The Bible does not inform us about cyclical temperature changes but it does issue a clear and stark warning about a massive temperature change that will occur. In Peter’s second letter we read these words:
“But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are stored up for fire until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly” (2 Peter 3:7 ESV).
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).
These statements are very clear. There will be a cataclysmic intervention of God that will bring a burning up of the present earth and the heavens. There is nothing that world leaders and governments can do to stop this; it is in God’s programme.
Why is this message not well known? Why is not at the forefront of people’s minds?
Choose the right voice to listen to
In the first century, when Peter wrote his letter, just as now, there was a predominant view that everything had always gone on the same way and always would. That is to say, they had a uniformitarian worldview, believing that there had been no divine intervention in the past and there would not be one in the future.
Peter knew the danger and foolishness of this thinking and he wrote his letter to encourage the recipients to listen to the right voice.
Firstly, they were called to remember the consistent message spoken by the holy prophets, recorded in the Old Testament, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour (Jesus Christ) spoken by the Apostles, recorded for us now in the New Testament.
Then he reminded them:
“knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Peter 3:3 ESV).
The “last days” means the period of time between the first coming of Christ and His second coming. It was to be a time marked by a ridiculing of those who proclaim a message of coming judgement, so no one should be surprised at the scoffing and mockery that surrounds any proclamation of this tumultuous event.
A significant reason for this derision is not because of a lack of evidence, nor because of the poor quality of the testimony, but it is so people can follow their own sinful desires. If there is no future judgement, no dreadful involvement of God, then individuals need not fear any consequences for their behaviour and can live without thought of accountability.
However there are two major supernatural works of God that Peter goes on to speak about that were denied then and still are now: God’s miraculous work in Creation and the judgement of a worldwide flood.
Recall world history
Those who mock are wilfully ignorant or deliberately overlook these two important events.
“For this they wilfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water” (2 Peter 3:5-6).
God created the whole world. In the book of Genesis we read that the earth was formed out of water and by water. God shaped the earth between two areas of watery mass. His all-powerful word made it and holds it together.
In Genesis chapters 6-9 we read that God destroyed the old world with the water that surrounded it. God used the water below, causing it to burst forth, overrunning its banks, and God sent the water from above crashing down upon the earth. Water came from everywhere. So all things have not continued as they were from the beginning, and they will not continue as they are.
So why, with all this mockery, has God not brought destruction and judgement?
Consider God’s character
There are two very important characteristics of God that we need to be aware of.
God is outside of time.
“with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8).
Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all the same to Him. From our viewpoint 2,000 years seems a long time, but with God this is not long. We cannot confine God to time. He is not indifferent, and He is neither idle not powerless to act; rather, His timetable is different from ours.
God is patient.
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV).
God has an immense capacity for patience before He breaks forth in judgement. God endures seemingly endless blasphemies, rebellion and disobedience against His name. It is not weakness or slackness that delays final judgement; it is patience.
At this present time He has a desire for all to come to the point of repentance towards Him. To repent towards God means to agree with Him and turn from selfish, ungodly living, and is to be coupled with confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and trusting in Him as Saviour (see Romans 10:9,10).
This period, during which God is displaying such patience, will come to an end; we do not know when, but the correct response is to take immediate action and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation. For those who do not act an awful eternal doom awaits, but for those who do there is a great hope:
“Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
