2Pe 3:1 This is now, beloved, the second epistle that I write unto you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by putting you in remembrance;
2 that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles:
3 knowing this first, that in the “last days” mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts,
4 and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God;
6 by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
Unbelieving Mockers ignore the fact that the old world was overflowed by water and perished. The flood was His coming in judgment.
7 but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
God had said in Genesis 9:11 that He would not destroy by a flood anymore.
The heavens and the earth are for the purpose of judging ungodly people using fire.
Here, although not always, the KJV translation I feel is more accurate as they translate the word as “Perdition” and not destruction in verse 7.
The actual Greek word (strong’s 684) can suggest ruin or loss and not necessarily destruction.
684. apwleia apoleia, ap-o’-li-a
from a presumed derivative of 622; ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal):–damnable(-nation), destruction, die, perdition, X perish, pernicious ways, waste.
So the current heavens and earth are “stored up” or reserved for fire, for the Day of Judgment and “perdition” of the ungodly.
As a confirmation we know that the wrath of God is being revealed against ungodliness in these last days, Rm 1:18.
Mockers did not recognize the Lords coming in judgment then, and they will not recognize it now.
If the judgment of the last days is recognized as not being by water but by “fire” then we need to understand what the fire is.
8 But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
This is similar to the truths expressed in 1 Cor 11:32.
1 Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Why would Peter include in this discussion about the Lord’s judgment an allusion to Gods desire that all should come to repentance? One consideration could be that the judgment here is not necessarily permanent but meant to bring about repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The “Coming of the Lord” was the judgment mentioned by the flood, and in the last days this judgment will not be by a flood but by fire.
As the topic continues Peter goes into a description of the “Day of the Lord”.
This suggests a link with the Lord’s coming using the agency of the thief and by the burning of the “fire” and the “Day of the Lord”.
So here and importantly the Coming of the Lord is associated with the Day of the Lord’s judgment.
This is however not the Second Coming of Jesus, because in the New Testament we have that defined for us in Heb 9:28 as a time of salvation.
Also because in the New Testament the second time Jesus is sent is clearly in Acts 3:19-21.
When discussing these types of topics it is key that we understand that Jesus comes to us for salvation Heb 9:28 in the Second Coming.
In the Day of the Lord the thief or devil comes or more appropriately is sent
.
This helps us differentiate one from the other.
Since Jesus said that the devil comes only to steal kill and destroy the end result of the event needs to be looked at in order to determine which event is being referred to.
Is the result of the visitation salvation or destruction? Fire of course implies destruction.
Matt 25:41 tells us that “eternal fire” was prepared for the Devil and His angels.
So we know that they exist in fire.
Mt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels:
2 Peter 2:4 Peter tells us that the Devil and His angels exist in Hell.
So we know that they exist in Hell.
2 Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Jesus puts the phrase “hell” and “fire” together as He describes the condition disobedient people can be cast into in Mark 9:47.
Mr 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
So in the last days (2 Pet 3:3) disobedient mankind can be sent to where the Devil and His angels are.
In that place mankind is subject to the burning action of fire which removes earthly works.
Earthy works develop from earthy thoughts which are said to be or demonic origin.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
If we enter demonic temptation we can be sent to where the demons exist, as discipline.
So, as we are judged in this lifetime we can be exposed to Hell fire and we do not come out until we have made recompense, Matt 5:26.
After physical death a person cannot come out of Hell, Lk 16:26.
Jesus said that both “body” (referring to this lifetime) and soul (referring to this lifetime and beyond) could be destroyed in Hell, Mt 1028.
Mt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Here it is indicated that when Jesus comes for the judgment called “the day of the Lord”, He employs the fire which consists of the devil and His angels, who inhabit Hell.
The fire that they occupy is the same fire that is used to accomplish the burning which occurs on the Day of the Lord, in 2 Peter 3:10.
2 Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
In 2 Peter 3:10 we are told that on the Day of the Lord the devil and His Angels come as a thief and we know that He comes only to steal etc., Jn 10:10.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Judgment during the last days will be by the “fire” referred to as the “thief in the night”.
This is the Devil and His angels or “Hell fire”. This is the place or state in which they exist.
We know that “eternal fire” was prepared for the Devil and His angels from Matt 25:41.
We also know that they are located or exist in Hell as 2 Peter 2:4 shows.
Meaning that the fire referred to is Hell fire.
Mt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels:
So we know that the Devil and His angels are in eternal fire from Matt 25:41, and from 2 Peter 2:4 we know that they are in Hell.
The Devil and His angels exist in Hell and eternal fire, and the fire is reserved for judgment in the last days.
The Lord uses them (those in the fire) to judge people in the last days.
So the Devil and His angels exist in the fire, and they are in a place called Hell and are used for judgment purposes.
This does not refer to the judgment of the Devil and His angel’s. It refers to the judgment of mankind on the earth in the last days.
Mankind is judged when Hell fire is allowed to touch their lives.
In addition to Matt 25:41, refer to the tongue being set on fire by Hell, James 3:6.
Now, continuing from verse 10 –
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness.
The word melt (v 10 KJV) and dissolved (v 11 KJV) are the same Greek word and the definition is pasted below, it literally means to be loosed.
So we have the elemental things (earthly works) being loosed or put off by the fire.
3089. luw luo, loo’-o
a primary verb; to “loosen” (literally or figuratively):–break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-)loose, melt, put off.
The same word for loosed is used by Jesus when He raised Lazarus from the dead (Col 3:1 Christians are now imitating Jesus resurrection).)
Keep in mind here that we as Christians are to walk as Jesus walked. This includes walking in the resurrected life as Romans 6 and Colossians 3:1 refer.
Jesus raised Lazarus then instructed that He be loosed from grave-clothes.
In summary then we see that the Judgment called the Day of the Lord is in the last days accomplished by the fire, consisting of the Devil and His angels, and their function in the judgment of God’s people is to loose them from their grave clothes.
They accomplish this under the Lord’s supervision of course as the name “Day of the Lord” suggests.
Eze 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod (discipline them), and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; (ASV)
12 looking for and “earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God”, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
We see that the elements/elemental (2 Pet 3:12) or earthly/fleshly works will be dissolved by the fire.
Galatians 5:19 KJV — Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;
16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.