Join us as we study through 2 Peter verse by verse. Our discussion questions, verse by verse commentary, and applications can help you or your small group get the most out of this book as you grow in understanding and obedience.

2 Peter 3:10-18 Inductive Bible Study With Discussion Questions – Small Group Online Study Guide

Outline

I. Waiting for the new heavens and earth (10-13)
II. Be diligent to grow in grace (14-18)

I. Waiting for the new heavens and earth (10-13).

Discussion Questions

• What is the “day of the Lord?”
• What will it be like?
• What will happen to the heavenly bodies?
• What are “all these things” which are going to be dissolved?
• How does knowing that the earth is temporary affect how we live in it today?
• What should you do while you are waiting for these things to happen?
• Is there anything you can actually do to “hasten” the coming of the day of God?
• What do you think the end of verse 12 means? Will the universe itself be destroyed?
• What will the new heaven and earth be like? Why is a new heaven and earth necessary?

Cross References

Joel 2:31 – The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

Isaiah 65:17 – For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.

Isaiah 66:22 – For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain.

Revelation 21:1 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Matthew 24:14 – And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

John 9:4 – While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

Isaiah 60:19-21 – The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. The day of the Lord –

Activity – Study the following list of Bible verses about the day of the Lord. If you are studying in a group, split into small groups to read and discuss the verses and answer the questions:

What do you learn about the day of the Lord?
What will it be like?
What is the purpose of it?
What are some of the things that will happen during it?
What does this event teach us about God? About people?

• Isaiah 24:21-22
• Zephaniah 1:14-18
• Isaiah 13:9-11
• Ezekiel 30:3-4
• Joel 3:12-14
• Amos 5:18-20
• 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
• Zephaniah 3:8

The day of the Lord refers to a still future event, when God will come and bring judgment on the world for its extreme wickedness. In some sense, now is the “day of man.” Men everywhere are doing whatever they like. Like in the time of the judges, they are doing “what is right in their own eyes.” When you ask, “What do you believe in?” many people will pridefully answer, “I believe in myself.” The works of man are visible, towering into the sky. The works of God are less easily seen.

But the day of the Lord is coming. He will appear. There will be a reckoning. Jesus will come to bring judgment upon all of those who continue to rebel against Him. The Lord is always present. Every day ultimately belongs to God. But that day it will be clear and visible to all. No one will be able to deny His existence. There will be no more pretending that man is the ultimate power. God will show Himself to be sovereign over all.

Sometimes this day is also called the “day of wrath” (See Zephaniah 1:14-18, Romans 2:5). It is the same series of events as what the New Testament refers to as the “tribulation.”

Matthew 24:29 Bible Verse

Mark 13:19 – For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.

2. Will come like a thief – Although God warns about this event repeatedly throughout the Bible, many people will not be prepared for it. There will in fact be even more signs (Luke 21:11) that this day is drawing closer, but most people will ignore them. The wise (believers) will read this passage and know what is coming. But the world is full of fools who say in their heart that “there is no God.” No number of signs or warnings can convince them.

Thieves do not call ahead and announce, “I am coming tomorrow.” Neither will God announce the exact day that He is coming.

Imagine a homeowner who lives in an area known for crime. His neighbors warn him that he should install a lock on the door. But he doesn’t want the expense. He thinks, “Nothing happened yesterday. I will be fine.” Well, sooner or later a thief is going to come to his house. He could have listened to the warnings and prepared, but that would have been inconvenient. So, he chose the easier route of doing nothing and paid the price.

In the day of the Lord, there will be many people like this. Caught unaware, they will wish that they had paid attention to the signs and prepared themselves spiritually, but it will be too late.

3. And then… – When will these things happen?

The day of the Lord comes first. And at some point after that, the below description of the melting of the universe will happen. The sequence is important to take note of. Those who hold to the pre-tribulation and pre-millennial view of eschatology would interpret the burning up of this world to happen after the conclusion of the millennium.

Revelation 21:1,4 Bible Verse

Thus, the new heavens and the new earth are introduced as the very last step prior to the eternal state of believers, after all of the other events in Revelation happen. God will finish dealing with this earth (Rapture, Tribulation, Millennium) and then destroy this world.

4. The heavenly bodies and the earth will be dissolved – Once before there has been a global judgment, the flood in Genesis. But the coming judgment will be universal, and it will be far worse. Simply put, the entire universe will be melted with fire, its very elements dissolved. There is speculation that it will be an atomic reaction which will disintegrate the particle building blocks of our world, atoms, neutrons, protons, and electrons. The earth will be destroyed. The heavenly bodies (stars, planets, galaxies) will be destroyed.

Revelation 22:13 – I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

God created the world in six days. He began it. And He will also have the last say. As easily as He started, He will end it. Take note that this will not be the end of everything. In verse 13, we see there will be a new heavens and a new earth.

Everything we see is temporary. Your job is temporary. Money and your bank account are temporary. The most prized possessions you own will not last. The man-made Seven Wonders of the World will all be destroyed by fire. And the natural wonders of the world (Mt. Everest, Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, etc.) will all be melted.

Application: What does this mean for you? How should this knowledge affect how you live?

5. Live godly and holy lives while you wait – The focus of 2 Peter is on false teachers and their wicked lifestyles. In the previous passages we have seen that false teachers mock the very idea of a coming judgment saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” Denying the coming judgment gave them an excuse to revel in their sinful lifestyles while telling themselves that they could get away with it.

But here we see that a correct understanding of the coming judgment impacts real believers by encouraging us to live godly and holy lives. The logic is very simple:

• God will come to judge sin.
• Therefore, I should not sin!

Note how the lives of “holiness and godliness” directly contrast with the lifestyle of the false teachers, which is described in 2 Peter 2:14-14, 19 as “reveling,” “full of adultery,” “insatiable for sin,” “hearts trained in greed,” and “slaves of corruption.”

Application: The coming judgment on the day of the Lord should motivate you to live a holy life.

6. Waiting for and hastening the coming day of God – Here we see a bit of a difference. The event referred to is ca