Letter to Some Brethren on 2 Peter 3

Regarding the Destruction of the Heavens and the Earth

By Tom Huber

Dear Brethren,

Due to the recent discussion on 2 Peter 3, I felt I should present my understandings in a verse by verse format. I believe this will present my opinions in a clearer manner. I hope that what I have presented below is received as a reasonable understanding of these texts. I am not necessarily looking for acceptance of this understanding. I am fairly confident that most will not understand these texts as I have presented them. I just want to show that there is a credible basis for what I believe to be true, and that nothing in what follows is against sound doctrine. Thank you for your time, and patience. Signature at the end.

The apostle Peter shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem wrote 2 Peter. It is generally believed both of Peter’s epistles were written about 66-67 A.D.

Chapter Three deals with apostate, and unbelieving Jews who were denying the coming of Christ in judgment. Was this Christ’s coming in judgment in 70 A.D, or was it His coming at the end of time?

2 Peter 3 is a more detailed account of the judgment Peter had briefly dealt with in 1Pet. 4:7-19.

1Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

I believe this is speaking of the end of the Jewish worship system, which would be destroyed in about three to five years. The word “at hand” indicates a very near event, as in, the kingdom of heaven is “at hand”.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Not long after the writing of this letter, Nero began his persecution of the “Church”. I am of the opinion that this ‘fiery trial” may have been that persecution. Those who were to experience this “fiery” trial were called “beloved” by Peter.

1Pe 4:17 For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?

I believe the “beginning” of this judgment was mainly against the Jewish Church, here called, “the house of God”. Especially considering that Peter was an apostle to the circumcision. Nero accomplished THIS particular persecution of the Church. Based on the accepted dating of this letter, the phrase “the time is come” has real significance when considered in the light of Nero’s persecutions. Then Peter, in the form of a question, mentions the phase of judgment that was soon to fall upon apostate, unbelieving Judaism in 70 AD. [those that obey not the gospel of God]

2 Peter occurs in this same context of judgment against apostate Judaism, and then expands outward to include the blessings to the Gentile Church which he calls a “NEW heavens and earth”.

2Peter 3

2Pe 3:1-2 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in [both] which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior:

These verses tell us that this is his second letter, which may have a contextual flow from the first letter, where he mentions fiery trials etc. It also establishes the Old and New Testaments as having equal authority. Much of what Peter is to say will come from Old Testament prophesies.

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

I am of the opinion that the “last days” mentioned in scripture are, in most cases, the last days of the Old Covenant worship system.

Following are the scriptures that I believe support my opinion.

First- Ac 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Peter said that Pentecost fulfilled this prophecy of Joel. We also know that Jerusalem, along with the Old Covenant worship system ended in 70 AD. Now, whatever has an “end” also has its “last days” just prior to that end. Peter spoke the words of Joel’s prophecy in the “last days” of the Old Covenant Age. History, and the scriptures confirm that the Old Covenant system of worship was to end during that period of time. Also, did not all the miraculous signs, that Peter said was evidence that they were in the “last days” that we are considering, have an end in the “last days” of the Old Covenant? If those signs were evidence of the last days, and we are NOW, in those SAME last days that Peter spoke of, then we should STILL be experiencing those “last days” signs shouldn’t we?

Second- Heb 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Hebrews was probably written between 62 and 65 AD. In times past God spoke by the prophets, but in THESE last days of the Old Covenant has spoken to us by His Son. Application may be made that Christ is still speaking to us, and this is true. However, Jesus did speak in the “last days” of Judaism in which the book of Hebrews was written.

Third- Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

In this verse, the “foundation of the world” is the Greek “kosmos” which is speaking of the entire creation. However, the phrase “end of the world”, in this passage, contains the Greek word “aion”, which is an “AGE”, or a definite period of time. Based on the dating of Hebrews, and when the crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place, it would indicate the end of the Old Covenant “AGE” is what is under consideration in this passage.

Fourth- 1Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

The kingdom of heaven was “at hand” when John the Baptist preached, in this same manner, the “end of all things” was also “at hand” here in 1 Peter 4:7. The end of the “all things”, that were then “at hand”, were the all things that ended when Judaism was destroyed about three to five years after this letter was written. I am confident that the above has done no violence to the scripture, and is in agreement with the context. It is in agreement not only with the grammatical, but also the historical context in which it was written.

2Pe 3:4- A And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?

Consider the stoning of Stephen: Ac 6:14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. Here, in one verse, we are told that the apostate Jews were aware that Jesus prophesied the destruction of their city. This verse also tells us that the CHANGING OF THE CUSTOMS of Moses [Jewish elements] would accompany the destruction of their city. During the period when 2 Peter was written, the apostate JEWS would naturally begin to scoff. After all, about thirty-five years had passed since they were told of the impending destruction, and nothing had happened yet. Therefore, they began to chide their believing Jewish brethren, with statements like, “where is the promise of His coming”? I am of the opinion that these apostate Jews were mocking the promise of the coming destruction of Jerusalem, which was supposed to happen in THEIR generation, but at the time of the writing of 2 Peter, it had not happened yet.

2 Pe 3:4-B for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.

The word “FATHERS”, in 2 Peter 3:4 B, also identifies these mockers as being Jews, and not heathens, or atheists. The idea that these mockers were denying creation by God, and a future destruction of the universe does not fit well. The Jewish “FATHERS” would not have questioned that God created the universe, and had the power to destroy it. Gentiles wouldn’t have used the term “since the fathers fell asleep”. I believe that the context supports that these were Jews, and they were rejecting the notion that THEIR GOD would destroy THEIR nation in THAT generation.

2Pe 3:5-6 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

I believe that, THEY, the unbelieving Jews, believed the flood was an act of NATURE. The occurrence of the flood, they were not denying. I believe they were denying that the flood was a JUDGMENT of God. In the same manner, they were denying the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy of the JUDGMENT of God, in the destruction of their city, along with its political/religious “heavens and earth”.

Neither in the case of Noah’s flood, or the destruction of the Jewish world/age, did the PHYSICAL world perish. The flood destroyed the wicked OUT OF the world. It also destroyed their social/political “WORLD”, along with their heathenish religious “HEAVENS”. The PHYSICAL world that existed BEFORE the flood also existed AFTER the flood. What happened was the ending of a wicked social/political, religious “heaven and earth”, along with its inhabitants. The planet and stars Peter lived on and under, are the same planet and stars Noah lived on and under. They are also the same ones we live on and under. The parallel between the destruction of the pre-flood world, and 2 Peter 3’s world, is that the ungodly, and their “systems/elements” of worship and government were overthrown in BOTH cases, and in both cases, the PHYSICAL world was left INTACT.

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

What were the “heavens and earth” that Peter referred to in his second letter, as existing [now] in HIS day? What was the day of judgment that Peter was referring to?

I am of the opinion that when God brought Israel out of Egypt, they became a nation. They became a nation at Mount Sinai when God gave them their LAW, and their PRIESTHOOD. This was the time they were given the “ELEMENTS”, or rudiments of their NEW religious and political “HEAVENS and EARTH”. With the giving of the LAW, and the PRIESTHOOD they were PLANTED as a nation. That nation was their newly formed world order, or as the scriptures calls it, their “heavens and earth”. Just as the ungodly “world” of the pre-flood era was destroyed, so, I believe Peter prophesied of the destruction of the apostate Jewish “heavens and earth” that had been established when the children of Israel came out of Egypt.

First- Isa 51:15-16 But I [am] the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts [is] his name. And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou [art] my people.

The context of these passages above, show that when God “DIVIDED” the Red Sea, and brought the Israelites through it, and gave them their Law, that at THAT TIME, He PLANTED their “heavens and earth”. I am of the opinion that the PRIESTHOOD, and its religious order were their HEAVENS. The LAW that governed their lives was their EARTH. This “heavens and earth” ended when God destroyed it in 70 AD, and from that time onwards we have the “new”, which is the church/kingdom in time.

Consider these passages.

Isaiah 13 describes the destruction of Babylon by the Medes, using the same prophetic terminology used by Jesus, and Peter. Isa 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

Isa 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Micah 1 describes judgments against Samaria and Jerusalem. Mic 1:3-4 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, [and] as the waters [that are] poured down a steep place. Here, prophetic language such as “molten mountains”, and “wax before the fire” are used to describe judgments upon nations IN TIME. There are many such examples throughout the scriptures.

Also if you will read Isaiah chapter five in its entirety, I believe you will see that it deals with the judgment brought upon Jerusalem, leading up to their captivity by the Babylonians. Isaiah 5 ends with these words. “look unto the land, behold darkness [and] sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof”.

2Pe 3:8-9 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

It had been nearly thirty-five years since Jesus had prophesied the end of their Old Covenant worship Age. The believing brethren, called “beloved” by Peter, must have had thoughts that the Lord was tarrying. After all, Jewish unbelievers were constantly persecuting them, and at this time Nero’s persecutions were beginning. Time seems to move so slow when we are under persecution.

2Pe 3:10-A But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,

ELEMENTS: The word “ELEMENTS” is translated from the Greek word “STOICHEION”. This word occurs seven times in the New Testament.

First- In Heb 5:12, it is translated as “PRINCIPALS”. ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;

Second- In Gal 4:3, I believe it is referring to the “elements” of Judaism. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

Third- In Gal 4:9, it represents the weak and beggarly ELEMENTS, identified as the days, months, seasons, and years of Judaism.

Fourth- In Col 2:8 it is translated as the “rudiments” of the world, being the “traditions” of men.

Fifth- In Col 2:20 the “rudiments”, or “elements” of the world are called “ordinances”.

In none of these passages does the Greek word “stoicheion”, which is translated two times as “elements” in 2 Pe 3:10-12, refer to the PHYSICAL world. To interpret “STOICHEION” as meaning the atomic structure of this physical world, in this ONE place, goes against the way the Spirit has used it in ALL other places. In my opinion, this is unacceptable, due to the fact that it can be reasonably understood, in 2 Peter 3, as having the SAME meaning as it does in ALL the other texts where it is used, unless, of course there is other COMPELLING evidence to the contrary.

MELT:

The Greek word “luo” appears forty-six times in the New Testament. It is most commonly translated as, “loose, broken, or destroy”. Only three times is it translated as “melt”, or “dissolved”. If the translators had rendered “stoicheion”, and “luo” in 2 Peter 3, as they did every place else in scripture, I believe it would have made these passages more understandable. For brevity, I will only give a few examples of its normal usage in scripture.

First- in Eph 2:14, BROKEN DOWN is translated from “luo”. “and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;” This is not a literal, physical “melting” of a wall. It shows a “REMOVAL” of a FIGURATIVE wall.

Second- In John 1:27 “luo” which is translated as “melt” in 2 Peter, is here translated as “UNLOOSE”. John said, “He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

Third- Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Here, the word “DESTROY” is translated from “luo”.

Consistently, throughout the scriptures, the Spirit of God has chosen to render this Greek word “LUO” as DESTROY, BROKEN, or LOOSE forty-three times, and twice as dissolved. Although the translators have chosen to render it here in 2 Peter as “melt”, one time, I believe it is scriptural to render it as it is used throughout the rest of the scriptures, as the dissolving, BREAKING DOWN, or destroying of the “rudiments of Judaism.

2 Pe 3:10-B the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The word “earth” is translated from the Greek word “ghay”. It is usually used to refer to a specific piece of land, or to a country, as in the “LAND” of Judea. Figuratively, it is used to refer to a “social order”. The prophets have used it in this way many times. This happened LITERALLY and FIGURATIVELY in the destruction of Jerusalem, and the DISSOLVING of their religious, and political world. I believe that John the Baptist was speaking of this event in the scripture below.

Mt 3:11-12 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire: Whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

2Pe 3:11 [Seeing] then [that] all these things shall be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought ye to be in [all] holy conversation and godliness,

Peter, again reminds them that the Old Covenant order was soon to be dissolved/destroyed.

2Pe 3:12A Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God,

These pre 70 AD brethren were LOOKING for the day of God that was under consideration. They were looking for it to come with HASTE. Whatever they were waiting for, Peter, an inspired Apostle, said they expected it SOON. This fits well with the destruction of the Jewish “heavens and earth” that was “dissolved” in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Jesus had prophesied that this destruction would take place within THAT generation. Though many felt it was long in coming, they were eagerly awaiting it. Anyone who will take the time to check the Old Testament prophesies will see that the phrase, “the day of the Lord” is used to refer to many different judgments that were prophesied, and THEN later, fell upon those nations under consideration. There is to be a FINAL day of the Lord, however, I am not of the opinion that it is under consideration in this text.

2 Pe 3:12B wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

The same applies here, as when considering 2 Peter 3:10 above.

Mt 22:6-7 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them]. But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

The only scriptures where there is a promise mentioned that uses the EXACT phrase, “new heavens and a new earth”, are Isa 65:17, and Isa 66:22. In both occurrences the prophet is speaking of the “Gospel Age” here in time.

Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

Another consideration in respect to the phrase, “new heavens and a new earth”, is the Greek word “kainos” which is translated “new”. There are two Greek words translated as “new” in the New Testament. These two Greek words are, “neos”, and “kainos”. “NEOS” means new in time. It describes something that has NEVER existed, but is recently brought into existence. However, “KAINOS” means new in QUALITY, not in time. To say that Peter is referring to a “literal” new heaven and earth, after this existing one is destroyed, goes against the meaning of the word “new/kainos”. It seems to me, he would have used “neos” if he meant a complete “new” physical world.

As far as the “new heavens and new earth” of Revelation 21 is concerned, I believe they are also this Gospel Age. Revelation is a difficult book. The “new heavens and the new earth” in Rev., may begin on earth in time, and then are presented in vision in an eternal glorified state. Nevertheless, it is not my opinion that this aspect is being considered in 2 Peter 3.

Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away.

By His Grace

Brother Tom