Tuesday, May 21, 2013

2 Peter 3:10-13

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 

Commentary
Vs. 10-13 The Apostle Peter here begins by declaring the "Day of the Lord." Now the phrase the "Day of the Lord" was first declared by God's prophets in the Old Testament. It is a Day when God renders judgment on and repays His enemies (Malachi 4:1). As well it is a Day of Redemption for those who have put their trust in Him (Joel 2:28-32). Now the Day of the Lord as an act of God's judgment on His enemies is first seen in the Old Testament on those in Israel who had forsaken Him (), then on the nations around Israel who helped her go astray, and or who had brought her downfall about (i.e. Assyria, Babylon etc.). As well the Day of the Lord, as expressed in the Old Testament, is a Day still to be fulfilled as the Day of the Lord's judgment on the whole world. That is roughly the judgment aspect of the Day of the Lord, though there are many other aspects to it (see Isaiah 2:12; 13:6, 9, 34:8; 63:4-6; Jeremiah 46:10; Joel 2:1-2; 3:1-17; Amos 5:18-20; Zeph 3:8; Zechariah 14; Malachi 4:5). And so the phrase the Day of the Lord (also referred to as the Day of Christ, Day of the Lord Jesus, Day of God in the New Testament (see 1 Cor 1:8; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 1:10; 1 Cor 5:5; 2 Peter 3:12) is an encompassing one.
It's "inauguration" began with the Lord Jesus Christ's coming as a Man to save believing mankind through His Crucifixion death and Resurrection from the dead as the precursor event before His finial judgment at end of time, which will see both the salvation and the restoration of Israel (Obadiah 15-21) as well as the redemption of the church. Thus the Day of the Lord is declared to have begun with God's Spirit's outpouring at Pentecost (Acts 2:20) where the Lord Jesus Christ's Redemption of all who believe in Him has begun. Though that is not the finial work of it. For this current church era, often referred to as the time of the Gentiles must first be fulfilled, before the Lord Jesus Christ draws all of Israel back to Himself. And thus the Redemptive aspect of the Day of the Lord will not see it's conclusion until the Lord Jesus Christ's Second coming when He will take to Himself both His bride the church and save believing Israel out of Jacobs troubles, before He executes His finial and everlasting judgment on the unrepentant and unbelieving world (consider Rev 6:12-17; 19:11-21 etc.). And that is the aspect of the Day of the Lord that the Apostle Peter is emphasizing here. The Day of the Lord at the end of time when Jesus returns for His bride the church, and saves Israel out of Jacob's troubles at the end of the tribulation period. Before He executes His finial judgment on the world. Each then will occur in their own time.
Thus the Day of the Lord will be the precursor event before He sets up a new heavens and earth where He will reign, Israel will be restored, and righteousness and peace will be the established norm (Isaiah 2:1-4; 11:1-9; Jeremiah 50:4-5; Hosea 3:5; Micah 4:1-3; Obadiah 17-21 etc.). That is roughly the Day of the Lord, though there are many other Scriptures and aspects relating to it. Now because the Day of the Lord involves both salvation and judgment at the heart of it all is a call of repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what is absolutely critical for one to be prepared for the Day of the Lord. Therefore the Apostle Peter warns us all not to be caught unaware and unprepared, but to live our lives every day in expectation of it (consider Zephaniah 2:3). For as the Apostle Peter declares here, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself first warned (see Luke 21:34-36), both He and it will come like a thief in night and will catch many unaware (see 1 Thess 5:2-10; Rev 16:15). For just as in the days of Noah when the flood came and took away the whole unbelieving and unrepentant world, so will the coming of the Son of Man (Matt 24:37-44). Therefore since not only this world and all the works in it will be dissolved by fire (vs 12). The Apostle Peter says "what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness" (vs 11) "looking for and hastening the coming of the Day of God" (vs 12). For truly this current created order, the heavens and earth, and all things within them, are all destined to be destroyed by God's eternal fire. So that it all might make way for the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells (vs 13). For only then, when the Lord Jesus Christ reigns, will there be lasting peace on earth (consider Isaiah 32:17-18).  For truly there can be no peace in this sin driven and corrupted world that continually justifies and codifies by law their own evil desires (antithesis Isaiah 26:9). Nonetheless during the Lord Jesus Christ's Reign, righteousness and peace will be the norm on earth. For He will rule the world with a rod of iron so that whenever or wherever wickedness rises up, it will be quickly and effectively snuffed out. Thus sin and Satan having been dwelt with, righteousness and peace will be the established norm in all the earth (consider Isaiah 2:1-4; 11:9; 65:17-25; Micah 4:1-4, 6-8).

Scripture Citations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982

 Draft version

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