But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a great noise and having burned up, the elements will be destroyed, and the earth and the works in it will be burned up.
Truth to Learn
God’s judgment day will be catastrophic and final.
Behind the Words
The word translated “elements” is the word stoicheia, which means “fundamental or elemental things.” Hence, the term “elements” is an excellent translation of it, referring to the atomic elements of which the entire universe is made.
The word translated “will be destroyed” is a form of luō, meaning “to let loose” or “to release.”
“Burned up” is translated from katakaiō, a compound word made up of kata, meaning “down” and kaiō, meaning “to burn.” Hence, this word means “to completely consume by fire.”
Meaning Explained
Peter has just told us that the reason that God has delayed His judgment of the unrighteous. It is because He is holding His wrath in check waiting for any who will believe and accept His offer of eternal life. God is not desirous that any should perish, but he has determined that He will “drop the hammer” someday and then the unbelievers will receive the judgment which is due them.
That Day of Judgment is referred to as “the day of the Lord.” Actually, it is not a single 24 hour day; it is a period of time in which God executes His judgment against the wickedness of mankind. There are numerous references to the day of the Lord in the Bible. Here are a few of them: Jeremiah 46:10; Acts 2:20; 1Thessalonians 5:2.
So, is this a reference to the rapture of the church? No! The rapture comes with a trumpet blast and a loud shout. The day of the Lord comes like a thief, by surprise and stealth, when no one expects it. And nearly every reference to the day of the Lord in the Bible identifies it as a day of God’s wrath and vengeance. Even in today’s verse, Peter describes it as a day when cataclysmic things will occur.
One of the most fascinating statements in the entire Bible is found in today’s verse. It says that, “the elements will be let loose with fire.” One of the things that scientists have never figured out is how the positively charged protons at the center of all atoms remain together, since like charges repel each other. Yet, these like charges are actually so tightly bound together that when they are finally separated, it produces a tremendous release of energy in the form of intense heat (nuclear fission). The explanation that scientists give for this tremendous force holding the protons together is “cosmic glue” or “dark matter.”
Peter says that these elements will “be let loose.” Notice what this means. God is suddenly going to release every proton from its place, which will produce a roar and fire the likes of which has never been witnessed. “. . .and the earth and everything in it will be completely consumed by fire.”
Application
When all material things have been destroyed, only our works, which we have done either for ourselves or for God, will be left for God to judge. What kind of works are you doing? Are they for you or for God?
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved