Author: Wick

2 Peter 3:10 – “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, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (KJV)

Based on that verse in the KJV, it’d be easy to believe God’s coming to steal us all away like a thief. That everything we know is going to be burned up in actual fire. That “Left Behind” is solid theology.

Thankfully, we have an entire Bible, not one verse. Not only do we have a God who loves His creation, and actively seeks to bring His presence back into what is happening, and bring healing and New Life…with promises of bringing Heaven and Earth together in a New Creation…but we also have the ability to look at the actual words of these verses.

2 Peter 3:10 – “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.” (NRSV)

First, it’s not “The Lord” that comes like a thief, it’s the DAY of the Lord. It comes unexpectedly. We cannot know for sure when. It’s surprising, humbling, and we want to be ready. Both translations would agree there.

The elements will be dissolved. The Greek word here is “luo” (looo-oh). This word means “to loose”, it has to do with releasing what is bound, setting something free, overthrow, subvert, etc.

The elements will be (released, set free, etc.) with fire. We know the imagery of God being a consuming fire. That throughout the scriptures there are inferences to purifying by fire, all the way back to the presence of God in a bush that did not burn up.

But it seems the largest difference is in the final statement. That all of the earth and everything that is done in it will be “burnt up” vs. “disclosed”. The word here is “heurisko” (hyoor-eesko). A word that means “to come upon”, to discover, to find out, to see/understand, to know God, etc.

I look forward with hope-filled anticipation, the coming day of the Lord…and work toward that day believing that what is accomplished serves a purpose.  Now…and in the coming Kingdom.

This past week we heard from Luke chapter 7.  A woman enters the scene of Jesus reclined at Simon the Pharisee’s table, and begins to kiss his feet, and anoint them with perfume…drying them with her hair.  It’s quite a scene, and Jesus points out her undignified response is out of a realization of how much she’s been forgiven.

He tells the story of two men, who both owe money.  One a large amount, and one a small amount.  Both are forgiven.  Who loves the forgiver more?  Simon reluctantly answers “the one who was forgiven more”.

Forgiveness is mentioned twice here.  The first, in Jesus’ story, it pertains to a debt that was owed, and then canceled.  The word used here is “χαρίζομαι” (care-eez-oh-my).  It involves showing grace, which is actually the root word, “χαρίζ” (care-eese).  It involves the restoration of a relationship.  We see this also in Colossians 3:13, where it talks about putting on the New Self:

“Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

It’s an important aspect and type of forgiveness we yearn for…to be brought into right relationship with God. But there are other times, where a different emphasis is needed. In these cases, it’s also very helpful to remember/recognize the power of the God we serve.

When Jesus talks about and to the woman who is anointing his feet, he mentions her sins are forgiven. He says the person who is forgiven much, shows great love. The one forgiven little, loves little. The word used here is “ἀφίημι” (af-ee-ay-mee). This seems to focus on the relationship of the person to the sin. An emphasis on separating them from it, releasing them from it, and allowing them to completely set it down at walk away. We see the word used in Matthew 4:20 when Jesus calls His disciples:

“Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

There are definitely times where our emphasis is on wanting to get rid of a bad habit, a bad choice, a life-damaging path or element we’ve found ourselves to have. I’m thankful for a God who recognizes the need for both types of forgiveness, and who is ready to offer both any moment we come to Him… 🙂

Forgive us Lord. And while you’re at it….forgive us too. 🙂

It’s time to celebrate the passover meal.  Jesus doesn’t simply tell his disciples “Go get things ready!”, and leave it at that.  Nope.  He says, “Go follow a man carrying the jar of water.  He’ll go into a home.  When he goes into a home, find the owner of that home, and ask him for the room.  He’ll know what you’re talking about.” (my paraphrase)

Wow.   Really? 

It seems like this is the kind of passage non-believers would make fun of.  A lame man walking, sure.  But a random prophetic coincidence like this?  Silly, right?  And yet, there it is.  Right along side the verses that talk about Jesus breaking the bread and sharing the cup.  Solid stuff.

There’s an important connection here.  Two very important things found in verse 13.

First – “they left“.  They heard the words of Jesus regarding what to do, and they were compelled to action.  They didn’t sit and wait passively…that wasn’t their instruction.  If they’d just stood around, who knows what would have happened. 

Many of us have heard God’s word in and for our lives.  We have the scriptures, and we’ve heard God speak His desire for our lives today, and for tomorrow.  Yet so many times, we stand around waiting passively.  Whether for more prodding, or a special blessing, or perhaps even a different word….we often wait.  Where can we be moving even NOW where God has compelled us forward?

Second – “they found“.  Jesus had been right.  It was no coincidence.  It was Jesus speaking, and what he had spoken happened.  We hear Jesus say in the book of John that the Son can only do what He sees the Father doing.  So where do we see God speaking, and things happening?  How about Genesis, and the story of creation.  God didn’t simply clap his hands, snap his fingers, or say “bibbity boppity boo” and the entire world became.  There’s a power in spoken word.  But not in spoken word alone, rather, in speaking the words of God.

Jesus calls us to follow Him.  To live our lives as He lived.  To have such power in the words we speak, that we echo the words of Jesus, and of God at creation.

It makes me think of the words I’ve spoken in the past week.  The words I will speak this week.  The amount of power and incredible Kingdom work they can accomplish.  Of course, I probably won’t tell anyone “Go follow a man with a can of pop.  He’ll go into a home.  Find the owner of the home, and ask him for a room.”  🙂

But I do want to find out where God desires words to be spoken.  Words of Love.  Words of Mercy.  Words of release, life, grace, forgiveness, hope, etc.  And when I find them….to Speak them in His Name…