2 Peter 3 and the Restoration of Israel

The two most important verses in 2 Peter 3 are verses 1 and 2.

This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

2 Peter 3:1–2

Reading 2 Peter 3, or any passage, in a vacuum limits one's ability to interpret the passage. In 2 Peter 3's case, it is apparent that one needs a healthy understanding of the first letter, the prophets, and the commandment of the Lord to read this text as the original audience would.

In this audio, we explore the commandment of Jesus to watch out for false Christs, Peter's comments about the inheritance, and how all that affects our view of 2 Peter 3.

Thrust: Jesus warned that false prophets would come claiming to be the Christ when it seemed He would not fulfill His promise to return. Peter's audience was to continue to watch because He was going to return in that generation, as He said. In 1 Peter 1, Peter says they were waiting for an inheritance which was ready to be revealed in the last time. The promised land would immediately come to their mind. Unlike the land though, this inheritance was incorruptible and imperishable, reserved in heaven. It was this city for which Abraham looked in Hebrews 11, and it was this city that John saw coming down out of heaven, the New Jerusalem of the New Heavens and New Earth.

[audio src = "https://labornotinvain.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-01-20-2-Peter-3-and-the-Restoration-of-Israel.mp3"]

You may be interested in my longer version of this from Sunday night. Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G-SD0dzai4