Lesson 37

Second Peter

Warning against dangers facing the Church

Chapter 3

The Certainty of the Believers Hope – The Return of Christ

7. The correct interpretation must:

a. deal adequately with the context that is the refutation of uniformitarianism.

b. deal with the comparative established in these 2 clauses.

- say something meaningful, different but related

c. take into account the Biblical usage of “day.”

8. Day is used in Scripture 3 ways:

a. literal 24 hour day, or a solar day

1. Gen 1:3-31 during the 6 days of restoration

2. The Sabbath day Ex 20:10; 31:12-16 (given to Israel alone)

3. As a believer we are to live one day at a time, that is to take each day as a grace gift, an opportunity to glorify God as we apply His Word regardless of the external circumstances. Matt. 6:31-34; Rom 14:5,6

b. Less than 24 hours.

1. the moment of time we believed in Christ, 2 Cor. 6:2

2. the day of Christ, the Rapture Phil 1:6, 10, 2:16 (twinkling of an eye)

3. the day will show it 1 Cor. 3:13 the point of evaluation for each believer at JSC, the illumination of our f2 production

c. More than 24 hours

1. “Day of the Lord” or that day refers to the whole program of events including the 7 years of the Tribulation, the Second Advent and the entire millennial reign of Christ.

Isa 2:12; 13:6,9; Ezk 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:31; Isa 2:11; 2 Pet 3:10

2. “Day of God” 2 Pet 3:12 refers to the eternal state begins with the new heavens and earth

9. This verse demonstrates the completeness of OT chronology:

a. From Adam to the Flood = 1656 years (flood in 2304 B.C.)

b. Flood to Abraham = 290 years

c. From Abraham to Christ = 1948 years (1952 – 4 B.C.)

d. From Christ’s birth to the founding of the Church on the day of Pentecost in 33 A.D. = 37

- this yields a total of 3931 years (w`j) or 4 days of OT History.

10. 2 days are used to describe approximately 2 millennia before a third day in Hosea 6:2.

- The promise here is of the restoration of Israel.

- The first 2 days are the time of the dispersion of Israel, the intercalation period the time of the Church age.

- The 3^rd day is the millennium, the 1000 year reign of Christ Rev 20:2-3,7.

11. As a result we have approximately 7 days of human history.

Gentiles Israel Church Millennium

12. So approximately 1000 years is one prophetical day and vice versa.

13. As there were 7 literal days of restoration there will be approximately 7000 years of human history.

14. This understanding or interpretation fits the flow of the context which is blasting the F/T’s and their conclusions of uniformitarianism.

- its all the same in the past, disproved, all the same in the future, will disprove

15. This gives us a clue as to where we are in prophetic history, that is the night of the 6^th day just before the day dawns.

- if we recognize this we are spiritually awake as we noted in 1 Ths 5:1-11; 2 Pet 1:19 and Mal 4:1-3

3:9 The Reason for the delay, God’s patience in the Church age

The Lord is not slow about His promise,

- slow present active indicative of bradu,nw + the strong negative ouk

- The present tense spans the entire church age; the indicative mood points out the reality that this is a historical fact that will be no unnecessary delays in the POG.

as some count slowness,

- What Peter is doing here is exhorting believers saying, look beloved, don’t be duped by these scoffers the Lord has not forgotten His promise to you and here’s why!

but is patient toward you, in contrast to the delay God is really patient

- present active indicative of makroqume,w speaks of patience in dealing with people

- God’s patience or longsuffering has characterized God dealing with man from the beginning.

- Ex 34:6; Numb 14:8; Psa. 86:15; Jer 15:15; Jonah 4:2; Rom 2:4; 9:22; 1 Pet 3:20 (grace before judgment) will see it in 2 Pet 3:15

not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

- not wishing = mh, + present participle bou,lomai the word expresses the deliberate exercise of volition, here would be God’s choice

While it is His considered will that no one should be lost, yet in making man in His image He necessarily had to make him a free moral agent, with a will which is able to say “yes” and “no” to Him. While God is always willing to save man, man is not always willing to be saved.

but for all to come to repentance the but introduces His directive will for all mankind,

3:9 The Lord is not tardy concerning His promise as some (F/T’s) count slowness but is patient toward you, not desiring for anyone to perish (eternal judgment) but for all to come to a change of mind.