WHEN
THE WORLD IS ON FIRE
II
PETER 3:5-13
6-30-74
The
reason for the revelation: in answer to
the mocking and suffering question.
"Where is the promise of His coming?" God is not here, they say. They made a deduction therefore: Men are at liberty to sin because of the
apparent absence of God from the world.
God does not interfere - or there is no God.
The
apostle answers in two ways:
1.
God does interfere. He chooses
just one tremendous instance: the
destruction of the world by water (Genesis 1:1/Genesis 6:7) at the word of God.
There have been interruptions of divine
justice.
He
could have cited those interruptions through all history. Sodom, Gommorah - destruction of the
Sennacherib. Jerusalem - the fall of
degeneration over throne of emperor, devastating wars, dire famines - these are
the intervention of the one God, necessities, inspiration of God's world. Inspiration that this Lord sends great
calamities on mankind to bridle his arrogance, lusteveneous, wantonness. Oppression.
2.
The delay of His intervention is due to His infinite
long-suffering. The Lord is sure to
smite the wicked. Men take advantage of
His merciful love, long waiting.
But
there is to be another great final intervention of which all others are but a
type; an adumbration. God's mill
grinds slowly but it grinds exceedingly fine.
But when it falls, cuts to the soul.
god's long in kindling, but in the end burns like an oven.
Compare:
The apparent escape of atheistic __ promises, __. But God.
The
truth revealed here.
1.
The final interventions - not by water but by fire.
God
reveals the future in great, massive outline.
We shall need the eternal fulfillment to fold in the detail, but the
outline clear. The Great Architect
knows where each of the stones belongs - we are not to fling away one of the
stones.
They
say: "Where is the
promise?" "God is not here,
He is far off." No. He is not far off. He is near, at the door.
The stage is set. Greek grammar
for the __ of Greek words: present passive participle, "All these things
are being dissolved". They are
even now beginning to dissolve in the process of dissolution. God is close upon us - Christ is
returning: Father hears the pounding
hoofs of his horses, the rumbling of his chariot wheels. "Behold, I came quickly."
The
rapidity of the succession of events.
Like the lighting from the east to the west (Matthew 24:27).
Of the
things we are witnessing: Palestine a
homeland for the Jews; the resurrection of a nation buried 2000 years; economic stability, alignment, arranged for the end times struggle,
eventual battle of Armageddon; the gentry, the church.
"A
1000 years as a day." This final
catastrophe not the commencement of the day of the Lord, but its closing
consummation. The great truth revealed
here: "the world to be consumed by
fire." Cathedrals, palaces,
cities, the souls of men, all to be burned up in the funeral pyre of the
Earth. Pride of power, cunning of
skill, beauty of art, __ of wrath, overwhelmed in size of flames.
Witness:
1.
The historian. Pliny the Younger
said, "It is a miracle that the world escapes burning everyday."
2.
The chemist.
3.
The great __ of science, Peter 3:10.
Inevitably accompany such a combustion.
The whole world a molten mass aging.
Compare: Class in church. Oxygen, hydrogen, the explosion. The drop of water.
3.
The Geologist
The
whole center of the earth a molten mass.
We live on this vast cool skin.
When you descend into earth, one degree Fahrenheit each 45! No known rock not liquefy at 65 miles. Flattened at the poles just as much as if a
rotary rapid mass. Volcanoes safety
valves. A think crust that divides the core, water for the area of
fire. If nullify, the fountain of the
deep break up.
4.
The Physicist
Atomic
fission. Enough energy in the atomic
structure of the paper ___ to down the turning around the earth. Michael Farady read in one drop of water
enough latent electricity for a flash of lightening.
a.
What resources of nitrogen power!
Only that God speaks - as He did to the seas, cover the highest __! Let him but speak to his mountain of fire.
5.
Astronomer
Stars
burst into flames. Burn up. Explodes.
See them. Watch them die.
1.
We learn also that conflagration will take place in correction with the
final judgment of ungodly men, 3:7 and Rev. 20:11-20.
The
former destruction of the world by water is consequence of sin, not an accident
but by clergy. Genesis 6. Church, state, false prophet, fake
beast. Floods of sin call for floods of
destruction. House defiled by __,
destroyed stone of stone. Lev.. 13 - when
a garnet.
2.
Will happen when least expect it.
3:10,
"a thief"
Compare: I Thessalonians 5:3.
Not for
want of warning, but because man will not consider it possible.
Compare: Argument against Noah. "Since fathers..." Back to Adam.
3.
But not annihilated, 3:13.
Nothing
has been annihilated yet. No fire able
to destroy a single atom of matter. As
much matter as God created. Not
__. But through purifying flames. Refitted, renovated, new heaven and earth... The work, __ of the serpent cast always upon
the world. Evasive - the work of the
glory of God upon it.
The
Appeal, 3:11,14,15.
If
Julian Bunyan. Christian in the city of
Destruction called out by __. We'd back
him. Come back. Children say to saints. But as to the city of God.
What
name of person in Noah's day? Fly to
the ark. "As it was in days of
Noah?
What is
name of person in days of Sodom when Abraham interceded? Not even 10. "As it was in days of Lot."
"In
all __ intervention" Big. Towards men.
In
godliness ___ towards God.
Our
gratitude to God - saving us. When
furnace of flames burn up the lives
of __ ,the saints, ever safe, hair upon
our head not singed. no smell, flames upon our saints. Compare Daniel 3:19-27.
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