sovereigngrace
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WHY does the "Day of the Lord" come as a thief in the night? Another verse tells us HE comes as a thief in the night. The truth is, the DAY comes because HE comes as Paul tells us in 1 thes. 5. He comes to catch up the saints - the rapture - which will be the trigger for the DAY.
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away
Keep in mind that the Day of the Lord is a long, extended period of time. It just may extend from the 6th seal to the new heaven and earth. But sometime in between the 6th seal and the new heaven and earth, the heavens will pass away. One verse says "no place was found for them." My point is, the "passing away" does not have to take place at the beginning of the day.
Everything you argue is colored by what you have been taught.
2 Peter 3:3-13 tells us: “there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming (parousia)? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 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.”
These are “last days scoffers” not post-second coming millennial scoffers
Unquestionably, the focus of this message is directed to the end-time-cynics who deny Christ, despise His Word and scorn the likelihood of His return. The near 2,000 years that has already elapsed since our Lord’s first Advent is used as a basis for their mocking. They use this supposed delay as an opportunity to propagate their foolishness. 2 Peter 3 makes clear, those that would consider this as an opportunity for scorn will be swiftly and assuredly caught in their own folly at His Coming. Like the wicked locked outside the ark and the iniquitous left behind in Sodom, the end-time scoffers will be caught unexpected when the judgment arrives suddenly. These evildoers will be exposed when Christ returns and pours out His wrath upon them. That is the whole emphasis of this passage – the sudden and unanticipated destruction of the wicked at Christ’s return.
Peter warns these “last days” mockers that such a day will (1) catch them unexpected, and, (2) involve the immediate, complete and final judgment. He cites the total destruction of the unrighteous in Noah’s day as a picture and evidence of what will occur. 2 Peter 3:5-6 confirms: “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” As in Noah’s day, the wicked scoffers will be shocked when the day of the Lord overtakes them as a “thief in the night.” That seems to be the import of Peter’s argument. The fiery indignation described in this reading destroys the unrighteous and their distain at Christ’s appearing. In fact, in order for the folly of the wicked (in regard to their delusion on Christ’s Coming) to be exposed and eliminated the Lord must return in fiery judgment and expose their ignorance.
When Peter states, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness” (2 Peter 3:9) he was (1) speaking of Christ’s climactic Coming and (2) specifically responding to “the last days scoffers” mocking the promise of the Lord’s return (2 Peter 3:3-4). In fact, this statement is a direct response to the deluded taunt of these end-time fools, who mock: “Where is the promise of his coming?” None can surely ignore the fact that “the promise” is shown to be “his coming.” His promised return will assuredly occur. He then goes on to show how these foolish individuals will be finally and totally destroyed along with this current earth (and the elements and the immediate heavens) when Jesus unexpectedly returns.
After outlining the terror of Christ’s Coming for the wicked, Peter then turns to the believer and presents the great contrasting hope that the righteous have, saying, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:13).
The whole thrust of this narrative revolves around the legitimacy of “the promise of his coming” and the wide contrast in the fate of the believer compared to that of the unbeliever. The writer shows the dual aspect of the Coming. He shows how it spells judgment and ruin for the wicked but blessing and relief for the righteous. Whilst this day will bring terror to the Christ-rejecter it will usher in eternal righteousness upon the new earth for the redeemed. It is not talking about a perfect state that comes 1,000 years after His return as some suggest. The appearance of the new heavens and new earth are here linked here with the “promise” of His return.
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