The apostle Peter deals with happenings specific to the heavens and the earth in the third chapter of his second epistle. This short study is intended to follow the text, and see what things we ought to expect at the coming of the great "day of God".

v 1-2 - This is Peter's second epistle, both structured for the purpose of reminding God's people of the words and commandments given through the prophets and apostles;

v 3-4 - In the last days (see Ac 2:17; Heb 1:2 for 'last days') scoffers will come, mocking the Lord's coming, declaring that nothing has changed since the beginning of creation;

v 5-6 - These scoffers have chosen to forget that by God's word the heavens and earth were made (Gen 1, 2), and by the same word, the world that formerly existed perished by water (Gen 6-9; 1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5). Notice, it was not the heavens (Gr. ouranos) and earth (Gr. ge) that were destroyed, but the world (Gr. kosmos) was destroyed. A contrast is established between the "ancient world" and Noah, the "ancient world" being the "world of the ungodly" and Noah being "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet 2:5). Without doubt, the destruction in the flood was upon men, not upon the heavens and earth (physical elements, planets, etc.);

v 7 - Two things are said about the heavens (Gr. ouranos) and the earth (Gr. en) for the present. They are 1) preserved (kept alive) by the same word, and 2) reserved (having a schedule appointment) for fire. When will this preservation be fulfilled and this reservation be realized? When "...the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" has come;

v 8-9 - Lest we be as the scoffers, we are reminded that God is not controlled by our time. He does not say "...one days is a thousand years..." ,inferring that we can count God's days by our millennium, but rather "...one day is as a thousand years..." The statement is to assure us that God will keep what He has spoken in His time, for "...the Lord is not slack concerning His promise..." The end has not come yet because He "...is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish...";

v 10 - "The day of the Lord" is a common phrase, appearing 30 times in the Bible, used to speak of a judgment. The day will come without warning, even "as a thief in the night". What will take place on this day? Notice the words used:

• "...the heavens (Gr. ouranos) will pass away with a great noise...";

• "...the elements (Gr. stoicheion) shall melt with fervent heat..."; "...the earth (Gr. ge) also and the works (Gr. ergon) that are therein shall be burned up".

Indeed, there will be a judgment against the world (ie. "ungodly men" - v 7), but that is not what verse 10 describes. At the very same time, the heavens (Gr. ouranos) and earth (Gr. ge) having been preserved and reserved for that time (v 7), the heavens will pass away, the elements (Gr. stoicheion) shall melt, the earth (Gr. ge) and its works (Gr. ergon) shall be burned up;

v 11-12 - Taking into account all that will happen on the day of the Lord (v 9), we must be sure to be holy in our conduct. If we are, we will anticipate this great "day of God". Again notice, because of this day, "...the heavens (Gr. ouranos) will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements (Gr. stoicheion) will melt with fervent heat";

v 13 - God has made a great promise, that upon the destruction of the present heavens and earth, a new heavens and earth will be revealed (Isa 62:22; 65:17; Rev 21:1, 27), where only righteousness dwells.

SOME DEFINITIONS
Following are some important words to properly understand this context:

• world (Gr. kosmos).....the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race;

• heavens (Gr. ouranos).....the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it, the universe;

• earth (Gr. ge).....the ground, the earth as a whole (ie. land and water);

• fire (Gr. pur).....fire;

• pass away (Gr. parerchomai).....to pass away, perish;

• elements (Gr. stoicheion).....the elements from which all things have come, the material causes of the universe, the heavenly bodies;

• melt (Gr. luo).....to unloose, destroy, dissolve, break down, do away with;

• fervent heat (Gr. kausoo).....to burn up, set fire to;

• works (Gr. ergon).....any product whatever, an act, deed, thing done;

• burned up (Gr. katakaio).....to burn up, consume by fire;

• dissolved (Gr. luo).....to unloose, destroy, melt, break down, do away with;

• on fire (Gr. puroo).....to burn with fire, to set on fire, kindle;

• melt (Gr. teko).....to make liquid, melt, to perish or become destroyed by melting.

FINAL REMARKS
2 Peter 3 clearly teaches that the "heavens", "elements", "earth" and "works therein" will "pass away" (v 10), "melt with fervent heat" (v 10), "be burned up" (v 10), "be dissolved" (v 11), "be dissolved, being on fire" (v 12), and "melt with fervent heat" (v 12). The present heavens and earth will be destroyed, at which time we look for the new heavens and earth to come (2 Peter 3:13; Rev 21:1; Isa 65:17; 66:22).

Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
Who was Bashemath's father? Genesis 26:34 says Elon the Hittite, while Genesis 36:2-3 says Ishmael. Is there a contradiction?