Day 333

Daniel 6:1-28; 2 Peter 3:1-18; Psalm 119:129-152; Proverbs 28:21-22

AS WE CONCLUDED 2 Peter today, we brushed against the apocalyptic worldview of the time. Reduced to its essentials, this view claimed that the world, as it was known, was changing —a new era was dawning. The change would eventually bring great unrest and challenge, but in the midst of it, rescue would come and something new would be born.

Sound familiar? That is because we, too, share this apocalyptic worldview.

The belief was interwoven with the culture into which Jesus came, and it was the kind of language He used when teaching the immediacy of God’s Kingdom.

As modern Christians, we understand that a couple of millennia have passed since the time of Jesus. We accept that the time of the apocalypse is unknown, but we live with the conviction that we are moving toward an ultimate destiny. And so each generation considers the world’s trajectory in light of apocalyptic teachings.

But what does this have to do with the conclusion of 2 Peter?

Even though we generally share an apocalyptic worldview in terms of ultimate destiny, those to whom Peter wrote in the first century weren’t looking to the distant future. They thought the return of Jesus was imminent.

In the decades following Jesus’ life, His followers taught that Christ would soon return and reveal Himself, ushering in the Kingdom of God and ultimately revealing a new heaven and a new earth. Because this theme is pervasive throughout the New Testament, we find ourselves awaiting the same thing.

Unfortunately, by the time of Peter’s writing, years had passed, and Jesus had not returned. What was supposed to happen hadn’t. This left a problem in need of clarity and revelation. Peter acknowledged the issue and spoke to it as he brought his letter to a close:

I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 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.” . . .

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. 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.

According to Peter, God is not being slow about fulfilling His promises; we’re being impatient. To make matters more convicting, we’re being impatient about God’s patience. This is exceptional insight and perspective for we who are waiting on the Lord. Our Father doesn’t want to lose anyone, and He’s entrusted us to reveal this Good News! When we live by faith and endure resistance, we’re collaborating with God in His redemptive work in the world. Therefore we endure for the sake of the world.

The next time we find ourselves simmering with impatience, let’s remember God’s patience. Had He not been patient, we would never have known Him. This should humble us and give us a reason to endure. Our endurance reveals God’s patience, and God’s patience provides opportunity for those who have not yet heard the Good News to enter into eternal life.

MEDITATION:

Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them! The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.