1. AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
(2 Pet 3:8-10; 1 Thess 5:1-11)

There are two earth-shaking global events whereby God intervenes in judgment over all mankind: the first, the Flood, is past; the second, our Lord's return, is coming. In both events, the Lord comes at a time when men think not, "as a thief in the night", unannounced. Our Lord's return will be "as the days of Noe", the unbelieving world doing "business as usual", "until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be " (Matt 24:38-39). It will be swift and sudden, and final.

The burning question is: When will the Lord return? The faithless and impatient will resort to human reasoning, saying, where is the promise of His coming? Today some will conclude thus: Since Jesus has not returned for all these 2,000 years when He said He would, therefore He will never return. The Apostle Peter warns against such a faithless argument. We time-bound creatures must not use our limited perspective in considering the Lord's return. Our God inhabits timeless eternity: before Him, PAST, AND FUTURE are as one timeless ETERNAL DAY. In God's perspective, one day or 1,000 years, make little difference. In the context of ETERNITY, they are the same.

We need to overhaul our way of thinking, not to think of God as one of ourselves. God's ways are "high ways" and not "my ways", and His thoughts are not our thoughts. If we grasp this, then whether He comes in one year or ten years' time, we will not grow weary with waiting. Then we will not complain that He is late. His "lateness" actually is for a purpose. It is to allow men time to turn to God, for God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." And while the Lord tarries, let us who love His appearing be zealous about His business, turning men and women to righteousness. Above all, let us watch and be sober, for He comes as a thief in the night.

PRAYER: Father, keep me burning for Thee, till that day!

2. NEW HEAVEN NEW EARTH
(2 Pet 3:11-13; Rev 21)

The Apostle Peter has revealed God's plan: the old Creation will be destroyed, "the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” All the empires of men, all our properties and investments, shall be burned up. What future then is there for us? The outlook seems pretty grim and hopeless. Take heart, dear reader. In Christ our Lord, we have a glorious future! "Nevertheless, we, according to his promise look for new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Our great God will bring in a new Creation, "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Rev 21:27). Before that, the present earth "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..." If the old must make way for the new, and all our future hope is only in God's new Creation, should we not now prepare for it with all diligence? And since nothing that is unclean or abominable shall be admitted to the New Earth, should we not give our utmost attention "to be in all holy conversation and godliness"?

Friend, as you read, may God's Spirit excite your holy desire to strive your utmost for the New Heaven and the New Earth. Only by giving all diligence to pure and holy living can we be equipped and made fit to inherit the new Creation. Our attitude and affection toward the perishing world must undergo a radical overhaul. Lax and careless living, indulging in old lusts and carnal pleasures, must be thoroughly purged from our system. "Be ye holy as I am holy," says our Lord. "Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless." Ponder then, and prepare daily! The New Heaven and New Earth are on the way!

PRAYER: Father, help me to strive my utmost for Thy great Kingdom.

3. FINAL INSTRUCTIONS (2 Pet 3:14-18; Eph 4:11-24)

The Apostle ends his letter with the same powerful persuasion which every true child of God readily understands. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things..." Consider the lively hope and the exceeding great and precious promises of God, the imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the New Heaven and New Earth! "These things" will shortly come to pass and our years of labour and toil for the Lord, our little affliction and suffering, will be worth it all!

a) "Be diligent," therefore! Keep it up, dear reader, “for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom 13:11). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10). Therefore, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless (verse 14). The "final lap" of the race is on! Run well to please our "Heavenly Coach"!

b) "Beware lest ye also..." Eternal vigilance is the price of eventual success in the spiritual realm. Appreciate the longsuffering of our Lord: it is for the salvation of souls. Some scriptures are hard to be understood. These the unlearned and unstable wrest (twist, pervert, misinterpret) unto their own destruction. To do so is "the error of the wicked" deserving severest punishment. Do not "wrest" but "rest" in the Holy Spirit's leading and illumination.

c) "But grow in grace and in knowledge." The beloved Apostle takes his leave with this final exhortation. He who declared his readiness to go with his Master to the death was about to take the fateful last steps, the way of the cross. His one concern was still for the flock. Did not the Lord say, "Feed my sheep"? Farewell, beloved in the Lord! “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ …” Keep on growing, daily, pursuing...till we see Him!

CLOSING THOUGHT: To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

God bless you dear readers.