Last Days

An important reminder.  That is how Peter describes this second letter.  He knew that it was important to remind his readers of the scriptural message.  He knew that there would be opposition to the gospel message. 

2 Peter 3:3 tells us “knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.” 

Let me point out “last days” does not mean “end of times”.  “Last days” is specifically the time between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming.  He is pointing out in this verse that Christians shouldn’t be surprised when someone scoffs at the idea of Jesus coming again.  These people will do their best to distract us, feeding our fears and unbelief.  These scoffers will make light of sin, mock the salvation that is offered by Jesus.  They believe that this is the only life, that there is nothing in the hereafter, and thus enjoy, indulge and have the mentality of “eat, drink and be merry.”  They don’t believe that Jesus will come back.  But I know in my heart of hearts, He WILL come back.    Charles Spurgeon said this:  “Every time a blasphemer opens his mouth to deny the truth of revelation, he will help confirm us in our conviction of the very truth which he denies.  The Holy Ghost told us, by the pen of Peter, that it would be so; and now we see how truly he wrote.”  Have you ever faced this kind of opposition?  I have.  Each time, it just makes that knowledge in my heart stronger.  I know the feeling that Spurgeon speaks about. 

So, what does Peter say about the second coming?  Well, let’s look at verse 10.  It says, “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.”  Personally, I think Jesus hasn’t returned because of God’s true love of his people.  He wants his people to love him, to come to Jesus.  But, he is going to come back.  It says in this verse that he will come back like a “thief in the night.”  That means we aren’t going to know when.  It’s going to be a surprise.  It could be today.  Peter also tells us that there will be a transformation of this world.  Heavens will pass away and be burned up and dissolved (this means by fire).  He goes on to tell us this in verse 13, “but according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

So, what are we to do in the mean time?  Well, Peter tells us in verses 12 and 14 to “wait with patience” and to be “diligent”.  But he also issues a warning in verse 16, “There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.”  He wants us to be wary of those who try to twist the scriptures to say what they want it to say, to mean what they want it to mean.  But, his final words to us are that we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.”  (verse 18)