Welcoming the Thief Part II: The End is Nigh!

It is at this point in the text that the topic of the end of the world, and the concept of destruction are first introduced. In answering the mockers, and reassuring his audience of what they have been taught by himself and other apostles, Peter evokes the image of creation itself and uses it to paint a picture of events promised, but yet to happen. “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, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 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.” (2 Pet 3:5-7, NAS). Here, Peter takes his audience through a crash-course of three major events taught by the patriarchs and the Old Testament Scriptures. First, as previously mentioned, he brings them to creation, evoking the language of Genesis 1:1-10 when God Himself moved above the waters, and separated and gathered the waters in His creating the earth. From creation, Peter uses the image of water to transition to the event of the flood of Noah, of God’s judgment upon the wickedness of mankind. Finally, Peter continues his literary technique and transitions off of the judgment of the flood to speak of the third, and final event of history yet to occur: the final judgment of mankind which is executed in the future by fire, rather than water as in Noah’s day. By taking his audience on this journey through history, past and future, Peter effectively destroys the base assumption of the mockers and their accusations that, “all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” (3:4b). Moo summarizes Peter’s argument well:

On the contrary, Peter notes, God has intervened spectacularly in the course of human history: having created the world through water and the word (v. 5), God by that same water and word also destroyed that world in the flood of Noah’s day (v. 6). And God will do the same again (v. 7), only this time he will use fire. Clearly, then, the false teacher’s assumption about an unbroken continuity in history, without significant divine intervention, is erroneous. (Moo, 168)

After handily winning this “debate”, Peter goes on to comfort his audience with the fact that the assurance of the teachings of their faith not only rests in the action of God in history, but also in the very character of God himself.

The following verses, verses 8 and 9, remind the reader that God is not bound by time. “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” (2 Pet 3:8, NAS). Although he has already shown the accusations of the mockers and false teachers to be illegitimate and baseless, Peter here continues to make reference to their complaint of the passing of time -“ever since the fathers fells asleep (3:4) - and reminds his readers that God is eternal; what may seem to them, and to the mockers, to have been almost over 2400 years since God first judged the world with water, was a mere tick of the clock to God. The amount of time passed is no reason, says Peter, to doubt God’s promises. As he continues in the following verse, “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.” (3:9). Peter even points out that it is for his readers’ own benefit, the fullness of the Church, that God has tarried even until now. Further, Peter assures his readers that God will keep his promise, and will do so in his timing, without the knowledge or consent of man; just as a thief enters into the house of an unsuspecting family, so too will Jesus Christ return, just as God promised. Equally important to how Christ will return, is what he will do once he arrives, and in speaking about this, Peter uses, for the second time in this passage, the language of destruction. “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.” (3:10).

Finally, in the last section of the text, verses 11 through 18, Peter urges his readers to proper behavior and assurance because of the knowledge and certainly that God will indeed keep his promise, that Christ Jesus will undoubtedly return.

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 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! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; (3:11-15a)

In the words that follow, verses 15b through 18, Peter appeals to the writings of Paul to further encourage his readers to be assured of this promise, though it may be hard to understand, and to continue to be on guard against false teachers and mockers, being steadfast in their faith. It is important to note that in the text quoted above, Peter again draws the picture of an intense destruction of the earth upon the day Jesus returns, in which, “the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” (3:12), and the hope of a new heaven and earth.

In summary, it appears that Peter is say essentially this: “Don’t listen to these mockers that are saying Jesus won’t return because God doesn’t care. We know from history that God does care, and will keep his promise, that Christ will return and judge the world, bringing an end to all this sin and corruption by destroying the earth. But, don’t worry, he will make for us a new heaven and new earth. Take heart.” After reading the text in this way, which indeed is the way it appears to us in our English texts, we are left with the impression that that idea that struck such fear in my heart as a child is indeed what God, through Jesus, has in store for his people and his creation. The promise of a new heaven and earth may offer some hope, but what of all that God, through the Patriarchs, through his prophets, through history, and through Jesus himself, has told us about stewardship, the goodness of creation, and even of redemption? What does this plan of destruction say about the consistency of God, his faithfulness throughout history and into the future that Peter spoke so loudly about in refuting the false teachers in this very passage? A closer look at the text will show us that we are missing something; something that must not be missed.

To be Continued...