9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:9-10 KJV)
The Day of the Lord
We are told that the Lord is not slow—He does not delay beyond the appointed time. Just as God kept the exact day He had appointed for delivering Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 12:41), so He will keep the day appointed to judge the world. There’s a clear difference between how God sees time and how people do. God sets His own time, and He will not fail to keep it. Ungodly people accuse God of negligence, as though He has missed His moment or forgotten His promise, but the apostle assures us otherwise.
What people call delay is actually God’s patience toward us (2 Peter 3:9). He is giving more time to those He has chosen before the foundation of the world, many of whom are not yet converted. Those already in a state of grace are being given time to grow in knowledge, holiness, and faith, and to become more fit for heaven through obedience, perseverance, and good works. God is not willing that any of them should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Repentance is absolutely necessary for salvation—“Unless you repent, you will all perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). God takes no pleasure in the death of sinners (Ezekiel 18:23). Though His main purpose in showing patience is to bless those chosen for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13), His goodness naturally calls everyone it touches to repentance (Romans 2:4). If people remain unrepentant when God gives them time to repent, He will judge them more severely. The main reason He delays His coming is because the number of His elect is not yet complete.
So do not misuse God’s patience by living in sin. Don’t presume you have time or continue securely in an unconverted, unrepentant state, like the man who said, “My master is delaying his coming” (Matthew 24:48), lest Christ come suddenly and catch you unprepared. The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (2 Peter 3:10).
Its coming is certain. Although it’s been over 1,600 years since this letter was written and the day hasn’t yet come, it will surely come. God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31), and He will keep His appointment. “It is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). So settle it in your hearts that this day will come, and you will give an account of everything done in the body, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10). Let your careful conduct and frequent self-examination show your belief in this judgment—especially in a world where many live as though there will be none.
Its coming will be sudden. It will be like a thief in the night—when people are asleep, unaware, and secure. At midnight there was a cry, “Here’s the bridegroom!” (Matthew 25:6), and even the wise were asleep. The Lord will come at an unexpected hour. People will think it the most unlikely time, and so be most secure—yet that is exactly when He will come. Don’t push the thought of that day far from you. The further off it seems to the world, the closer it actually may be.
Its coming will be solemn. The heavens will pass away with a loud noise. The visible heavens will undergo a sudden and mighty change, vanishing with a roar, as though a massive structure had collapsed. The elements will melt with intense heat. A consuming fire will go before the Lord, melting even the foundational materials of creation.
The earth and everything in it will be burned up. Not just nature but every human achievement—palaces, gardens, all the objects of worldly affection—will be destroyed. Everything that sin has touched must go through the fire. For the ungodly, it will be destruction. But for the works of God, it may be a refining fire, making the world clearer for the saints to see God’s glory more fully.
How different the second coming of Christ will be from His first! That was called the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5)—how much more dreadful will His return for judgment be? May we be wise enough to prepare, so it won’t be a day of wrath and destruction for us. What will happen to those who have set their hearts on this world, when everything here is going to be destroyed? Seek happiness beyond this visible world, for all of it will be melted down.