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2 Peter 3:7-13 – Eschatology and Ethics
Outline
A – Promise of the Lord – Present Heavens and Earth (3:7-9)
B – The Day of the Lord – Heavens and Elements Dissolved (3:10)
C – How We Should Live in Present Heavens and Earth (3:11)
B’ – The Day of the God – Heavens and Elements Dissolved (3:12)
A’ – Promise of the Lord – New Heavens and New Earth (3:13)
Text
A – (7) But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. (8) Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. (9) The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
- Heavens/Ouranos (3:7,10,12,13)
- Earth/Ge (3:3:7,10,13)
- Day/ hēmera (3:7,8,10,12)
- Promise – epaggelia (3:9); epaggelma (3:13)
B – (10) But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.
- Elements/ stoicheion (3:10,12)
- Dissolved/ luō (3:10,11,12) [“destroyed” in v.11]
- Burn/ kausoō (3:10,12)
C – (11) Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness
B’ – (12) as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat.
A’ – (13) But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell.
Interpretative Purpose
Eschatology, with all its predictions and theories, has always fascinated Biblical scholars. Some even differentiate between the “Day of the Lord” (3:10) and the “Day of God” (3:12). Churches have divided over different theories. And I would suggest that entire theologies have been constructed on less than clear passages.
Using this chiastic structure, we can see that “Day of the Lord” and “Day of God” are not separate comings. But more importantly, seeing the center we notice that Peter stresses the ethics of eschatology more so than the details. Another way of saying this is, Peter is suggesting to us to leave God to His part and take care of ours.
The chiastic middle of 3:7-13 which is verse 11 also melds well into the theme of the book (1:10) and the chiastic middle for the entire book (2:4-10a).
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