2 Peter 1:11-15

Today we get to look at verses 11-15 in 2 Peter ch.1. If you recall from last week, I asked you to begin thinking about what the kingdom of God is, because we’re going to be spending most of our time digging into what this kingdom is and why it’s significant to every follower of Christ. Because the more we know and truly understand this kingdom concept, the more we will fall in love with Christ and genuinely anticipate all that He has in store for us.

Let’s start by reading 2 Peter 1:11–15: “For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.”

First, I have a couple comments about verses 12-15, then we’ll jump into the ‘kingdom.’ So, Peter continues to push and encourage his readers to make virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love a part of their daily lives. Peter also knew that he was going to die soon as he states in verse 14, which is fueling this urgency that he feels for these churches. In John ch.21:18–19, Jesus said to Peter, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.)”

For the rest of our time, I’m going to focus on what Peter mentioned in verse 11: the “eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” and why it is important to us as Christians.

But first I must appeal to Acts 19:8 in which Paul...

“… entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.”

Paul spent 3 months talking about the kingdom of God; I’m going to try to do it in less than an hour!

There are two very important themes that go hand-in-hand in addition to ‘the kingdom’ that need to be explored: that of covenant and marriage. Understanding this covenant and marriage theme is essential because this will be the means by which you can enter God’s kingdom. I want you to fully understand and appreciate what God has done here in Scripture, and what He will continue to do in human history. I will circle back to this covenant and marriage theme later.

But first, I want to talk about the idea of ‘kingdom’.

If I say the word “rice”, what do you think of? ….But if I say the word “kingdom”, what comes to mind?.... So as a westerner, I have very little associations with a king or kingdom. “Kingdom” is an abstract word; that is, you can’t define it by pointing to something or showing a picture of an object. There isn't any one thing that represents it. For those of you who are Khmer, you probably have a bit better understanding of what it means to be part of a kingdom. So, what does every kingdom have to have? ....a king!

What does a king do? A king is supposed to look after his people, protect them and provide for them, giving resources and security, as well as act as a wise person, a sage; as well as someone to act as a wise judge in matters of law or social issues. In return, the people are supposed to provide loving obedience, offering themselves as subjects to their king. We call this ‘allegiance.’ It’s supposed to be a covenantal relationship. A good kingdom can’t exist without a covenant between the king and his people. The Bible can be viewed as a long continuing drama in which the King is trying to restore his covenant (or relationship) with his subjects.

But just like any abstract word, there are different ways to describe it. I’ve found at least 8 ways to describe the kingdom of Christ. There are many more attributes to His kingdom, but I’m going to focus on only 8 of them.

The first attribute is that it’s spiritual – Can someone look up Luke 17:20-21 (the kingdom is in the midst of us; it’s intangible); John 18:36; Matt. 3:2 (John the Baptist was speaking of a spiritual kingdom); Col. 1:13 (we have already been transferred to God’s kingdom – in a spiritual sense).

And because the kingdom is spiritual, it brings us to the second attribute – the fact that it is near or already here – Can someone look up Mark 1:15 (Now Jesus is repeating what John the Baptist had been saying); Luke 10:11 (Jesus said the kingdom of God is near); Col. 4:11 (these fellow workers of Paul’s were already helping establish the Kingdom).

It’s also eternal - someone look up Ps. 68:16 (this kingdom will last forever); 145:13; Dan. 2:44 (God’s kingdom will never be destroyed); 4:3; 7:18 (wow! You can’t get much clearer than that).

The kingdom is also universal, it covers the entire world - someone look up Ps. 103:19 (God’s kingdom rules over all – things in heaven and on earth).

We just looked at how the kingdom of God is spiritual, already here, eternal (lasting forever and ever), and universal (its realm is the entire heavens and earth). So far, these attributes describe the unseen; the spiritual part of God’s kingdom – usually the only part of God’s kingdom that is spoken of in Christian circles. But now this is where it gets really interesting and exciting. Not that the spiritual aspect of Christ’s kingdom isn’t exciting, but it’s hard to identify with; like a vivid dream that you know you had but now can’t quite remember. God created us as spiritual and physical beings to enjoy Him and His creation.

The next attribute of God’s kingdom is that it will be inherited by his followers (us) – Can someone look up Dan 7:22 (earlier we looked at verse 18 to describe the eternality of God’s kingdom, and who is to receive the kingdom? ….the Saints); Matt. 25:34 (the blessed will inherit the kingdom); Acts 20:32 (Paul said that the ‘word of grace’ would be able to give the elders of the Ephesian church the inheritance); 1 Cor. 15:50 (Christ’s followers have been born again, not of flesh and blood but of the holy spirit); 1 Thess. 2:12 (Paul told the Thessalonians that they had been called into God’s kingdom and glory); 2 Thess. 1:5 (the Thessalonians are reminded to be worthy of the kingdom which they will inherit); James 2:5 (those who love Christ will inherit his kingdom).

And because we have yet to receive this kingdom; the next attribute is that it’s not here yet – Can someone look up Rev. 19:15 (God has yet to rule His enemies of the nations with a rod of iron); 20:4 (this vision that John saw was about the distant future – it still hasn’t happened yet); Is. 65:17 (there has yet to be a new heaven or new earth. And the second part of the verse is definitely not talking about sin, given the context of the rest of the chapter). And then we look at 2 Peter 1:11. These events haven’t happened yet.

The next attribute is that Christ’s kingdom will be defined by a specific amount of time (at least a thousand years) – Can someone lookup Rev. ch.20:4 (this is very specific, but as we’ll see when we study 2 Peter ch.3, maybe there’s more to this than it seems.)

There seems to be much more than a spiritual dimension, or even symbolic imagery, being talked about in these previous passages; they are much too specific.

Which leads us into the last attribute: that the kingdom of God will be physical. We can look again at those same verses regarding the kingdom being not here yet, as well as other passages – can someone look up Zech. 14:1-2,4,9 (this description is very specific because it will be a material reign); Is. 11:6-9 (the whole of ch.11 is speaking of a literal event with material details). And just like the battle of Armageddon will take place here on earth, (as was described in Zechariah ch.14), so too will God’s actual reign.

This kingdom which is eternal (though preceded by a thousand years), universal, spiritual (yet physical) is here already (but not yet realized in its full glory) will be inherited by Christ’s followers. How awesome is that! This is what we get to look forward to someday! But as I said in the beginning, there’s still two themes that have to be talked about: marriage and covenant. The first one is marriage.

Right now the Church is betrothed to Christ. Hosea 2: 19-20 says “And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 11:2 says: “For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”

It’s important to understand how ancient Jewish weddings were different from modern day western weddings. At least in the west, a man and a woman usually get engaged to each other, promising to get married one day, maybe in a couple months or a few years. Then the wedding is just a one day celebration.

Similarly, in Jewish tradition, marriage is a two-step process. The first step is called the Kiddushin - which is the betrothal part. Both the man and the woman formally promise to marry each other, usually signified with a transaction of money or an object of value. Or by giving the woman a document stating the man’s intention to marry her. Even though the soon-to-be bride and groom are engaged, they are technically joined to each other at this point, and would, in fact, need to get a Jewish certificate of divorce if they happened to want to leave each other.

This engagement (or betrothal) period was, and still is, taken very seriously, even though the couple isn’t allowed to physically consummate their marriage yet.

The second step in this marriage process is called the Nisuin - which is the physical consummation of the marriage. Now this Nisuin ceremony doesn’t take place immediately after, or even soon after the betrothal ceremony. It can be up to a year between these two planned events. During this waiting period, usually the groom devotes himself to the study of the Torah.

This is significant because Jesus talks about himself as a groom (or bridegroom). Someone look up Mark 2:19 “And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.”

Even John the Baptist calls Jesus the bridegroom. Can someone else lookup John 3:29, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.”

Now if we are betrothed to Christ, when did this betrothal happen? Keep in mind that according to Jewish tradition, money or an object of great value had to be given to the woman as a promise. Is there a time in history that we can point to and say, ‘Aha! This was the kiddushin ceremony!”? ….. Can someone lookup and read Exodus 19:3-5 “while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.”

And what did God give Moses and the people of Israel? ……the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets! He gave them His words; His promise that if the Israelites remain faithful and true to Almighty God, God will wed Himself to them; He will actually dwell in their midst. Exodus 31:18 says “And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.”

But as most of us probably remember, Israel didn’t remain faithful to her Husband. Israel committed adultery and sinned by worshiping idols and false gods. Israel turned her back on her spouse and defiled herself through her sin. Israel broke her marriage covenant with God…. Now what we’re about to see is something remarkable. Something that only a loving God could do. God didn’t petition for a certificate of divorce. He didn’t turn his back on his bride. In fact, what did God do when Moses, out of anger, smashed the tablets after seeing the Israelites worshiping a golden calf? …… Exodus 43:1 says “The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.” God forgave His people! He renewed his covenant with them. Exodus 43 goes on to talk of God describing Himself with these words: ”YHWH, YHWH, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And, of course, did Israel finally remain faithful to God? NO! Israel continued to mess up and worship idols and sin against God. And time and time again, God disciplined Israel and He initiated the restoration of His marriage covenant with the people. ……God really is abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness!

Now I should mention that there were two other covenants that God made before this one. Do you know who they were with? ……..Noah and Abraham. The very first covenant God ever made was with Noah in Gen. 6, promising Noah that God would save him and his family and all the animals that could fit in the ark from complete destruction, as well as to never destroy the world with a flood again. And what did God give to Noah, his family and all the animals as a promise? …..a rainbow. I’m very glad that God still is keeping that covenant, but it isn’t the most significant covenant, because we already read in Isaiah ch.65 that God will create a new heaven and a new earth. This rainbow covenant won’t last forever.

The next covenant was with Abraham. Years after the flood, the people of the earth, through pride, thought they could be like God. So God confused their language and they scattered throughout the world. But God chose one man, through whom God would make one nation to bless the rest of the world. And what did God give to Abraham as a sign of His promise? ……Isaac! A child that he could never have had otherwise. But just like his father, Abraham, and everyone else in history, he would not live forever; he would die.

But this covenant with Moses and the people of Israel is different, because it is with this particular covenant that God chooses to contrast His NEW covenant: Can someone lookup and read Jeremiah ch.31:31-34 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Let’s compare this new covenant in Jeremiah to the previous ones. What happened to the previous three covenants, the ones with Noah, Abraham and Moses? …..the previous covenants were conditional, or at least semi-conditional: that is, the people of Israel had to obey God to receive His blessings; each of the items of value that were given by God to the people would eventually be destroyed (it’s true in the case of the rainbow, when God will create a new heaven/new earth), or died (Isaac didn’t live forever), or was lost (the stone tablets have been lost along with the Ark of the Covenant).

This contrasts with what was spoken of in Jeremiah. God said that He will put His law within us and write it on our hearts. Here, God would do something permanent. Like a tattoo etched into the skin; our covenant is unerasable; unbreakable and only conditioned on us having faith in Christ.

Everyone open up to Hebrews ch.10:11-17. It says “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

Look again at verse 14 in Hebrews: “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Sanctified for what? ……what event are we being sanctified for?.....There is one more ceremony that we haven’t discussed yet: the Nisuin – the actual marriage ceremony in which the bride and groom get to physically consummate their marriage.

Can someone lookup Rev. ch.19:6-8: “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

The actual marriage hasn’t happened yet. God’s covenant used to be between Himself and Israel, but under His new covenant, this relationship has been extended to all people everywhere who choose to love and obey Him.

Can someone lookup Matt. Ch.22:1-14: “And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Those guests who were found unworthy were the Israelites. And those guests who were gathered up randomly from around town are the Gentiles. Did you notice any parallels between Rev. 19 and Matt. 20? ….king; kingdom; wedding; wedding garments – the bride in Rev. was given fine linen to wear, which we are explicitly told represents ‘the righteous deeds of the saints.’

What kind of clothes was the one man who was cast out wearing in Jesus’ parable? ….

This brings us all the way back to what Peter is stressing here: he is pleading with this church to diligently confirm their wedding invitation by practicing these righteous deeds, these godly qualities.

But praise God we have someone who intercedes for us on our behalf! Rom. 8:34 says “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

Christ covered our shame with His own garments! Zech. 3:3-4 says “Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

Also, in Rev. 3:4-6 “Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

So finally, the kingdom of God is the culmination of His covenant with His people, expressed through a marriage relationship. It will be the physical consummation of our marriage with Him – the spiritual reality finally made physical! The bride (which is His followers) will be presented to Christ as spotless and perfect, because Christ’s righteousness was given to her, which is expressed through our righteous deeds. The more we become like Christ in this life (by diligently practicing the qualities that Peter lays out for us here), the more we will enjoy Christ during His earthly reign.

This is exactly why Peter is so adamant about getting his audience to diligently practice these things here on earth, because once the marriage of the Lamb has taken place after His millennial reign, there won’t be any more opportunities to grow in Christ-likeness. Because how does one grow in Christ-like character? Rom. 5: 3-4 say “…but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” The only real way to grow in character is to suffer well. After the marriage of the Lamb, (praise God!) there won’t be any more suffering because He will then create a new heaven and new earth! This is amazing; but it also puts holy pressure on us to continue to grow in godly love. May we learn to joyfully anticipate His return and our ultimate union with Him.

Now I want us to look at the handout that we have. I want this to be something that you actually think about and process, because I know that when I leave church, my mind is usually onto the next thing and I forget about much of what I had learned.

Let me pray for us.