As Peter the apostle
continued his discourse to the church concerning false prophets, he
told them that in the last days there would be scoffers or mockers
that would be among them. One way to identify them is that they would
be “walking after their own lusts”, and in chapter three
and verse four Peter adds what they will be saying when they are
around. We read:
And saying, Where is
the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation.
The
verse begins, “And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?”
One of the main questions that these scoffers will ask is “Where
is the promise of his coming?” which refers to the coming again
of Jesus Christ. In the book of Acts of the Apostles in chapter one
and verses seven through nine we read these words speaking of Jesus:
And when he had spoken
these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud
received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly
toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white
apparel; Which also said, You men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing
up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into
heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into
heaven.
The angels promised that
Jesus would come again. In the gospel of John in chapter fourteen and
verses one through three Jesus said:
Let not your heart be
troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's
house are many mansions: if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there you may be
also.
In the
book of Revelation in chapter twenty-two and verse seven Jesus said:
Behold, I come quickly:
blessed is he that keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this
book.
And in
verse twelve of the same chapter Jesus said:
And, behold, I come
quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be.
In other
words, Jesus is coming again. However, these last days scoffers will
be casting doubt upon Jesus' return. They ask, “Where is the
promise of his coming?”, and since it has been almost two
thousand years since these promises of Jesus' return, there certainly
are those doubting scoffers around today.
The
verse goes on to say, “for since the fathers fell asleep,
all things continue as they were from the beginning
of the creation.” The reason
given for asking the question is a reference to the deaths of the
“fathers” or
predecessors who have gone before them. The idea is the theory of
“Uniformitarianism” which means that all things are progressing
as they have throughout the ages or “"all things
continue as they were from the beginning of creation." These
mockers will say that the idea of Jesus coming again will not
interrupt things as they are. Things will continue to progress, and
the thought that Jesus would return to alter things in any manner is
greatly doubted. Peter notes that this will be a way to identify a
scoffer, and should there be any who pontificates such verbiage, he
or she will be fulfilling scripture to do so. Scoffers doubt that
Jesus will return, and those who mock this promise of Jesus will do
so to their own demise.
Have we noticed any last day
scoffers? Have there been those who cast doubts upon the return of
Jesus Christ? Do we really believe that Jesus is coming back again as
the angels and He promised? Perhaps as we ponder this verse we should
be reminded of the words of this old hymn:
He's coming soon.
He's coming soon.
With joy we'll welcome
his returning.
It may be morn.
It may be night or
noon.
But we know, he's
coming soon.
Next
time we will see Peter's conclusion about these scoffers, so read
ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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