“But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:7-9)
Peter continues to confront scoffers who in arrogance were blasphemously asking, “Where is the promise of His coming?” Apparently, such scoffing was starting to create doubt in the hearts and minds of believers. Peter explains that just as scoffers had deliberately overlooked the facts of creation and the flood, so too did they overlook the fact that God’s Day of fiery judgment is certain. Peter then lovingly explains to his readers that God’s “not yet” concerning Judgment Day does not mean “never.”
Next, Peter emphasizes the eternal nature of God. While man is bound by time, the eternal God is not. While man must live every day one moment at a time, the eternal God of heaven can see all moments of time at once. Therefore, it’s altogether foolish for the sinner to think that the immortal, eternal God of heaven, Who has infinite wisdom, must operate in the same way as a finite, time-bound mortal.
The word for “slow” that Peter uses in our text is the same word Paul uses in his letter to Timothy when speaking of the possibility of “delay” (1 Timothy 3:15). Sometimes unforeseen circumstances cause delay. For example, one morning I promised my children we would get to school early. While driving to school, we came upon a five-car accident on the highway, causing significant delay. There was nothing we could do. It was out of our control. But God is the One Who created and controls time itself. He cannot be delayed against His will!
Sinful parents may also delay in keeping promises to their children simply because they forget. God says, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15 NKJV) In other words, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness.” Any appearance of “slowness” on the Lord’s part is really His merciful patience giving sinners time to repent and believe in Jesus as Savior. Just as God waited for the perfect time to send Jesus to earth to be our Savior, so too will God’s timing be perfect for Jesus’ second coming as Judge.
A fairly well-known expression used in several movies, TV shows, and books over the years is the line, “Let’s synchronize our watches.” Typically, the protagonists of such stories need to synchronize their watches so that each part of their complex plan can be executed with utmost precision to be successful. Sinners want to force God into synchronizing His clock to their timepieces so that God might quickly solve their complex problems in life according the sinner’s timeline. Peter shows that it doesn’t work like that. The sinner must synchronize his watch to wait on God’s timing instead. Thankfully, God’s timepiece ticks to the perfect rhythm of grace, mercy, forgiveness, and patience for the sinner’s blessed benefit. May God the Holy Spirit help us to synchronize with that!
is pastor of a quad parish that includes four western Wisconsin congregations: Morning Star Lutheran Church in Fairchild, Trinity Lutheran Church in Millston, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Melrose, and Peace with God Evangelical Lutheran Church in Onalaska.