Lesson 5 Part 2 – 2 Peter 3: 8-10 New Revised Standard
8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up.
First Impression
Not wishing that any should perish. I have thought about this “wishing” and wondered how it fits into the reality of the power of God to do anything. Wishing and wanting are two different things, but sometimes it is hard to tell the difference.
(Discuss each topic individually)
One day is as a thousand years
I have run across this phrase in the study of revelation and other prophecies to literally mean the timelines discussed as days are thousands of years. People run with this argument and beat others over the head with it. When I read it here in Peter, I do not associate it with prophecy, but about the timelessness of God and how His patience passes all understanding. Yes, a day in prophecy might be a thousand years, but it also might be an instant as day transitions to night.
Not slow about His promise
Here I think of the song sung by Garth Brooks about unanswered prayers. Boys say many prayers about things that their limited scope desires to have immediately and forever. I can only imagine the damage done to other people when I was a kid and had no idea about how life worked. Not that I am significantly more knowledgeable today, I am just a little better about a few things.
Forbearing toward you
I “feel” that Peter has changed his audience in this verse to speak directly to the unbeliever who hears or reads this part. God had forbearance on my behalf when His Son did not return while I yet did not believe, but that is all past. My ideal of forbearance is played our in letting criminals spend time in jail rather than being killed or maimed. If any one of them is saved, then a lot of expense would have been rewarded eternally.
Not wishing that any should perish
Discussed above.
All should reach repentance
My heart tells me that this verse is why we should seek to avoid judging others as unworthy of our efforts to share God’s love. God loves them enough, so should we.
Like a thief
I am not sure about criminal behavior triggers, but I doubt many thieves instantaneously decide to steal from any one particular place at any one particular time. I generally assume they make up their minds before hand and do some level of assessment that they can get away with it. Other points in the Bible talk about how one would act knowing a thief is coming. The Day of Our Lord is coming. God has it all planned out and all history is pointed to it. I have not hired guards to stand outside my house 24 hours a day (mainly because I do not have “things” that need protecting in that manner), but I have taken steps to minimize the chances that a thief will come to my house. On the other hand, I have tried to live according to the knowledge that Christ is coming and that the Bible has data I can use to help me be prepared. It is not about things, but it is about hearts.
Heavens pass away
Peter is either going all scientific on us or he just lacks the need to give us a better understanding of what this means.
Loud noise
Big bang. I wonder if people who do not believe in God think that this is the universe collapsing in on itself and starting over from scratch. I have read that in science fiction, but somehow, I do not think that is Peter’s intent nor God’s plan.
Elements dissolved
I do think that God has put these phrases in to show the scientific minds that just because this all may seem like magic, God is the one who made the world to function according to an undeniable plan and point people towards Him and to belief in His Son. God is beyond our understanding, but as we learn more and more about the universe in which He set us, we are confronted with more and more reasons to give Him glory for it.