2 Peter 3:1-18
Thursday, 21 April 2022
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” -2 Peter 3:10
The blessed hope of every believer in Jesus Christ and the key doctrine that gives weight to many of the promises of the Bible is His Second Coming! Jesus Himself repeatedly confirmed that He is going to come again. In John 14:3: “……I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Concerning the precise time of His coming, Jesus cautioned the disciples in Acts 1:7 that it was not for them to know the time “which the Father has fixed by His own authority.” The Bible gives multiple assurances about the second coming of Christ. It is affirmed in Acts 17:31 that “He [GOD] has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
Another Scripture is Hebrews 9:28: “so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly wait for Him.” However, the primary purpose about the teaching of Second Coming is not to satisfy the curiosity of people, but to motivate us to change our lives. Rather than working for things that will ultimately be destroyed, we should work for things that are eternal. [NKJV Study Bible].
In our normal life, when somebody is nearing the time of retirement from his job, he will be looking forward to his retired life – in fact, his last few years he would be working towards ensuring a peaceful living for the remainder of his life! The Bible clearly states the following facts:
Jesus will come again to gather those who were waiting for Him
The exact date of His coming is not revealed to anybody
After His coming there will be judgement of the whole world
We have a responsibility to guide our lives in such a way that Jesus will find us acceptable!
Are we prepared to spend the remainder of our lives with Jesus in heaven?
The Bible reminds us that the period during which we await the coming of our Lord, is time spent with diligence. It is a time of expectation, a time of preparation and a time to make amends to the way of life!
In our reading today, verse14 says: “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.” Again verse 17 warns us “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your steadfastness.”
Many world events that would happen prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is happening now, leading the thinking mind to grasp the time frame that we live in. The steady move towards a one world government; changes in the world such as erratic climate, rising sea level, frequent earth quakes, numerous wars raging among several ethnicities, the increase of violence all over the world, the rise and fall of nations – all point to the fact that the stage is set for the climactic event of the return of Jesus Christ!
Jesus’ first coming was to save sinners, but, His second coming will be to gather saints! Heb.9:28 & Matt.24:41: “…and He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” Therefore, we are instructed to keep our steadfastness and to: “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2Peter 3:18
To Act on: Be ready for His coming!