:11-14) – “Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? But according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.”
Not only should Christians live holy lives
in this expectation but doing so may “hasten” its arrival. “Hasten”
translates the Greek verb speudō (Strong’s - G4692).
It is used here as a present tense participle. It means to “urge on, hurry
along, quicken, cause to happen soon, act quickly; to accelerate”
something. And the present tense stresses that this is an ongoing process.
The implications are profound but easily
overlooked. Not only does Peter state why Jesus has not returned, but he
indicates that Christian action
can advance that day’s arrival. And this also suggests that wrong action and inaction by the
saints may delay it.
Thus, the arrival of Jesus on the appointed day is certain. There has been no “delay.” Things have not continued as they did in the past, and normalcy has not characterized human history.
Instead, history is punctuated by
disasters, catastrophes, wars, destruction, and divine judgments on sin. That
record should caution us not to assume things will continue as they always
have.
And Peter has introduced a revolutionary
idea that ought to change how we live. Christian action will impact the
timing of the end, and our conduct will hasten or delay that day.
Similarly, Jesus links the timing of the “end”
to the completion of the church’s mission to proclaim the gospel throughout the
“whole habitable earth.” And her failure to complete that task explains
just why Jesus has not yet appeared “on the clouds.”