“The day of the Lord...will come...as a thief in the night...” (2 Pet. 3:10) 

 Peter penned those words in his final letter to fellow believers everywhere. 

 ‘The Day of the Lord’....the day....of the Lord. 

 We see that expression or term quite a bit in both OT and NT writings. 

 What is not clear from the writings is when exactly this ‘day’ will occur, nor do we have any inkling as to how long this ‘day’ will last. And while Peter mentions just a few lines prior to that statement that our timelines don’t always jive with God’s, given that with God one day can be the same as a thousand years, and vice versa, (8) neither answer to those two questions really matter. That is, when it will occur or how long will it last. 

 What is important, is to see what Peter does tell us there. He opens up this third chapter wanting to ‘stir up our minds’ by ‘reminding us to be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, along with the commands given by both the Lord and the apostles.(1-2). I find that interesting given how many churches seem to want to dismiss the writings of the OT. Keep in mind that Peter was a fisherman by trade. We don’t see him as some highly trained theological scholar. Yet it was again, Peter who points to the prophets, “from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken having also foretold of these days.” (Acts 3:24). It wasn’t just the coming of the Messiah they wrote about that would come either. 

 And like the multiple writings we have of those prophets, Peter seems to echo what they wrote pertaining to this coming ‘day of the Lord’. It will not be a pretty day, by any stretch of the imagination. He describes it there in that third chapter where the ‘heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”(10) 

 I realize that our default setting when it comes to understanding or interpreting such writings is to look to natural occurrences/events. I’m sure we have all at one point in time heard this passage taught on, followed up by the likely scenario of atomic or nuclear warfare rendering the planet as ‘toast’. And that is not to say that won’t happen. But at least consider this possibility: We by habit so often look at things in just the opposite manner in which God intended them. I only point to what the Jewish religious leaders back in Jesus’s day were looking for in a coming Savior and what they got instead. 

 What if, by chance, that what we often see in the ‘natural realm’ are just ‘shadows’ of what is happening in the ‘spiritual’ realm. Take for example, when the sun rises, or sets, it can cast a long shadow on the ground of a tree or tall building, or even a person. The shadow itself, has no ‘substance’. It is the tree, or the building, or that person, that has substance which we see to be what is ‘real’. But what if, when it comes to biblical or spiritual ‘truth’ that it is just the opposite? 

 When Jesus spoke of ‘floods’ coming in the last days prior to His return, likening it to the days of Noah when the floods of destruction came, do we not tend to take notice when we see in the news reports of widespread flooding, oceans rising, hurricanes and such as ‘signs of the times’? Yet I would submit that what Jesus was telling us that prior to His return, if we are looking for ‘natural floods’, we are looking at the wrong thing. Those ‘natural’ events are the ‘shadow’ of what is happening in the spirit realm. I’ve written in the past on this topic of ‘floods’ and how the ‘enemy comes in like a flood’ and the ‘serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood’ and Jesus taught how ‘floods came and beat against those two houses to test their foundations’. 

 Remember when Jesus chided those Pharisees because they could easily discern natural weather patterns yet be blind to the ‘signs of the times’ there in Matt. 16:3? I would suggest, for your further study of course, that while these natural events may occur, they are simply the real ‘shadow’ of what is happening in the spiritual world today. I know, sounds a bit ‘out there’. But hang with me here.... 

 Peter wrote that this ‘day of the Lord’ would come as a ‘thief in the night’, did he not? Paul said the same thing in 1 Thess. 5:2-3. So, are we looking for some ‘hoodlum’ wearing a mask showing up with a crowbar and sack ...or maybe...something else, spiritual in nature? 

 What did Jesus tell us that the ‘thief’ comes to do? You can look at John 10:10 for that answer, and who do you think He might have been referring to there in that passage? Satan, perhaps? The ‘enemy’ or the ‘powers of darkness’ maybe? Who comes to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’? And who are we told to ‘give no place to’ there in Eph. 4:27? 

 I think we can agree that it is a ‘given’...that the ‘day of the Lord’ will be a day of darkness and destruction. And if you are still focused on earthquakes and hurricanes and natural disasters, then think again. For those of you who like to ‘read ahead and put more pieces of a puzzle together’, I will include some extra passages at the end for you to look up regarding this ‘day of the Lord’. But be forewarned, it is sobering reading for sure. 

 Jesus had a few statements to make regarding being on the lookout for ‘thieves’ in conjunction with this notable ‘day’. You might read Matt. 24:43 and then flip back to Revelation 3:3 where He warned the church at Sardis (who had a reputation of being a church full of life but were in fact, ‘dead’ 3:1) that unless they repented, He...would ‘come upon them as a thief’. (3:3). And while you are there in that book, what do you make of 16:15? 

 So back to Peter’s final letter and chapter there where he warns of ‘scoffers’ who will be quick to dismiss such talk. He also reminds us that while God is true to His word, and what God says will happen, he seems to imply that if there is any ‘delay’ (like we read about the other day in Matt. 25:5) it could very well have to do with God wanting as many possible to repent and turn to Him and ‘get in the ark’ as a matter of speaking. Why? Because God is ‘not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance’. (2 Pet. 3:9) I cannot stress enough that this has always been the heart of God and the mission of Jesus. (John 3:17) 

 So giving us this descriptive illustration of chaos and destruction coming in this ‘day of the Lord’, look what he says there in vs. 11- “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be? Be holy in all your conduct and godliness’...going on to add: “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot....and blameless’. (14)  2 Cor. 7:1 is good to underline as well. 

 Why? Why such sobering warnings to be found ‘without spot...blameless...holy in all our conduct...’? Is it possible, that countless numbers of people have been told a different story and fed ‘another gospel’ (2 Cor. 11:4) that paints another scenario accompanied by a ‘different spirit’ which provides a false peace and sense of security? Sort of like, “you prayed and accepted Jesus so therefore you are ‘saved’ and ‘in the ark’ and He is coming to swoop you of here before all this bad stuff happens’. 

 What was Paul alluding to there in 1 Thess. 5:1-3 where he mentions this ‘day of the Lord coming like a thief in the night’ and then adds “for when they say “peace and safety!”, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains...and they shall not escape’. (Jer. 23:16-29) 

 In yesterday’s post, I left off with a note suggesting I would elaborate more on this ‘process’ of being sanctified, or made holy...or being ‘perfected’ and made pure...given that seems to be the kind of bride Jesus is coming back for. But it seems the Holy Spirit wanted me to lay some more groundwork as to ‘why’ this process is more important and urgent than what many of us have been led to believe. 

 You have to ask yourself, after reading Peter’s words here to be ‘diligent’ or ‘make every effort’ or ‘do everything you can’ (depending on the version you read)...to be found by Him in peace, without spot...and blameless...” (3:14)...what did he know that we seem to be indifferent to? 

 Allow me to suggest a possible scenario to close with today and then, Lord willing, I will pick up tomorrow with what scripture might be alluding to when it talks about brides making themselves ‘ready’. (Rev. 19:7-9; Matt. 25:10-13) 

 Paul tells us to ‘give no place...to the devil’. (Eph 4:27). How much provision are we permitted to give to our sinful flesh nature according to Rom. 13:14? What did Jesus say was the goal of us to be like in Matt. 5:48?  Whose image are we supposed to be conformed to? (Rom. 8:29) 

 What if...God’s wrath is about to be ‘ramped up even more’ as He ‘lowers the hedge’ (Isa. 5:4-7) and unleashes the coming floods of the powers of darkness; and they have been ‘sent/allowed’ to come and devour whatever is ‘outside the ark’. In other words, wherever they see sinful flesh, they can attack. What did Paul say there in 1 Cor. 10:8-11 about serpents and being a warning to ‘us on whom the end of the ages have come’? Might look at Jer. 8:17 as well. You do recall that flesh is ‘serpent food’. (Gen. 3:14,19) 

 We might soon discover that some of those ‘pet sins’ we’ve been reluctant to let go and repent of, might not be so worth holding on to anymore. You know, like that bitterness and unforgiveness we may have harbored in our hearts for years? Who did Jesus tell us there in Matt. 18:34-35 he would turn such people over to? Join me tomorrow? 

[Further passages regarding the ‘day of the Lord’: Zephaniah 1; Amos 5:18-6:8; Malachi 3-4; Joel 2 making note of vs 9 in that chapter as well]