Diligently Waiting for the Day of the Lord

2 Peter 3:10–14 ESV

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

Opening Prayer

The bottom line: The Day of the Lord is coming?

2 Peter 3:10 ESV

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Summary of 2 Peter (for context)

2 Peter 1:3 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

2 Peter 1:16 ESV

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

2 Peter 2:1 ESV

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

2 Peter 3:1–3 ESV

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

Now its as if Peter has had enough!

“Forget what you hear them say!”

2 Peter 3:10 ESV

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

the 5 “will’s” (all but one are verbs in the future tense)

“The day of the Lord WILL COME”

understood as a result of an event

The heavens WILL PASS AWAY

literally means: to go out of existence

“and the heavenly bodies WILL BE BURNED UP”

TO undergo combustion

(the heavenly bodies will be “DISSOLVED”

to break into parts or lose cohesion.

“the earth and the works done on it WILL BE EXPOSED”

To be discovered

some translations say “burned up”

burned up (1 Cor 3:13)

here we see discovered

seen by God (Rom 8) The earth “set free from bondage of corruption”

The earth (whether made new or made whole) will not be the same

The real question is: What effect should that have on your life?

2 Peter 3:11 ESV

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved...”

NASB - "Since all these thing are to be destroyed in this way (see verse 10)

“What sort of people ought you to be”

Then he narrows the focus “in lives of holiness and godliness”

You see, once we get verse 10 through our thick skulls we realize that THIS SHOULD CHANGE HOW WE SEE OUR LIVES!

Consider this before you answer.

2 Peter 3:12 ESV

waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

No “Sunday School” answers allowed. (Know where you stand and why!)

The Day of the Lord: with this as the subject in focus we are

Waiting and hastening (waiting with EAGER ANTICIPATION)

reiterates verse 10

heavens and heavenly bodies will be burned up

All of these things will one day be gone!

If that was the end of the story, we might have cause to say live it up!

But that’s not the end...

2 Peter 3:13 ESV

But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

We realize that all this must be dissolved but that only a means to what we are really waiting for.

NEW HEAVEN and NEW EARTH

in which righteousness dwells

righteousness is personified

describing the new nature of people

(as opposed to our fallen nature)

Live in the present with the end in mind.

2 Peter 3:14 ESV

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

Therefore- the truth should have an impact on your life.

beloved - this question should be answered by EVERY christian.

be deligent -

“be found by Him”

“without spot or blemish”

(be found) “at peace”

Closing Prayer