God’s Patience
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance 2 Peter 3:8,9
The false teachers Peter is answering in this letter ‘deliberately forget’ (3:5) the promises of Jesus’ return. It’s so important we don’t do the same.
But what about the delay? It’s been such a long time since Jesus made those promises. Peter’s answer hinges on two great truths: firstly, time is relative to God and secondly, the delay is only so more souls can be brought to Christ.
Peter quotes Psalm 90:4 ‘For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.’ God sees time from a totally different perspective. He sees the broad sweep of history in a moment. A thousand years to us is like a single day to Him. God isn’t locked into our moment by moment time frame. He sees the past, present and future in a moment of our time. So the delay in Christ’s return, then 30 to 35 years after Christ’s death on the cross, would be as nothing to God. If a thousand years was a day, what was 30 to 35 years to Him? It might have seemed long to them but wouldn’t to God.
What if they lived in our time and the delay was approaching two thousand years? The same principle applies. What seems a long time to us is a short time to God.
Why the delay? Not because of powerlessness but patience. Not because of slowness but patience. ‘He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’ 1 Peter 3:20 spoke of God’s patience in relation to the flood; here His patience is in relation to the judgement.
Jesus first coming ushered in the last days. His return will bring them to completion. In between is the gospel age, the time when ‘the gospel must … be preached to all the nations’ (Mark 13:10). Jesus’ return is being held back so more can hear and respond to the gospel.
Notice here who Peter says God is being patient with. ‘He is patient with you.’ We must be right with God. Peter is writing to Christians in danger of falling with a fearful warning to the false teachers trying to influence them. We must be just as careful who we’re listening to as well as what we’re listening to.
One of the major concerns of the New Testament is how we live our lives while looking to Christ’s return. Use your time well. Look for opportunity to witness for Christ. Live in integrity. Keep your heart right.
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