Scripture Daily

Context No. 722 of 4322 · 2 Peter

Context · Reflection

2 Peter 3:8-13: in context

8But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10But 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 be dissolved with fervent heat; and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness, 12looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Second Peter is written against scoffers who have noticed that the promised return of Christ has not come, and who ask, where is this coming he talked about? Everything goes on as it always has. Peter answers first by resetting the clock. Do not forget, he says, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day. God is not keeping our calendar, and what looks like a long silence to us is not long to him.

Then he renames the delay. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness; he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. The thing the scoffers mock as lateness is actually mercy: every day the end has not come is another day the door stays open, another chance for someone to turn. The day will come, suddenly, like a thief, and the present order will dissolve; but until then the waiting is grace. And so, Peter asks, what kind of people ought you to be while the door is held? Not calculating the date, but living holy lives, and looking for the new heavens and new earth where righteousness is at home.

What Peter's scoffers called slowness was really the door held open longer for someone to come in. Where am I reading God's delay as absence, when it might be patience, even patience with me?

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