2 Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

MEMORY VERSE: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. —2 Peter 3:10

CENTRAL THOUGHT: Jesus Christ, the King of glory, will come again in great power to destroy this present earth and heavens and bring all mankind to the final judgment. We should be fully prepared to meet Him in holiness, godliness and righteousness; in peace without spot, and blameless.

WORD DEFINITIONS

2 Peter 3:1, “beloved”: Dear, precious, and greatly loved and cherished.

Ver. 3, “scoffers”: False teachers; those who deride, mock, and reject the true gospel and teachings of Christ. “walking after their own lusts”: Living according to their own fleshly desires.

Ver. 5, “willingly are ignorant”: Have no desire to learn or be taught. “of old”: Created in the beginning of time.

Ver. 7, “kept in store”: Preserved and held together. “reserved unto fire”: Kept ready for destruction by fire. “against”: Until. “perdition”: Eternal punishment and destruction.

Ver. 9, “not slack”: Not dull or uncertain. “some men count slackness”: Humanity doubts if Jesus really is going to come the second time.

Ver. 10, “burned up”: Completely destroyed.

Ver. 11, “be dissolved”: Be loosened. The atoms and elements are held in shape by the Word of God. In that last day at the Lord’s coming the Word of God will be withdrawn from their substance and will cause them to pass away to nothing.

Ver. 12, “hasting”: Desiring it to hurry up and come. “elements”: What all that the heavens and earth are made up of.

Ver. 13, “Nevertheless”: Not fearing that coming day of destruction.

Ver. 14, “seeing that ye look for such things”: Being fully aware of this destruction that is to come. “be diligent”: Be earnest, steadfast, and faithful to live well pleasing before God. “without spot and blameless”: In perfect holiness and full acceptance by God.

LESSON BACKGROUND

In the last two lessons we learned much about the error and ungodly ways of so many false prophets and deceived souls in worldly and ungodly lusts. Such were going strong in our beloved Brother Peter’s day. In this his second epistle Peter desires to stir up our pure minds to remember and keep in mind the words spoken by the holy prophets and the commandments and teachings of him and the other apostles of the Lord and Saviour. He then brought out about some other lustful people who were questioning if the Lord was truly going to come again as had been declared. Peter, labeling them “willingly ignorant,” recalled how that it was by the Word of God that the earth was formed and shaped as it was, and that some of the earth was built up above (out of) the water, while the rest was in (beneath) the water. He reminded how that the world perished, being overflowed with water. That was in Noah’s time. Peter then brings out that the present heavens and earth by the same Almighty Word of God are being reserved in preparation for the final destruction which shall be by fire. We are still living in this world that is destined to be destroyed at the second coming of Christ. He reminds us that time has no bearing with God, and that He is not slack concerning His purpose to destroy the earth, but is longsuffering to us humans, not desiring us to perish, but that we would get down to business with Him and repent of sin and be saved.

Peter declares that the final day of the Lord’s coming will arrive in a time unexpected and not looked for. It will come with a great noise. The elements of the universe will melt with horrible burning heat and all things will be burned up and destroyed. He warns us to be diligent in holy conversation and godliness. We need to be looking earnestly for and wanting that day to hurry and come! All of this material earth with its houses, roads, highways, bridges, huge buildings, and all else of man’s work will pass away in an instant. Oh, how we need to receive the knowledge of this final destruction of earth and its vanities! It should be in our prayers night and day that God will help us to be diligent and ready to meet that final day and “be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless”!

–Bro. Leslie Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. Of what things does Peter want us to be mindful?

2. What were the things that scoffers were going to be saying?

3. Of what things are these people willingly ignorant?

4. How did Peter say that the earth and heavens of old were shaped?

5. What happened that caused humanity to perish in those days of old?

6. What destruction will come to the earth and heavens at the end?

7. What kind of persons ought we to be in preparation of that day?

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

Oh, how we need to be mindful of the fact that we are nearing the end of this present evil world! Jude 14 quotes from Enoch of old, the seventh from Adam, and his prophecy: “Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard [harsh and critical] speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of ad- vantage.” Then he says in verses 20 and 21, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Oh, let us take heed to the wise and solemn warnings of our lesson today!

—Bro. Leslie Busbee

REFLECTIONS

We have all heard this warning, “Be ready the Lord is coming!” “You better be prepared!” As a boy in the early 60’s, we visited my grandparents in Greenwood, Arkansas, every summer. We loved going there and seeing our cousins, aunts, and uncles. But one thing we all despised was those late night trips to the old cellar when a storm was coming, because it was damp, musty, and full of cobwebs. We would get wet walking through the rain, and then go inside and sit on a little crowded board and wait, and wait.

It was a ritual you just had to get used to because Granny didn’t give you a choice. If a storm was coming, she made everyone get up and go across the yard to the cellar. My Dad bucked up a few times and there were a few snappy words, but Granny usually won and off we would go. In times when we weren’t there, she would march out by herself and spend hours in her underground “fraidy hole” till the storm passed over.

One day on April 12, 1968 a huge tornado came through her town destroying the old home where they had lived and killing thirteen people, including my Grandpa’s mother; but my Granny was spared safely in her little cellar. You could have tried selling her two more cellars and she would have bought them.

It just seems fitting to me to compare Granny’s warning to our lesson today. Be ready! The Lord is coming! Don’t give up waiting. In 1975 late one night, the Lord spoke audibly to me saying twice, “Luke 21:22.” I got up, looked it up, and read, “For these be the days of vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” God’s vengeance is coming on this world. He will not return as a savior, but as a judge—condemning the wicked and all those who fear him not. We see wars, earthquakes, famine, and signs of the times all around. Surely the Lord is coming shortly. Let us all be ready at any cost!

—Bro. James Bell