MP3: Traveling Down the Rapture Road in 2 Peter, Lesson 7
Hosts: Nathan Jones & Vic Batista
Continue traveling down the Rapture Road with Nathan Jones and Vic Batista in this verse-by-verse study of the incredibly prophetic book of 2 Peter! You can start at the beginning with Part 1 or listen in to The Truth Will Set You Free podcast (above).
The Home of Righteousness
Vic Batista: We have been making our way through a small but powerful book which is the prophetic book of 2 Peter. We’ve now reached the topic in chapter three about the Day of the Lord. Second Peter 3:10-13 reads:
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
Nathan Jones: We are students of the Word of God here. Every student has a teacher, and that teacher once had a teacher, going back 2,000 years to what Jesus taught the Apostle Peter. How amazing to think that what we have just learned today is due to what the Holy Spirit spoke to Peter! Peter learned from sitting before Jesus Himself and the Holy Spirit continued the training after Christ’s ascension.
In this second letter that Peter wrote to the churches he founded, he wanted the people to know that there would be difficulties ahead. A number of these difficulties would stem especially from a prolific amount false teachers who were used by Satan to attempt to water down the Word of God. Justice seekers would be pleased to learn that eventually these evil people would be judged during the Day of the Lord, meaning the coming seven-year Tribulation, when God will judge the whole world. Christians in this Church Age will never have to worry about living through the Tribulation due to the Rapture of the Church, that blessed event when Jesus comes and takes the Church to Heaven beforehand. So, Peter may be dealing with a difficult subject concerning the Day of the Lord, but he ends his discussion with blessing and hope.
Vic Batista: Hope can be found in every arena, even sometimes in difficult subjects such as the Day of the Lord and all the horrors that time will entail. For the Christian, there is always hope. A great divide exists between believers in Jesus Christ and non-believers. The first inherit eternal life and hope, while the latter inherit eternal death and hopelessness. In this passage, we find Peter encouraging believers in Christ.
Vic Batista: A great divide exists between believers in Jesus Christ and non-believers. The first inherit eternal life and hope, while the latter inherit eternal death and hopelessness. Click To TweetNathan Jones: Yes, in verse 13, as it reads in the NIV ’84:’ “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” What encouragement and hope!
In the twenty-third part of our faith journey down the Rapture Road through the book of 2 Peter, we’ll see what Peter has to say about last-day scoffers.
