II Peter 3:1-9
Clarification on the following verses: …scoffers … will say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (vv. 3-4) Essentially the scoffers (false leaders/teachers) are saying that, since the world has not changed since the beginning of creation, it is clear to them that God has not intervened. Jesus is not coming back. However, in the next two verses Peter reminds them of Noah and the flood – a major intervention by God – and …they deliberately overlook this fact… (v. 5a)
Today’s last verse is really sweet: The Lord is … patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (v. 9) Our loving Lord waits and waits for us to repent – presumably He only takes “sinners” when He sees that their heart will forever be steadfast against Him. This verse brings to mind an incident in my life. My mother was killed in a car-train accident, a really horrible conflagration (I’ll leave out the details). However, in the crush and the flames my younger brother was spared. My mother was ready to go, but my brother was not. He later came to the Lord and remains a believer today.
Slava Bohu!