"A Warning for the Mockers" - Pastor Stephen Bohr

shall we bow our heads for prayer our Father in Heaven we thank you so much for the awesome privilege of coming into your presence to hear your voice speaking to us and to and glorify your name we ask that as we study the message that you have for us from second Peter chapter three that your Holy Spirit will be with us and instruct us help us Lord to long for the coming of Jesus help us to realize that this world is not our home help us to look for a real and true homeland where Jesus dwells we thank you for hearing our prayer for we ask it in Jesus name Amen as you heard from my prayer this morning we are going to study the message that God has for us in 2nd Peter chapter 3 now before we begin reading at verse 3 allow me to say that this epistle of Peter was written very close to the end of his life in fact Peter probably at this time was imprisoned and he was about to be crucified with his head down by his own request and so we have in chapter 3 the last written words from the Apostle Peter shortly before his death now the last words I believe are very important words and so it would be well for us to listen to what the Apostle Peter has to say and by the way we're going to notice that he is speaking about the end time generation he's speaking about our day and age now let's turn in our Bibles to 2nd Peter chapter 3 and I would like to begin at verse 3 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 3 knowing this first in other words this is of the utmost importance that scoffers will come in the last days walking according to their own lusts now let's stop there just for a moment we're told by Peter that in the last days that places it within our timeframe in the last days scoffers will arise mockers will arise and they will want to live according to their own lusts now this is very very important as we begin our study because we're going to notice that these individuals are actually delaying and postponing the coming of Jesus in fact they're going to say where is the promise of his coming and the reason why they want to postpone the second coming the reason why they're saying where is the promise of his coming is because according to verse 3 they want to live according to their own lusts you see people who live according to their own lusts do not really want Jesus to come they are not anxious about Jesus coming and so Peter begins by saying that in the last days mockers will come who live according to their own lusts and they will want to postpone and delay the coming of Jesus for that particular reason now if you turn with me in your Bibles to 2nd Timothy chapter 4 we will read some verses from the last epistle which was written by the Apostle Paul and by the way he also uses the expression the last days so we have the last words from Peter in 2nd Peter 3 and now we're going to read the last words of the Apostle Paul as he imprisoned in Rome and about to be beheaded second Timothy chapter 4 and verse 1 I charge you therefore before God in the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season convinced rebuke exhort with all longsuffering and teaching for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires by the way that's the identical greek word according to their own lusts because they have itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables notice once again a group of individuals who are living in the time of the judgement when Jesus is going to come to judge the living and the dead the Apostle Paul says that they're living according to their own lusts and what they do in order to pacify their conscience is they pile up teachers who teach them according to what they want to hear now the image that is being used in this passage of the Apostle Paul is that there are people who are itching to hear what they want to hear and what they're going to do is they're going to find teachers who will scratch their itching ears in other words they will tell people what people want to hear so we find in the writings of Paul in the writings of Peter the last words that each of them wrote that they had grave concern for the church grave concern over individuals who would live according to their own lusts would teach false doctrine and would say where is the promise of his coming now let's go on in our study to verse 4 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 4 verse 3 says knowing this first that scoffers will come in the last days walking according to their own lusts this explains why they scoff now what are they gonna sing and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the father's fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation where is the promise of his coming everything is the same as it was from the beginning of time is what these mockers or scoffers are saying they're saying we don't have to be concerned about Jesus coming soon anytime soon there's no assurance of that because you can go as far back as you want and things continue exactly the way they've been since the beginning of time I guess we could call these individuals uniformitarian basically this is the idea that there's nothing new Under the Sun the ocean stays within its banks that is most of the time the Sun rises and since nature is governed by set laws seasons come and they go Society carries on as usual people eat drink buy sell plant build and marry and are given in marriage just like they have since the beginning of time business is carried on as usual and so basically these individuals these mockers who want to live according to their own fleshly desires or their say there's not going to be any second coming of Jesus anytime soon because everything continues the same from the very beginning of time now folks I have seen in my experience that there are three steps that people take which eventually leads not only to leaving the church but being turned off also on religion number one apathy towards the coming of Jesus secondly what results from apathy is a more and more secular lifestyle more and more feeling comfortable with living in this world with the things of this world and ultimately a total abandonment of religion the Bible and faith that's what the Apostle Peter is talking about here individuals who say my grandparents talked about the second coming my parents talked about the second coming and everybody has talked since time immemorial about the second coming of Jesus but it hasn't happened things continue as they always have and they always will continue in that way as well don't be concerned about the coming of Jesus it's okay to live according to your own lusts an apathy leads to comfort in this world which ultimately leads to an abandonment of faith in Jesus Christ and acceptance and belief in his coming now let's go to verse 5 the Apostle Peter is going to say that those who argue in this way willingly ignore several facts now notice verse 5 for this they willingly forget now notice that if they simply forgot it or didn't have any chance to know about it it would be okay but the Apostle Peter says that they make a decision of their will that they are not going to believe in what we're going to talk about in other words they willingly forget or ignore that by the Word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of water and in the water first thing that they ignore is the fact that by the Word of God this world was created by God and the idea is that it was created not over long periods of time but it was created by the Word of God instantaneously you see these individuals believe in long ages everything has continued the same since the beginning of time Peter is saying you ignore the fact that in all times the Word of God created this world out of the water it was in water and by the way he's going to say that the world will eventually be destroyed by water now I want you to notice sound 33 and verses 6 and 9 Psalm 33 verses 6 & 9 this is describing creation the creation that these individuals are denying the supernatural instantaneous quick creation of God at the beginning Psalm 33 and verse 6 it says by the word of the Lord the heavens were made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth now notice verse 9 for he spoke in a million little years later it was done that's not what it says it says he spoke and it was done he commanded and it stood fast in other words these individuals are ignoring that when God created this world he created this world by his word the beginning quickly and instantaneously now how do we know that we cannot empirically prove it we can only know it by faith notice Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 3 Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 3 this is a very well-known verse but I think it's important to read it once again here the Apostle Paul whom I believe to be the author of Hebrews actually the writer of Hebrews the author is God by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that the things which are seen are not made of things which are visible and by the way in the Genesis story we find that each day for example the first day it says that God declared let there be light and there was light let there be the firmament and there was the firmament let there be dry land and there was dry land let there be plants and there were plants and trees let there be a Sun the moon and the stars and they were let the heavens produce birds let there be fish in the seas and it was so the Bible says in other words there's no room for long ages of time everything continues who knows how far back the same Peter is talking about individuals who deny that the Word of God at the beginning created this world instantaneously and quickly now allow me to read you a statement very interesting statement that we find in patriarchs and prophets page 111 do you know that there are seventh-day Adventist theologians today seventh Avenue scientists today who are teaching something known as progressive creationism it's the idea that God used evolution as his method of creation in other words God used millions of years to bring the things into existence as we know them today God used the mechanism of evolution to create and actually they're teaching that death existed long before sin in the animal world because the animal world was used in the process of evolution and they say that the fossil record reveals that dead animals and dead plants existed long before Adam and Eve were created because they're trying to reconcile the testimony of the earth with Scripture and it is impossible because scripture speaks of a quick creation in six literal days it does not speak of progressive creation now notice patriarchs and prophets page 111 Ellen White says but the assumption that the events of the first week required thousands upon thousands of years strikes directly at the foundation of the fourth commandment it represents the Creator as commanding men to observe the week of literal days in commemoration of vast indefinite periods this is unlike his method of dealing with his creatures it makes indefinite and obscure that which he has made very plain it is infidelity in its most insidious and hence most dangerous form it's real character is so disguised that it is held and taught by many who profess and believe the Bible this is sad you see if you believe that God has taken millions of years to create this world and that the world is still evolving what makes you think that the coming of Jesus is anytime soon how much longer are we going to have to wait you see if you don't have an instantaneous beginning what makes you think that we're going to have an instantaneous end furthermore why would we even keep the Sabbath we keep the Sabbath because we believe that God created the world in six literal days rested the seventh literal day we are supposed to work six literal days and we are supposed to rest the seventh day in commemoration of what he did but if each day was millions of years as Ellen White says why would we even bother to keep the Sabbath in honor of a day which consisted of millions of years at the beginning are you understanding what I'm saying what the devil is doing is he is attacking the Creator he is attacking the sign of the creator the Sabbath because he hates Jesus and he wants people to forget Jesus now let me just summarize a little bit what happened according to 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 5 it says for this they willingly forget that by the Word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of water and in the water now what's this standing out of the water and in the water let me explain and I'll do this without reading the verses Genesis chapter 1 and verse 2 tells us that the planet was covered with water before God created it the planet was a globe of water and what God did on the second day of creation was to separate the waters he took part of the water and he placed it above in the firmament and he took another portion of the water and he placed it under the earth which is known as The Fountains of the great deep scripture speaks about the water that was placed above as the windows of heaven and then on the third day God made the land appear out of the water that's what Peter is talking about he's referring directly to the fact that this earth which was covered with water God of creation made the earth appear in the water and his operated the waters from the waters placing waters above and waters below in other words Peter is saying that God created this world by His Word and he emphasizes the fact that God stored water above and stored water below when he made the dry land and when he made the firmament and he's trying to make this point for a specific reason go back with me to 2nd Peter chapter 3 and let's read verse 5 again and go on to verse 6 it says for this thing willingly for again there's evidence in other words they could have faith but they forget it purposely willingly that by the Word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of water and in the water now notice by which the world that then existed perished being flooded how with water do you know do you notice the earth was in the water out of the water and God destroyed the world with that one now the question is how did this happen according to Peter was there once a worldwide flood a worldwide bill yuj do you know that some of our own scientists and our own theologians are saying that the flood referred to in Genesis was a local flood in the valley of Mesopotamia in some of our schools that idea is being taught that the flood was not a worldwide flood it was a local flood that took place over in the Middle East now I'm not going to go to go into the reasons why it was a universal flood in their fullness but allow me just to make a few remarks about that the word which is generally used in the New Testament for flood is the word podamos whenever the New Testament talks about a flood a local flood it's the word Potamus but when Jesus described the flood in Noah's day he used a different word that is used only for that flood and it was the word got that Christmas in other words the flood in Noah's daya day was a cataclysm and by the way the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah which Jesus presented as parallel with the destruction of the world by the flood the word that is used for the overthrow of sodom and gomorrah in the greek is the word got passed through fame which means that the destruction of sodom and gomorrah the destruction of the world was a catastrophe and the word that peter uses for flooded in 2nd Peter chapter 3 is the word cut a clue so where we get the word Cataclysm from this was not some local flood this was a global worldwide Cataclysm now we've all seen the pictures of the tsunami that took place in Asia in these these few places on the globe where the tsunami manifested itself you know you look at those places before and after and after they don't look anything like they did before now you're talking about a disaster so-called natural disaster that took place there in a certain region of planet Earth now I want you to imagine the same thing happening all over planet Earth only a million times worse and you can imagine what the flood was in the days of Noah and so what these individuals are saying in the last days by the way and I believe that God allowed Peter to see what's happening today in the Adventist Church as well as with many theologians who are outside the Adventist Church you saw people who started doubting a supernatural creation by the Word of God instantaneous in six literal days and resting the seventh literal day he also saw individuals within the church who started teaching that the flood was just a local flood that this was not some global you so catastrophe by the way if you go with me to Genesis chapter 7 and verse 11 we find a description of what happened at the time of the flood do you know God did not have to invent water for the flood God did not have to create water do you know what he did he simply took the water that he had placed above and he took the water that he had placed below and he brought the water from up there down and he brought the water from down there up notice Genesis chapter 7 and verse 11 Genesis chapter 7 and verse 11 it says in the six hundredth year of Noah's life in the second month the seventeenth day of the month on that day all the Fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened that must have been some type of rainstorm that you could totally cover every mountain on planet Earth in 40 days and 40 nights of rain Ellen White says that that gushes of water came forth from the earth and and they hurled huge boulders hundreds of feet into the air you know when people today when scholars today don't believe that there was a universal flood how can they ever study geology you see they're coming to the conclusion that everything is the same from the beginning so if they don't take into account that there was a flood they're obviously going to miss read the testimony of the earth now not only do we find this description of this Cataclysm but after the flood another thing happened which affected greatly the condition or the situation of the earth notice Genesis chapter 8 and verse 1 Genesis chapter 8 and verse 1 here we're told very briefly and in a moment I'm going to read a statement from the spirit of prophecy which is very interesting it says then God remembered Noah in every living thing and all the animals that were with him in the ark and God made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters subsided so not only do you have this catastrophe of the water turning the world upside down but you also have this massive wind that God sends after the flood now allow me to read you something about this wind because Ellen White saw it patriarchs and prophets page 108 she says a violent wind which was caused to blow for the purpose of drying up the waters move them with great force in some instances even carrying away the tops of the mountains have you ever seen any wind like that before or notice what she could do you saying keeping up trees rocks and earth above the bodies of the dead by the same means the silver and gold the choice wood and precious stones which had enriched and adorned the world before the flood and which the inhabitants had idolized were concealed from the site and search of men the violent action of the waters piling up earth and rocks upon these treasures and in some cases even forming mountains above them can you imagine wind that can take debris and form a mountain out of the debris and so scientists and theologians who deny if there was a universal flood they are going to read just like the mockers in second Peter 3 that everything continues as at the beginning and they're trying to read the earth as if that were true when there has been a supernatural catastrophe in between which would help them read the earth aright you see they mined fossils in the earth that says yes the world is a lot older than it appears to be and look at the order of the fossils the fact is you cannot read the earth as if everything had been buried in sequence in the course of history because you have this catastrophic flood are you understanding what I'm saying now allow me to read you another couple of statements from the spirit of prophecy by the way I believe that God has raised up the seventh-day Adventist Church for a time such as this when our name was adopted in 1860 there was one individual there was a committee of three who felt that the best name would be Church of God and the other two said Church of God what does that say everybody claims to be the Church of God what would be the name which would show the distinctiveness of this movement of this church and after a period of debate they adopted the name seventh-day Adventist this is a name that fits perfectly with second Peter chapter 3 because second Peter chapter 3 speaks of a divine beginning God created by his word instantaneously at the beginning six literal days and rested on the seventh literal day that's the part of our name which is called seventh day it shows that we believe in a literal creator at the beginning but the name Adventist shows that we believe equally in a supernatural instantaneous end to human history in other words it's a name that shows that we believe in a divine beginning and a divine end and that in a period when Darwin and other scientists were say were saying we see no vestige of a beginning and we see no prospect of an end it's as if Peter was writing in those days now Ellen White has this to say about those who doubt the literal story of creation and the story of the flood page 114 of patriarchs and prophets she says these persons have lost the simplicity of faith I like that it she says they've lost the simplicity of faith jesus said that we're supposed to have faith like children have you ever find a child when you teach them the story of the flood they say now is that scientifically possible oh you talk about creation and the child says now how in the world could God scientifically speak and suddenly a bird appears I have never been in a saddle school where I've shared the story of creation where children will come up with such a foolish comment and yet those of us who become sophisticated who get college degrees we come to the point where we think that we're smarter than God's Word we're wiser than God's Word the fact is folks that we can trust the Word of God the Word of God created the world the Word of God caused the flood and that same word we're going to find in Peter is going to bring destruction finally to the world she says these persons have lost the simplicity of faith there should be a settled belief see that a settled belief in the divine authority of God's Holy Word the Bible is not to be tested by men's ideas of science human knowledge is an unreliable guide skeptics who read the Bible for the sake of compiling that is doubting me through an imperfect comprehension of either science or revelation claim to find contradictions between them but rightly understood they are in perfect harmony Moses wrote under the guidance of the Spirit of God and a correct theory of geology will never claim discoveries that cannot be reconciled with his statements on page 112 she says this but apart from Bible history geology can prove nothing those who reason so confidently upon its discoveries have no adequate conception of the size of men animals and trees before the flood or of the great changes which then took place relics found in the earth do give evidence of conditions differing in many respects from the present but the time when these conditions existed can be learned only from the inspired record in the history of the flood inspiration has explained that which geology alone could never fathom in the days of Noah men animals and trees many times larger than now exist were buried and thus preserved as an evidence to later generations that the antediluvian perished by a flood God designed that the discovery of these things should establish faith in inspired history but men with their vain reasoning fall into the same error as did the people before the flood the things which God gave them as a benefit they turn into a curse by making a wrong use of them folks if we ever if we ever get to the point where we disbelieve a literal creation in six days with God resting on the seventh day automatically will delay the second coming of Jesus because if there was no instantaneous supernatural miraculous beginning how much longer are we going to have to wait until the process of evolution reaches its end if we believe in progressive creationism that is now let's go on to 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 7 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 7 here Peter says these individuals say that since creation everything has been the same they willingly had no ignore that God destroyed the world by a flood and now he's going to say they ignore one further thing verse 7 but the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men now it's interesting when you read the book patriarchs and prophets you'll discover that God is not going to have to invent fuel or create fuel to burn this earth just like at creation he stored water above him below and at the flood he brought the water from above down and the water from below up in the same way at the flood gigantic amounts of organic matter trees animals human beings were buried under the earth and they have become coal and they have become oil believe me all the oil that is to be found has not been found yet there's much much more than has ever been taken out and the spirit of prophecy tells us that when Jesus comes the Lightning's from heaven will join this fuel from the earth and it will bring about destruction of planet Earth and so these individuals ignore three things they ignore that Jesus created the world in six literal days and rested the seventh they ignore the fact that the world at one point was destroyed by a universal catastrophe a universal Cataclysm a worldwide flood for the ungodliness of the inhabitants and they ignore that God has starred his arsenal in the earth and that very soon soon this earth is going to be enveloped in flames and it's going to be destroyed once again along with all those who are ungodly and do not love the appearing of Jesus now let's go to 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 8 Peters gonna discuss this a little bit further notice he says in verse 8 but beloved do not forget this one thing that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day now do you notice that why is Peter saying Peter is simply saying that time for God and time for us needs to be looked at differently he's speaking about the temporality of man and the eternity of God you know we speak of a delay oh it's been six thousand years how much is six thousand years for God for one who who is eternal I mean it's not even a drop in the bucket for God six thousand years is not a delay at all because the concept of time that God has is very different than the concept of time that we have the fact is that in the sight of God there is no delay we know that there's a delay and that's the reason why according to Peter these individuals were saying where is the promise of its coming they developed apathy they've got caught they gotten caught up in the world in a secular lifestyle and they were about to lose their faith and Peter is is telling the believers he's saying don't fall for it don't buy it because it's not true because the delay is only a delay in our mind it's not a delay in the mind of God now notice second Peter chapter three and verse 9 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 9 see what he's saying is you who who are saying that the promise of Jesus coming is not here and it's not going to come anytime soon you doubt that the Word of God created the world you doubt that the Word of God brought about the flood you doubt that the Word of God is going to bring destruction upon the world you're saying that God is delaying his coming he says listen you can't speak of a delay but for God there is no delay because for God one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day in other words there's no delay in the mind of God and then he says I'm gonna tell you the reason why Jesus hasn't come yet notice verse 9 it says the Lord is not slack slow that means the Lord is not slow concerning his promise as some count slackness as some count slowness in other words but is long-suffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance what is the reason for the delay humanly speaking because for God there is no delay the reason for the delay is because there are people who still need to be what still need to be saved now you say how's that let me ask you do you think God has set a date for his second coming for Christ's second coming do you think God has set a date or does God have a sliding date has God set a date yes he has does God know the end from the beginning Isaiah 46 says that he declares the end from the beginning does God know the date of the second coming sure he does Mark 13 verse 32 Jesus says of the day and the hour no one knows not the angels not even the son but only the father the father knows the date of the second coming but that date according to acts chapter 1 and verses 6 through 8 is hidden in the secret counsels of God now some people have troubles with this idea of hastening or delaying the coming of Christ let me explain exactly how we should understand this did God arbitrarily set a date for the second coming of Christ did God say I make a declaration I'm going to come such in such a month of such in such a day such in such a year ready or not here I come did God set an arbitrary date God did not set an arbitrary date he did not give a divine decree saying when Jesus was going to come on what basis then did God set a date he set a date based on his knowledge of the decisions that his people would make are you following me or not did not know that his people were not going to get caught up with him that his people were going to slumber that his people were going to become lazy that his people were going to be comfortable in the world did he know that long before it happened yes so what date did God set for the second coming he set the date according to his knowledge of when his people would prepare and are ready for Jesus to come do you know that Jesus could have come back to this earth shortly after 1844 in fact he could have come back in 1888 allow me to read you an interesting statement from the book evangelism page 696 she says for 40 years did unbelief murmuring and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan the same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan could Jesus have come before this of course did God set an earlier date and they say oh oh I've got to change the date no did God know that his people were gonna manifest his spirit yes so what did God do he set a date when he knew that his people would be ready for him to fulfill his promise he did not determine the date he knew the decisions that his people would make and on that basis he set the date she continued saying in neither case that is of Israel or us were the promises of God at fault it is the unbelief the worldliness the on consecration and strife among the Lord's professed people they have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years the fact is folks that God is not going to close the door of probation upon this earth until every single human being has had a chance to make the choice for or against the Lord and the reason why it hasn't had is because God's people have not gone out to preach the gospel so that the end can come and God knew that his people were not going to do it but God also knew that if his people had done it then God in his calendar would have set an earlier date raise your hand if you're understanding what I'm saying say God does not arbitrarily choose a date to close probation for Jesus to come he establishes a date based on its knowledge of the choices that his people are going to make so Peter is saying listen God is not delaying his coming as some think of a delay he says the reason why there's an appearance of a delay is because God wants everyone who is savable to be saved he doesn't want anyone to perish but he wants everyone to come to repentance now let's go to 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 10 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 10 it says here but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night that's interesting as a thief in the night what usually happens when a thief comes in the night people are sleeping and they're unconscious about the thief coming right are a lot of people going to be caught by surprise sure they are because they're what they're sleeping hmm reminds me of the this is kind of a interesting little story I heard a young boy was using some building blocks in the living room of the house and his father came into the living room burst in and started talking real loudly and the son looked at his father in English Shh and his father said why should I be quiet the little boy says because I'm building a church the father felt real well he said Wow my son he's learning the lesson of reverence but then he he said I better asking he says son why should I be quiet in church he says because everybody's sleeping that's the picture that Jesus gives Jesus when he comes is going to find a lot of his people what sleeping and he will come as a thief in the night it will be surprising even for many of God's own people notice once again verse 10 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 that's the noise of raging fire and the elements will melt with fervent Heat the heavens and the elements are the building blocks of planet Earth the ABCs so to speak both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up and then he says what we should be doing in the light of the fact that this is coming says therefore since all these things will be dissolved what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness how should we be living as we expect this great event in holy conduct and godliness looking for and hastening that means anxiously anticipating the coming of the day of God because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire and the elements will melt with fervent Heat nevertheless we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells a better translation would be in which righteousness makes its home righteousness abides and then notice verse 14 therefore beloved looking forward to these things be diligent to be found by him in peace without spot and blameless the Apostle Paul speaks about the church being without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Jesus spoke about the pure in heart for they shall see God John said that those who have this hope in their hearts they purify themselves even as he is pure in other words God is not going to take to heaven individuals who do not have purity of thought and purity of life the whole purpose of this passage of Peter is to encourage and exhort the church yes to believe that there was a supernatural little creation yes there was a supernatural worldwide global flood yes there is a delay humanly speaking but the reason for the delay is because there's still people who have to make the choice to be saved so that probation can close and he's saying just like what happened that the flood is gonna take place again as in the days of Noah so also shall be the coming of the Son of Man and so as the ungodly were shut out at the flood the ungodly will be shut out at the end so he says we should live in peace we should live a godly life we should here live with pious conduct in our lives as we await that great day now I wouldn't want to close without mentioning one further thing about 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 13 it says that were awaiting new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells notice that we're waiting for a new heavens and a new earth now listen up how many days did Jesus take to create the world six days and then what did you do the rest of the seventh is this world gonna be dissolved is it gonna be burnt up in fact we get the impression from second Peter 3 that this planet is not going to exist anymore guy is going to make a new planet because it's going to be totally vaporized so my question is how many days do you think God is going to use to create this world again is it just gonna make it appear all of a sudden I don't think so in fact I know he's not going to you say how do you know that at the beginning when God created when Jesus created this world Adam Eve weren't here they had to accept the fact that God was the creator by faith cuz they didn't see God create anything I mean Adam didn't even see God create Eve God put him to sleep they saw God create nothing the only way that they could know that God was the creator is because he told them so because there could have been other explains they'll do they will say to Helen you know you know God isn't the Creator come on there were other X possible explanations they simply needed to abide in faith that God was their creator but at the end of time the wonderful thing is that all of God's people will be alive when God makes a new heavens and a new earth imagine what it'll be like when God recreates this planet and he says let there be light and there was light let there be the firmament and there was the firmament let there be dry land and there was darlin let there be trees and flowers in plants and it was so let there be in the heavens Sun Moon and stars because the Sun Moon and stars are going to be moved out of the out of their places when Jesus comes they will be moved he imagined what it'll be like when God says let the waters be filled with fish and that the airs be filled with birds and when he creates and like at the beginning straw eating Lions the Bible says that children will play with snakes that's an amazing world and then of course God's people will observe the Sabbath in commemoration of the new creation you say how do you know that it's very simple in Isaiah chapter 66 we are told very clearly as the new heavens and the new earth that I create shall remain before you so so your name remain and then he says it shall be that from one new moon to another and from one sabbath to another all flesh shall come to what to worship before me the new heavens and the new earth are followed by the command to observe what the sabbath in Isaiah 66 only will be observing the Sabbath in commemoration of the new creation and then God's people will live with Jesus forever and ever now listen folks the passage of time can produce one or two one of two results absence makes the heart grow fonder are you homesick when you when you really want to be with somebody and you've been absent for a long time you're really homesick to be with that person absolutely why are you homesick because you love that person and the more you think of that person the more you want to be with him or with her but there's another danger and that is the passing of time we don't think about that person and love grows cold either one is a possibility and it all depends on whether we have our focus on Jesus I don't know if you're homesick for Jesus or not I didn't say homesick for head and I said homesick for Jesus the only way we can be homesick for Jesus is if we love Jesus more and more each day if we think of him if we can't stand even one moment living apart from him our focus is on him on that world where we're gonna be with him a redeemer our Creator for ever and ever and when Jesus is the center of our thoughts we become sick of the world and homesick for Jesus but if we don't focus on Jesus love grows cold and that's what Peter is talking about people who have lost their faith people who have lost their assurance that Jesus is coming because in the passage of passing of time they have forgotten Jesus I pray to God that in this coming week we will make it a point to think of Jesus it's more and more that we will be homesick for Jesus [Music]

Channel: Aaron

Views: 31,988

Rating: 4.7614036 out of 5

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Id: _9HMMDflh4M

Length: 56min 14sec (3374 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 04 2019