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    2 Peter 3:1-10
    Lesson 455

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this Lesson:
     
    The Day of the Lord, the Second Coming. 
     
    Scoffers (8:3-7).
     
    What is God waiting for (3:8-9)?
     
    Many Bible scholars consider verse 3:9 as one of the key passages in the New Testament.

    The Second Coming.
     
    By an unknown artist.
    Study Tip:  
     
    Write your own chapter titles describing the main topic in each passage.

    The Second Epistle of Peter

    The King James Bible    ​




    2 Peter 3:1-10
    The Second Coming
     
    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.

    ​

    ​Margin notes:
     
    "This second epistle." (3:1) - "This second letter."  First Peter was written three years earlier.
     
    "I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance." (3:1) - "I'm refreshing your memory."  Peter also felt it necessary to refresh his reader's memories in 2 Peter 1:13.
     
    "Be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets." (3:2) - "Remember the words spoken by the Holy Prophets."  Peter is referring to the prophets of the Old Testament.  A similar reminder can be found in Jude 1:17.
     
    "The last days." (3:3) - The last days began when Christ was born in Bethlehem.  His birth ended the Mosaic era and ushered in the New Testament era.  The last days will continue until Christ returns.  This warning against "scoffers" will be repeated in Jude 1:18-19.
     
    "Walking after their own lusts." (3:3) - "Pursuing their own lusts."
     
    "Since the fathers fell asleep." (3:4) - "Since our ancestors died."
     
    "They willingly are ignorant of." (3:5) - Means they make no effort to know the word of God.
     
    "By the word of God the heavens were of old." (3:5) - "By the word of God the heavens were created long ago."  Christians believe God created everything "through faith" (Hebrews 11:3).
     
    "The earth standing out of the water and in the water." (3:5) - "The earth (dry land) emerged from water and is surrounded by water."  A reference to the creation of the earth (Genesis 1:6-10).
     
    "The world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." (3:6) - "The world, as it was then, was flooded and destroyed. A reference to the flood of Noah's time (Genesis 7:11-8:22).
     
    "Reserved unto fire against the day of judgment." (3:7) - The final day will be framed by fire (Malachi 4:1; Revelation 20:15).
     
    "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years." (3:8) - Psalm 90:4 tells us the same thing.  It teaches us that God works on His own schedule.
     
    "A thousand years as one day." (3:8) - If a thousand years is one day to God, then to Him, Jesus was crucified two days ago.
     
    "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise." (3:9) - "The Lord is not slow (late) in fulfilling His promise" (Deuteronomy 7:10). 
     
    "But is longsuffering to us-ward." (3:9) - "But is patient toward us."  It isn't because Christ is slow that He hasn't returned.  It's because He's patient.  How has God been patient with you?
     
    "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night." (3:10) - A thief doesn't announce when he's coming.  He arrives unexpectedly.  Likewise, no one knows when Jesus will return (Matthew 24:35-36; 24:43-44; 1 Thessalonians 5:2).
     
    "With fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (3:10) - "With intense heat, the earth and everything on it will be burned up."
    To read what Jesus said about His Second Coming see Matthew 24:1-51; Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36.


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    2 Peter 3:1-10
    The Day of the Lord Is Coming
     
    1 This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory.

    2 I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.
     
    3 Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.

    4 They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created."
     
    5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.

    6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood.

    7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.
     
    8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.

    9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

    10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

    ​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version." 
    Today's question:
     
    1. What do the "apostles of the Lord" teach about the Second Coming (3:2)? 
     
     
     
     
    Strengthen your relationship with God.  Study the Bible and apply it to your life.
    Answer: (Do you agree?)
     
    1. "The apostles of Christ filled the 260 chapters of the New Testament with about 300 references to the Second Coming.  New Testament revelation concerning (1) Christ coming to gather His own, (2) warnings about eschatological judgments, (3) information about the establishment of His kingdom, and (4) teaching about God's bringing in eternal righteousness, comprise the irrefutable proof for the Second Coming of Christ and the judgment of the wicked. 
     
    (From The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; page 1939) 
     
     
     
    Application thought for the day:
     
    The Lord is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (3:9).
    What could you do that takes priority over building a relationship with Christ?
    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke.  Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible."  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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