August 10th 2025
2 PETER 3 v 10 - 18
The Second Coming of Jesus will be Catastrophic
10. The day of the Lord will come as a thief. Despite all apparent delay, God's word will again be demonstrated as valid. That day will come.
The sudden, never-expected visit of the night burglar was a favourite symbol with Christ, taken up by the apostles.
The elements shall melt . . . the earth . . . be burned up. Here may be another allusion to the Book of Enoch, with its description of the "mountains of the seven metals" and their destruction.
There seems to have been a general expectancy among the religious Jews that there would be an ultimate fiery cleansing of the earth.
This, of course; looks beyond the reference of Scripture to the Millennium.
There will be an Incentive to Holy Living.
11,12. What manner of persons ought ye to be ... ? Just as in his first epistle (1 v 14-16), Peter here uses the theme of the Christian's apocalyptic hope as a powerful incentive to holiness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God. What a picture of "loving his appearing"! (2 Tim 4 v 8)
Not like those who dread that awful day, those who, when overtaken, will call for rocks and mountains to hide them from it (Rev 6 v 15-17), the Christian eagerly awaits it.
The words hasting unto the coming of the day of God are encouraging.
13. We ... look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
This had been a theme of the prophets ( Isa 2 v 4; ch 11 v 6-9; Mic 4 v 1-5); it was according to his promise.
It was a hope and vision shared by Abraham and the patriarchs (Heb.11 v 10).
It is that which makes Christians of all ages "pilgrims and strangers."
Like Lot in Sodom, the Christian cannot but groan at the frequency of sin and its results.
The name assigned to Jehovah by millennial Israel was Jehovah-Tsid. kenu, "The Lord our Righteousness."
14. Wherefore ... seeing ... ye look for such things. A repeated urging of the Christian's hope as a motivation for careful and holy living.
Be diligent can be read, make it your business. Peace and holiness are associated in Heb. 12 v 14.
15. And Account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.
Peter urges upon his readers the reasonableness of God's delays, a theme mentioned before, in verse 9.
God waits that he may be gracious.
Peter knew the Pauline letters, although they were very nearly contemporary with his own.
The phrase our beloved brother seems to refer naturally to a contemporary.
16. Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures.
Peter refers to those who quibbled about the authority of the Pauline writings as being spiritually illiterate and undependable.
The apostle assigns to the letters of this man who was his contemporary and who at times had been critical of him a place among the other sacred writings.
Compare Paul's own claim that his orders when first written were the commandments of God
(I Cor 14 v 37; I Tim 6 v 3).
Somethings are hard to be understood if you are not well educated, we must trust them by faith in the word of God
17. Beware lest ye ... fall from your own steadfastness. A repeated and final admonition to faithfulness.
Their advance knowledge gave them an advantage.
Forewarned is forearmed ( 1 Thess 5 v 4). But there was real danger of their being involved in the error of lawless men.
18 a. But grow in grace. Life is never static.
One must go forward or he will go backward.
Peter closes upon the same note with which he began this epistle (ch 1v 5-11), that is, with a challenge to spiritual achievement through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To know him is to live; to grow in that acquaintance is to grow in the Spirit ( Phil 3 v 10).
18 b. To him be glory both now and for ever.
To Christ, the beginning,…. the process,… and the fulfilment of our great salvation,
is recognised as eternal praise.
News from the Church New dates
13th August…. Lullaby Lane soft play Coffee Morning
20th August…. Knit and natter is a time to finish old projects or learn new skills
if you just want to talk well that’s OK too
27th August….. Church Coffee Morning
3rd September..…..Friendship Group, (this covers all ages and the lonely people)
ANSWERS TO 3rd August QUESTIONS
1) Lois 2) Rhoda 3) Pricilla 4) Elisabeth 5) Salome 6) Mary Magdalene 7) Mother-in-law
8) Sapphira 9) Eunice 10) Widow of Nain 11) Herodias 12)Phoebe 13) Mary 14) Dorcas
15) Drusilla 16) Samaritan woman
Bible Quiz this week’s Quiz is General about the gospels
1 What Angel appeared to Mary?
2 Who did Jesus call hypocrites?
3 Who did Jesus say was the Comforter?
4 Who is head of the church?
5 What did the people wave as Jesus went into Jerusalem on a donkey?
6 What kind of tree did Zaccheus climb?
7 What kind of tree did Jesus curse ?
8 What did the rich farmer want to tear down to build bigger ?
9 What nationality was the man who stopped to help on the road to Jericho?
10 What did the rich young ruler have that he did not want to part with?
11 What did Jesus ride on during the triumphal entry into Jerusalem?
12 What were the Wisemen’s gifts?
13 What did John the Baptist eat ?
14 Where did the wiseman build his house?
15 The Pharisees disapproved of Jesus healing on which day?
16 What is the shortest verse in the bible?
God Bless