2 Peter 3:10-13 Podcast
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:10-13)
The end of the world is coming. According to 2 Peter 3:10-11, Peter says the materials within the earth will be used to destroy it. We have fire all around us. We have the sun, for example, some 93 million miles away. The sun's core is 29 millions degrees hot. We also know that the core of the earth is made of molten rock, with a temperature of 12,400 degrees fahrenheit. The whole earth is like a ticking nuclear bomb.
In Colossians 1, we learn that it is Jesus Christ who holds this world together. He is the Creator of that which holds all things in this earth together. And, one day, He who has always held this earth and its universe together, will let it go. He will undo what He has done. And, this is described in many passages in the Bible (see Daniel 12, Joel 2, Matthew 24, Revelation 6-16).
Peter's point in our text today is clear: since life, as we know it on this earth, will be destroyed, we should live lives that are marked by the knowledge that God has favored us through His Son. And, we should look for opportunities to share this good news with all who we come into contact with.
In v.12, Peter says we should be "looking" for signs of the end. Then in v.13, Peter writes "In keeping with His promise." Peter says, "we are looking for new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells."
We should not be surprised, for this was predicted in the Old Testament. In Isaiah 65:17 we read, "Behold I will create new heavens and a new earth . . . " In Revelation 21:5 we read, "He that sits on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." God will create a perfect home filled with redeemed people willing to serve their Creator and enjoy him forever. In Isaiah 66:22, we learn that this will be a new heaven and a new earth which will last forever.
In the end, the marriage of God's faithfulness and the believers' faith will be realized. Think of it, how great will that be? We will realize that which we have always hoped for. We will breathe a sigh of relief, because we will realize that His promises are and forever true.
Jim Cymbala once said, “We like to control the map of our life and know everything well in advance. But faith is content just knowing that God's promise cannot fail. This, in fact, is the excitement of walking with God.”
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