2 Peter 3:8-14
The verses of 2 Peter 3:8-14 are interesting in regard to the information that is being provided. There are very many that believe it is one of the very few places in the Bible that provides some detail about the time after "death" has been done away with and when all those who have received the promise of eternity begin their everlasting life. But this is not the meaning that these verses are conveying. The numbers in yellow are Strong numbers that will provide interpretations for words or terms that are crucial to have a good understanding of these verses.
2Pe 3:8 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.
2Pe 3:9 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.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass awayG3928 with a great noiseG4500, and the elementsG4747 shall meltG3089 with fervent heat, the earthG1093 also and the works that are therein shall be burned upG2618.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolvedG3089, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved G3089, and the elements G4747 shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
We have been greatly blessed by being given an authentic or valid period of time that these verses are relating to. It is the day of the Lord and also called in verse 12 the day of God. The time of the "day of the Lord" has been clearly made apparent. There are 23 times that the term is used in the Old Testament and 4 times in the New Testament. One N. T. verse refers to the day of the Lord coming as a "thief in the night". Every single one of the other 26 verses deal with the end time fierceness of the wrath of God. The following are descriptions used by these 26 verses. Proud brought low, destruction, wrath, fierce anger, lay desolate, vengeance, recompenses, none escape, enemy consumed, battle, cloudy day, alarm, tremble, darkness, terrible, valley of judgment, not light, sacrifice, punish, fire, riddance, spoil divided, dreadful day, notable day, destruction of the flesh, and finely --- may be hid.
That day of fierce anger and wrath will come at the prescribed time!
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rev 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs (about 200 miles).
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
It is impossible to surpass the description that the above verses offer in describing the "day of the Lord". It is a "day" that the world has been waiting for, for 6,000 years.
The King James Version of the Bible has a history of blatantly miss translating very crucial words. But not here. Their error was not using the available translations for words that would provide a context for the time of the "day of the Lord". The "earth" is not going to be burned up (on the day of the Lord) as the KJV and other translations of 2 Peter 3:10 that have lead many to believe. What follows are the translations for the highlighted words that relate to the time of the day of the Lord and information relating to the words.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass awayG3928
G3928 par-er'-khom-ahee ; pass away From G3844 and G2064; to come near or aside, that is, to approach (arrive), go by (or away), (figuratively) perish or neglect,
Many years ago, I took notice of the words provided by Isaiah as recorded in Isa.34:4 and I had an initial thought. It was that the "stars" looked to be falling to the ground. They don't disappear!
Isa 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be (dissolved?) [the word "dissolved" doesn't fit with a falling fig. It turns out that dissolved should be rendered flow as revealed by the Gesenius' Lexicon], and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
So it seems that the host of heaven will flow or fall as a fig falls from a fig tree. This indicates that the angle of the earth axis will have to change to accommodate such an event. There are many Biblical references to this event. The following is just one. (see New Heaven & New Earth paper for details)
Isa 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
Continuing verse 10 --- with a great noiseG4500
G4500 hroyd-zay-don' Adverb from a derivative of ῥοῖζος rhoizos (a whir); whizzingly, that is, with a crash: - with a great noise.
This change in axis will create a loud whirring sound. The elements will not be the billions of stars.
Continuing on --- and the elementsG4747 shall melt
G4747 stoy-khi'-on Neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of G4748; something orderly in arrangement, that is, (by implication) a serial (basal, fundamental, initial) constituent (literally), proposition (figuratively): - element, principle, rudiment.
As per the Index of Objects Launched into Outer Space which is prepared by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), 4,987 satellites revolved around the Earth’s orbit during the start of this year. I don't know anything more "orderly in arrangement" in our heavens than the precisely placed satellites in their precise positions. The demise of the satellites occur by a change in the earth's axis. Notice that the world observing the dead bodies of the two witnesses (satellites in position) must be contrasted to having to send the escapees to declare God's "glory" to the nations (after the satellites are destroyed) as made apparent in Rev. 11:9 and Isa.66:19. The axis change puts an end to them.
Continuing on --- shall meltG3089 with fervent heat
G3089 loo'-o A primary verb; to “loosen” (literally or figuratively): - break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-) loose, melt, put off. Compare G4486.
Yes, the satellites will be broken up and destroyed! And they may even melt by the heat generated by the rotation of the axis of the earth. This might be the time the heat of the sun increases sevenfold.
Continuing --- the earthG1093
G1093 ghay Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application): - country, earth (-ly), ground, land, world.
It is very important to recognize that this word can refer to a region.
Continuing --- also and the works that are therein shall be burned upG2618
G2618 kat-ak-ah'ee-o From G2596 and G2545; to burn down (to the ground), that is, consume wholly: - burn (up, utterly).
We know the earth will not be utterly burned up at the time of the day of the Lord. There will be a region that will be utterly burned within the time of God's vengeance. This place is Biblically called Babylon the Great and is and will be the headquarters of the false prophet.
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 18:8 because of this, in one day, shall come her plagues, death, and sorrow, and famine; and in fire she shall be utterly burned, because strong is the Lord God who is judging her;
When the remnant return to Jerusalem they will not find a city that is "utterly burned".
Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Isa 65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
Isa 65:19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
The context of Isaiah 65 is the time of the beginning of the millennium.
Then finishing the verses of interest in 2Peter 3
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.