12/11
2 Peter 3:3-4,8-9
3First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
The previous chapter predicted that false teachers would come, driven by a desire for pleasure and money. In this chapter Peter warns that scoffers would also come in the last days. This began in earnest about 150 years ago. We refer to it as the age of skeptical criticism. "Scoffers" is more to the point.
They argued that the world is on a slow and steady progressive path of evolutionary advancement. Now science is showing that cataclysmic events did occur in the earth's history. The earth did not slowly progress with only gradual changes but has had a violent past with sudden changes. Still man feels more comfortable to think of things going on with only gradual change. The return of Christ is the farthest thing from their minds. Twisted Bible interpretations lull lukewarm Christians into a false sense of security.
Peter warns us that it is the patience and love of God that keeps Jesus' return from taking place sooner. God's time and our time are quite different. These last two thousand years are merely two days to Him. His chief concern is the repentance of mankind. "Behold, I come quickly!" Revelation 22:7a Jesus said that just two days ago in God's perception of time. He is coming again, and that will bring a drastic and sudden change to all creation.
Consider: Whether He comes today or you live to 100 years of age, our time to invest in eternity is short. The scoffers argument is shortsighted and blind to the love of God.
