“This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you
in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should
remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment
of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.” (2 Peter 3:1–2, NASB95)
Peter affirmed both the purpose of this letter and its
critical importance. He wrote that this is the second time that he had written
to stir up their minds by way of reminder. And even in the writing his two
letters this was not the first time that these things had been spoken, but were
in fact the things that even the prophet had warned about in time before. The
prophets had warned about both coming judgment and the coming of the Lord.
“For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not
flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will
not shed its light. Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked
for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud and
abase the haughtiness of the ruthless. I will make mortal man scarcer than pure
gold and mankind than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens
tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the fury of the LORD of
hosts In the day of His burning anger.” (Isaiah 13:10–13, NASB95)
“Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and it will come as
destruction from the Almighty.” (Joel 1:15, NASB95)
These words that have been kept for us are the Word of God,
all of them. Whether they deal with salvation or judgment, following or
rebelling, God or man, all of them are the truth given to us by God as He spoke
through His apostles and prophets. And being given to us by Him, they are
important for us to hide in our hearts and adhere to in our lives. In them we
find shown to us God’s great love for us shown in big and small ways, and we
also find God’s wrath for those who work against Him. In the Bible, we have
consistency in the message.
In the last chapter, Peter had focused heavily on the
dangers of the false prophets and teachers and the judgment that awaits them.
In this chapter Peter transitions from the warnings against false prophets and
teachers to the hope that we have in Christ as He brings all things to their
right and proper end.
But before moving through a last sober warning and the
accompanying hope, let’s review where we’ve already been. In the first four
verses of chapter one he reminded us of the great faith that we share “by the
righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.” We share so much in Him,
and we are to be continually reminded and encouraged in these truths. Then in
verse 8 we have the words, “Now for this very reason also, applying all
diligence” as we are encouraged in how we are to live in response to what He
has done. Then in verse 9 we have a description of those who ignore these important
applications of truth, calling these people “blind and shortsighted.” Knowing
the dangers, in verse 10, he heightened the importance of our walking rightly
by telling his readers to “be all the more diligent to make certain of His
calling and choosing” of us. It is as we live according to how we are called
that we protect ourselves from stumbling.
In verse 12 he stated that these things were so important
that he would not quit reminding them until the Lord took Him home, which was
something that he knew was going to happen very soon. Having reinforced these
things in writing after having seared them in their ears, he stated in verse 15
that he trusted that they would be able to recall them after his departure
(death). Second Peter is Peter’s last written words, and they carry with them
the things that represented the greatest burden on his heart as he was moved by
the Holy Spirit to care for us. So, when he states that these things were
worthy of repeating time and time again we are well served to pay attention to
them repeatedly ourselves.
With verse 16, Peter affirmed the truthfulness of his word
by stating that he and the other apostles were personal eyewitnesses not only
to the power and coming of Christ, but also to His majesty being revealed in
their presence. In verse 19 he then wrote that what the apostles were
testifying to was the same things to which the prophets pointed long ago. God’s
plan had not changed, but with the coming of Christ is was made much more
certain in that the Son had been revealed and salvation had been secured. What
was pointed to had come to pass, and the apostles were eyewitnesses to it
happening.
Chapter 1 concluded with these words of critical importance
as we today regard our Bibles and the words in them. He wrote, “for no prophecy
was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke
from God.” (2 Peter 1:21, NASB)
Then came chapter 2 which was wholly devoted to the dangers
of false prophets (and teachers) and the destruction they bring in pursuit of
their own glory. These men proclaiming great things and seeking their own glory
were, and are in reality headed to the end of the black darkness reserved for
the devil and his cohorts. This is a place that Scripture describes will be
marked by wailing and the gnashing of teeth. Over one-third of this letter is
devoted to uncovering and describing them as we are encouraged to know and
apply the truth of God so that we will not be deluded by them. These are the
things (and more) that bring us to chapter 3 where Peter turns his attention to
the last days in which we continue to await our Lord’s appearing.
Peter began by speaking of the importance of knowing and
living according to the truth of Christ recorded in the Scriptures. Here at the
beginning of chapter 3 he returns to restate that this is indeed the reason
that He wrote this second letter.
In John 8:31-32 we read, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews
who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples
of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”” (John
8:31–32, NASB95) And to those in the crowd who questioned Him, Jesus continued,
“He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them,
because you are not of God.” (John 8:47, NASB95)
The Holy Spirit brings God’s Word to life for us. What we
once could not see, the Spirit makes us to see. And, what makes the difference
is this most important truth that Jesus Christ was sent as the Son by the
Father for our salvation. It you haven’t started there then don’t be surprised
if the rest of what you read and hear sounds strange. We read in 2 Corinthians,
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are
perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the
unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:3–4, NASB95) But God’s
Spirit opens eyes as well. If this is new to you, please shoot me a message and
I’d be happy to talk with you more.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the
knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;” (2 Peter 1:2, NASB95)
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