Stir up your Mind!
2 peter 3:1-10 Jesus is Coming back!! Next to faith, the return of Christ is the most discussed topic in the Bible 1,845 times mentioned or alluded One out of thirty verses One-fifth of the Bible deals with the end of days and/or the second coming For every one verse about His first coming, there are eight about His second coming Twenty-one times Jesus personally referred to it *Fifty times we are told to be ready for it
John 14:2-3
Look back at the scriptures Looking back at the prophets (“holy prophets”)
We become lethargic; or drowsy (spiritually) We need to be woken or stirred up Prophecy cure for spiritual drowsiness
The day of the Lord (see v. 10) Nineteen times in the Old Testament: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Joel, Amos Zephaniah, Zechariah Four times in the New Testament God dramatically and miraculously intervenes in human history: bringing the greatest distress the world has ever known culminate in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Old Testament references: Isaiah 13:6; Jeremiah 46:10; Amos 5:18: Isaiah 13:6 NASB Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Jeremiah 46:10 NASB For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of hosts, A day of vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His foes; And the sword will devour and be satiated And drink its fill of their blood; For there will be a slaughter for the Lord GOD of hosts, In the land of the north by the river Euphrates. Amos 5:18 NASB Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light; New Testament references: Jesus’ teachings : Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; Apostles’ Records: 1 Thessalonians 5; 2 Thessalonians 1-2; Revelation 6-19 Memorize Men’s study Martin Luther
Look around at the scoffers The prophets predicted scoffers and mockers Isaiah 5; Jeremiah 17; Ezekiel 12; Malachi 2 A scoffer: is someone who treats lightly what should be taken seriously Dictionary - someone who laughs and speaks about a person or idea in a way that shows that they think that person or idea is stupid or silly We’ve all met them Scoffers - living for their temporary pleasures …dismiss talk of God's judgment and accountability
Scoffer’s Worldview They say we live in a closed, naturalistic system, and events move along without any kind of cataclysmic event from heaven Uniformitarianism; the present philosophy in “science” and culture – a doctrine! Present is the key to the past Geology 101 Incorrect – 1) the Creation; 2) the Flood; 3) excludes Providential work and care of God 2 Peter 3:3-4
Biblical Worldview we live in an open system where God is at work Verse 5: the creation account in a single verse: God shaped the earth between two areas of watery mass Genesis 1:6-10 Water part of the original creation and became part of the original destruction (see v. 6)
Flooded (v. 6) Greek word katakluzó; it was a punctuated event where God interrupted the flow of history The flood - explains otherwise inexplicable things in the natural world: Inland seas - worldwide Coal deposits – worldwide Fossil record Sea life fossils in Himalaya
2 Peter 3:5
Look ahead for our saviour 2 Peter 3:8
What seems to us like a long time is a short time to God Why is it taking so long? God not affected by time - counts things differently 2000 yrs ~ 2 days Little boy His patience is not shortened: merciful! – good news for you & me – unbelieving loved ones. His promise is not slack: God is merciful, but is punctual Longsuffering is the Greek word makrothumeó Makro – (macro = big, large) + thumeó - to burn, or literally, temper God withholds his wrath until He finally spills it out in judgment Exodus 34:5-8 NKJV