But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:11-13)

A few things about “the end” bear mention here: the surprise, the sanctification, and the steadfastness it calls us to.

First, the surprise. God may indeed be patiently waiting for his grace to have its impact before the day of Christ’s appearing and the time of judgement arrives. Yet when that day finally does arrive—it will come suddenly! Throughout the Bible this theme is repeated—by Jesus particularly. “Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” he says in Matthew 25 (v.13).

Secondly though, as I alluded to yesterday, we have this tendency to view judgement in a negative way. As a cruel, angry god with poor emotional self-regulation coming to wreak vengeance over petty grievances. That is never the Biblical picture though. Firstly—God is a Spirit. The Bible condescends to our comprehension when it makes emotional references to God, so we must understand that what we have in God is both a being beyond our comprehension, and also one who holds all things in perfection. Aristotle once said: “Anybody can become angry—that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way—that is not within everybody's power and is not easy.” Exactly. But God can do those things. In God—a perfect love, a perfect knowledge, a perfect justice, and a perfect intervention are all held together.

So what we ought rather expect in judgement is what marginalized and oppressed folks the world over have long longed for—like the widow of Jesus’ parable facing down the unjust judge, day-in and day-out demanding justice—they want justice. They want to be saved from those who have unjustly stolen, lied, cheated, and used violence, manipulation, and power against them, but also to see that those wrongs get righted. Judgement may be distasteful for us who have grown up in peace and plenty. But for those who have suffered under dictators and fled in fear of their lives—the notion that a God of justice might see their plight, save them from it, and see it redressed is a comfort and a grace.

This second word then is “sanctification.” God comes with fires of judgement not like a toddler toward an ant hill—to indiscriminately destroy—but to refine, to cleanse, to purify and burn off all impurities and burn away all chaff such that what remains is just, true, right, and beautiful. The fires of judgement burn, not only so that justice might be done in human lives and communities, but also so that every trace of sin and evil might be done away with. The “creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God” is the way Paul says it in Romans 8 (v.21).

So, the third word: be steadfast. Continue to live congruently with this promise God has given. The false teachers understood God’s delay in coming as God being late. And if God didn’t care to honour his commitments, why should we honour ours? One could also imagine a less rebellious scenario. God has forgotten about us and so slowly we drift off to sleep too, forgetting about him. Either way—by rebellion or sleepy forgetfulness—the delay can lull us to a false sense of security that nothing’s coming down the tracks.

Not so, says Peter. He echoes again what the scriptures everywhere declare: God is coming suddenly to sanctify—so be steadfast! Remember and do not forget! More on what that means tomorrow.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master. Grow in the grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Amen! (2 Peter 1:2; 3:18 MSG).