“Know this first, that there shall come scoffers in the last days who walk after their own lusts, and say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were since the beginning of the creation.” For they willingly ignore that, by the word of God the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed standing out of the water and in the water, by which the world that then existed was flooded with water and perished. But by the same word, the heavens and the earth that now exist are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as one thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness… But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat. The earth also and the works that are in it will be burned up.”

~ 2 Peter 3:3-8 & 10 MEV

Old Testament Study: Genesis 6-7

These words were written by an aged Apostle Peter from Rome. He was not there as pope, as some imagine. He was there as “a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). And Jesus said, “If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). This was Peter’s manner of life: to follow obediently after Jesus Christ. Rome was not where Peter was given the papacy, it was the final place the Lord called him to serve before he went home to be with the Lord Jesus. Rome was also the place of Peter’s martyrdom by cruxifixction. And a man who dies believing what he lived and preached is worth listening to, because he valued what he believed more than his own life.

In this passage Peter speaks about scoffers, people who mock those who hope in God and who believe what the Bible says. Peter says they walk after their own lusts—they do whatever pleases them and they do not fear God or believe that they will be held accountable for any of their words or actions. They have no authority but their own will. They are lawless and wicked. The Apostle John describes them in Revelation 22:15 as “dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolators and everyone who loves and practices a lie.”

Why do you think that music and entertainment and social media parade all these kinds of things as if they were good? Why do you think that evil things happen in this world? Perhaps some terrible things have happened to you. Do not be angry at God who gives free will to human beings, for love can only be born from a free heart with a free will—yet so can evil. Know that it is the Devil who “walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). If Satan cannot tempt you with evil, he will plague you with it.

Does any of this prick your heart because deep down you know you’ve given a place in your heart to some of this, even in a small way? That’s good! It is God speaking to you through your conscience. It means you are still sensitive to Him. If that’s you, ask Him to give you a repentant heart, and so cease from rebellion against God! “He is patient with us, because He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance”! (2 Peter 3:9).

The reason I share this section of Scripture from the New Testament is because it is vitally important to understand that we do not live in forever bodies on a forever earth. These bodies we live in are appointed to die and this planet we live on, even the whole universe we float about in, is appointed to end as we know it. We do not have all the time in the world. We each have a finite amount of time left on earth and even the earth has a finite amount of time left as does the whole heavens—the solar system, the stars, the galaxies.

The good news is that it won’t truly be the end, because God is going to resurrect His creation—the universe, the earth, and every person who has ever lived. Jesus’ death and resurrection was the covenant promise that God will not leave His creation dead.

BUT, this does not mean that all will experience the joy of this resurrection; in fact, some will experience the horror of the gift of eternal life without the eternal God. Jesus warned of this many times throughout His earthly ministry. He spoke of a time when the the nations will be gathered before Him when time on this earth is no more, and He will separate the saved from the damned, the righteous from the unrighteous, the godly from the ungodly (Matthew 25:31-32). Yet the terrifying reality is that it is not merely the most wicked and evil people in our minds who will be cut off from eternal life. The defining characteristic of those whom Jesus rejects are those who do not know Him. They reject Him by failing to begin a relationship with Him, and so He tells them, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12).

Many will be surprised by the judgment Jesus assigns to them because they never took the time to know Him and walk with Him—to the best of their ability. For He also said, “That servant who knew his master’s will, but did not prepare himself or do according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who unknowingly committed acts worthy of punishment shall be beaten with few stripes. For to whom much is given, of him much shall be required. And from him to whom much was entrusted, much will be asked” (Luke 12:47-48).

Lastly, there are two defining characteristics of those whom Jesus separates as His own: they love Him and they love others! This is not a love untethered from relationship nor from truth. It is a love found in relationship with our Creator, and by knowing His Word we know Him, by following His Spirit we walk with Him. His love will beckon us to spend time with Him and it will always compel us to enter into the lives of others with the Love and Word and Spirit of God.

Almighty God, as a good Father You have given so much to us and You have instructed us in the way of Life by Your Word, by Your Son, and by those to whom You entrusted to bring that word to us. Forgive us our sins and cleanse our hearts of all that is abhorrent to You. Make us fit, O Father, to live in Your Presence and to walk with Your Son. Grant us the peace and assurance of knowing that You know us and that we know You, and that because of You we have been given eternal life not eternal death. Fix our spiritual eyes on that which is eternal, and give us the courage and faith to turn away from that which is fleeting and temporary. Give us hearts for Your precious people, made in Your image, even those who mock and scoff at You and at us—save those who we least expect. All for Your glory, Father, in JESUS’ Name we pray. Amen.