2 Peter 3:5-10 Podcast
5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 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. (2 Peter 3:5-10)
Our text today begins with Peter informing us that these false teachers "deliberately forgot" that the world was made by God and that it's order was determined by His word. The key word here is "deliberately". This is a choice. The old adage, "The problem with the self-made man is that he worships his maker" is quite descriptive of these false teachers.
At the time Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, he was asked, "What made it possible for the Russian Revolution to take place and for Communism to rise to power?" His reply was simple: "Men forgot God."
Peter, in v.6, goes on to argue that God brought judgment on the world through the flood in Noah's day. As then, the laws of nature tirelessly whisper the existence of God. The earth is 4/5's water consistent with the Creation account in Genesis.
We have discovered there is great evidence for the flood that took place during the days of Noah. In fact, we have discovered sea life in Michigan and Ohio and in Wyoming (7000 feet above sea level). Only an event like the Flood explains how these sea creatures got to these places.
In the future it will be destroyed by fire at the second coming of Jesus Christ. If the false teachers were not so blinded by their own lusts (v. 4), they would be able to see that it is crazy to not believe in the Lord.
So, naturally in v.8, Peter points us to Christ. And what seems to us to be a long time, isn't so long for God. The false teachers said His return hasn't happened, therefore we do not believe He is coming back. From God's point of view, it hasn't been a very long period of time, like 2 days. For man, who do not have the view from eternity, it has been 2000 years.
The irony is that the false teachers take God's patience, which is giving them an opportunity to turn to Him and escape judgement, and use it against God as evidence that Christ is not coming. It will be an unanswerable indictment on the judgment day, when God asks the false teachers, "Why did you take my gift and use it as a prop for your unbelief?"
In v.9, there is a very important word: patient. The Greek word used here is a combination of two words: macro and thumei. Macro means large. Thumei means anger or wrath. God has an amazing capacity to be patient with fools.
The Lord is gracious to delay, allowing mankind to repent, to turn away from their unbelief. According to v.10, it is a sure thing that the Lord will come back.
