Free Bible Commentary
“Second Peter 3:10-13”
Categories: Second Peter“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”
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When the Lord Jesus returns He will do so just “like a thief” (verse 10). No, He will not come to rob us or steal what belongs to us, but to judge us and reclaim that which is His own. A thief gives no prior notice to his targets when he intends to break in and do his dirty work. In the same way, Jesus will return without prior notice, at a time when it is least expected, to execute righteous judgment upon the earth. The only good defense against a thief is to be prepared at all times, and that only way to avoid the “intense heat” of Final Judgment is to always be ready for the Lord’s Coming (Matthew 24:43; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; Revelation 16:15).
When Jesus comes back, it will not be to set up an earthly kingdom, but to burn up “the earth and its works,” along with all “the elements” that this physical plane consists of. Variations exist in the manuscripts from which this text can be translated. Some of the ancient copies read that the earth will be “burned up,” and others allow for the idea of the earth being “discovered” or “revealed”. The ESV translators chose to present Peter’s words in verse 10 as “the earth will be exposed” in favor of the “earthly kingdom” viewpoint. But it is obvious from the context that, when “the heavens” are “destroyed by burning, and the elements” are melted by intense heat (verse 12), the earth will not be crystallized but incinerated!
According to the promises of God, “we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (verse 13). Peter borrowed this statement from Isaiah 65:17 where the prophet foretold of the restoration of the Jews and the rebuilding of Israel, so even from its original context this language is figurative in nature. That Jesus is not going to establish a future, physical kingdom on a refurbished, material earth is evident for various reasons. Christ’s kingdom is spiritual not physical (Luke 17:21; Romans 14:17). Christ established His kingdom when He died, arose and ascended to His throne in heaven (Daniel 7:13-14; Acts 2:30-36). Christ’s kingdom is His church (Matthew 16:18-19; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:6, 9). Heaven is the eternal dwelling place of God’s faithful followers (John 14:1-3; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Peter 1:4). The “new heavens and new earth” represent the everlasting habitation that God has prepared for His elect.
Peter does not tell us about the obliteration of the present, physical universe to prompt us to speculate about what exactly will take place and the precise timing of that spectacular grand finale. He does so to motivate us to godly and righteous living in preparation for our Judge’s return and the gathering of His people home. “What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” (verse 11)! God’s grace, goodness and justice call us to be holy as He is holy (l Peter 1:16). And even though God, through His patience, has delayed His Final Judgment until this point in time, our desire should be for the “hastening” of “the coming of the day of God.” We should keep the prospect of the Lord’s Return ever present in our thoughts as a constant reminder of what kind of people God expects us to be!
Please read 2 Peter 3:14-16 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
