The student of Bible prophecy from the pre-Trib perspective can spiritually sense it. This generation is bumping up against the extreme edge of the end of the age.
Although the Apostle Peter was given Holy Spirit foreknowledge of the time I believe we are now a part of, he had no way of knowing the expansive time frame that was involved in his prophecy.
He wrote in one intensively compact burst of inspiration the entire scope of history yet future from the time of his writing. It came out as the following:
2 Peter 3:9-14 KJV – “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. 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. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”
That sweeping vista of the future is stunning when we stop to contemplate it, study it, and dissect it!
The great apostle, emerging out of the shores of the Galilee and other fishing holes of the time as a simple fisherman, was given by the Holy Spirit the spectacular vista. It was a stupendous vision of earth’s timeline that will conclude with God’s entire creation being completely dissolved, then remade into the perfection He first produced.
Peter begins by addressing, it seems, the question so many of us who watch current evil machinations are asking today: “How long, oh Lord?” Why is God taking so much time to deal with the wickedness that is causing all of humanity to spiral downward so rapidly?
God had Peter write those words because He isn’t willing for a single person to perish—that is, perish eternally, with their soul being lost forever, apart from God.
When we look at that single line Peter was directed to write, we can get a look into our God’s wonderful character—His matchless love for each individual ever to be allowed into the world in the human birth process.
He is having Peter tell us that this is the reason He seems slow to anger, slow to punish with judgment and wrath. We can, as believers who hold to Luke 21:28, Titus 2:13, and other such scriptural encouragements, look to Peter’s words to get some degree of understanding of why He lets things become increasingly wicked.
What we are really saying—I guess I should say, “what yours truly is really saying”—when posing the question is: “Why doesn’t the Lord act against this evil as I think he should?” Or “Why doesn’t the Lord hurry up and call us to be with Him in the Rapture?”
The next thing that pops into the gray matter, then, is: “Do you really not care that so many will have to face the evil of Antichrist and the Tribulation following that thief-in-the-night moment?” It’s a humbling prodding by the Holy Spirit. We should try our best to think as our Lord does. After all, He indwells us and has given us the ability to do so.
He further gives Peter the words to pass along in the form of a question:
What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God?
Part of looking for the soon coming of our Lord should be, I am convicted, to have compassion for those about whom we often feel quite the opposite. Godliness, you see, is not being willing for anyone to perish, but wanting all to come to repentance.
This is a truth from the heart and mind of God that I truly will have to get serious about as we proceed into that dark future Mr. Biden has forewarned. It won’t be easy; there is much uneasiness as we consider prophetic developments. But the Holy Spirit has given Peter the words from which we must not turn away.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
This is the manner in which we should be—“in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God”—which, incidentally, comes as a thief in the night!
