This Week's Study

3:1–2 Peter is persistent in using what he calls the stirring up of God’s people by the power of reminder. It is not just what we know, but what we rehearse that changes us. Specifically, Peter is pointing us back to the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through the apostles. God uses his servants to point people toward him. We are to remember God’s promises and commandments as we live for him. Promises give us something to wait on, and commandments give us something to do. If we fail to believe what God has promised, we will fail to obey what God has said.

3:3 Peter begins to elucidate what he is reminding them of by pointing to the arrival of scoffers. These are people who mock the things God’s people are waiting on. They are defined by ignorance and a flippant attitude, and their goal is to deceive and divide. Their driving force is their own sinful desires.

3:4–7 Peter gives an example of the kinds of questions they will ask: “Where is the promise of his coming?” Deception always begins with a question. The serpent deceived Adam and Eve through a question. They will then point to circumstances being the same as they have always been. Peter points to what they deliberately miss: the heavens and earth existed long before them, and God judged the earth previously. Through water, God judged creation for their wickedness, and he will once again judge. This time he will judge the heavens and the earth through fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly.

3:8–9 God’s sense of timing is much different than ours. God uses time to develop us and patiently wait for us. When God waits, he is really waiting on us. Peter describes God’s days: one day is as a thousand years. God can use one day to accomplish what would take us a thousand years to do. In one day God can turn our lives around. We should therefore not be discouraged when it seems to be taking a long time—God doesn’t need much time. In the same breath, a thousand years is as one day. God is patient. A thousand years will feel like one day to him because he loves to wait for his people. His waiting is for us to come to repentance. His wish is not for us to be destroyed but to come to know him. When you are waiting, ask, “What is God trying to develop in my life?”

3:10–13 What the Day of the Lord Means for us Today

The Mystery of Judgment

God surprises—not for fear but faithfulness.

Peter describes how “the day of the Lord” will come. The day of the Lord will come like a thief. A thief does not tell you when they are coming, and neither does God. A thief uses the element of surprise and this leads to keeping people on guard. In the same way, God uses surprise to help us be on guard. This means it will be unexpected, and we should always be prepared for it. Believers should live with this in mind and always remain sober and ready for what may come. Each day we should ask, “How do I want to be living right now if God were to come and judge me today?” Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today.

The Target of Judgment

God targets—not to ignore but to direct.

Second, Peter describes who the day of the Lord will confront. God’s targets should be our places of focus. He describes the heavens (the sky/outer space) passing away with a roar, heavenly bodies (sun/moon/stars and perhaps spiritual forces connected to them) burning up and dissolving, and finally the earth and all its works being exposed. The heavens are a picture of that which is beyond our reach and full comprehension. They represent what people assume is unchangeable reality—what we have our faith set on: dreams and beliefs we assumed to be true that govern our lives. These will pass away. Heavenly bodies represent idols that we depend on and live within the heavens. These are key figures within reality. We depend on things like the sun to provide warmth and light. The moon governs tides. Stars impact gravity. These will be dissolved. Lastly, the earth is a picture of us and what we do—what we build. These will be exposed in their entirety. Three key questions arise from this: What do we believe? Who do we trust? What have we done? Each of these will be tested, and we should therefore take each one seriously.

The Progression of Judgment

God descends—not to spare but to prepare.

We next notice the progression of judgment. Judgment begins at the celestial level and progressively moves toward the earth. Those above are judged before those below. For believers, we should take note of how God judges leaders or countries and be wary of living the same lives. Judgment will soon come to us as well. For example, James teaches us that teachers are judged more strictly. This is for our example. If we see God judge someone who is above us, we should take note and change if we portray the same character, because he will soon judge the one who is below.

The Purpose of Judgment

God tests—not to destroy but to purify.

Peter describes the purpose of the day of the Lord. God is not annihilating creation but purifying it. Just as gold is purified through fire, so will creation be purified. Whenever God tests us, he is developing us. Fire in our lives brings holiness to our character. God desires purity from his creation. Peter says, since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought we to be in lives of holiness and godliness? We are to wait in holiness, and holiness hastens the day of God. When God’s people are ready for judgment, then God will come.

The Promise of Judgment

God removes—not to rob but to restore.

Finally, we notice the promise of judgment. God will take away but only to give back something even better. A new heavens and a new earth will come to us—a new home where righteousness dwells. Dwelling implies longevity. When God gives us this, he will never take it away. God’s promises are yes and amen.

3:14–18 Peter now summarizes his exhortation: We are to wait in diligence. This diligence is not just diligence in accumulating earthly riches and pleasures; it’s being diligent in character—being without spot or blemish. We are to be at peace. This peace is all-encompassing: peace with God, peace with others, and peace with ourselves. God’s patience is our salvation. We are not waiting on God; God is really waiting on us. Enemies will always try to confuse us and make light of what God desires for us to take seriously, but God has given us the faithful scriptures to remind us of these truths. We should know that this will happen beforehand and be careful not to be carried away with lawless people. Peter’s final exhortation is to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and he glorifies him by giving him glory now and to the day of eternity.