In 2 Peter 3:7-13 is Peter teaching that the new heaven and new earth begins immediately after the 2nd coming of Christ?

Question

2 Peter 3:7 (KJV) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Is Peter teaching that the new heaven and new earth begins immediately after the 2nd coming of Christ? The book of revelation shows it beginning after the 1000 year reign but Peter seems to be putting it before.

Answer 1

Updated Answer

My original answer below has some good stuff so I left it below my new answer but I discovered later that it has a fatal flaw. Peter is not providing a theodicy for the delay of the arrival of triumphant Israel but rather for the delay of judgment on earthly, old covenant Israel!

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First of all, it is important to realize that for the new covenant Jews, the old covenant Jews were a mortal enemy. They were persecuting the apostles and the believers in the Messiah. The new covenant saints pined for the day of judgment like men at sea search the horizon for morning light:

[Rev 6:10 KJV] (10) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

[2Th 1:4-10 KJV] (4) So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: (5) Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (6) Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; (7) And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (9) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed ) in that day.

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The promise Jesus made about his return to snatch up the saints is not what has delayed and is causing concern. It is the fact that the promise that God made to Israel in Deuteronomy 32, to punish them "soon" seems to have been forgotten about:

[Deu 32:35-36 HNV] (35) Vengeance is mine, and recompense, At the time when their foot shall slide: For the day of their calamity is at hand, The things that are to come on them shall make haste. (36) For the LORD will judge his people, Repent himself for his servants; When he sees that their power is gone, There is none remaining, shut up or left at large.

So it is in reference to God's promise to the fathers that Peter is speaking:

[2Pe 3:4 ESV] (4) They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."

Peter seems to be responding to the argument that God promised never to destroy the world again:

[Gen 9:15 KJV] (15) And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Peter seems to be saying that God decided that rather than have regular cycles of sin then deluge, sin then deluge that he would never again flood the earth as he did and would save it up for a single judgment at the end.

[Deu 32:33-36 HNV] (33) Their wine is the poison of serpents, The cruel venom of asps. (34) Isn't this laid up in store with me, Sealed up among my treasures? (35) Vengeance is mine, and recompense, At the time when their foot shall slide: For the day of their calamity is at hand, The things that are to come on them shall make haste. (36) For the LORD will judge his people, Repent himself for his servants; When he sees that their power is gone, There is none remaining, shut up or left at large.

Notice that Peter says that wrath is "stored up" for the current "heavens and the earth" - referring to the temple in Jerusalem!:

[2Pe 3:4, 7 NLT] (4) They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created." ... (7) And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

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Peter compares the destruction of the first "heaven and earth" by water with the destruction of the "current heaven and earth", referring to the temple. The bottom line of his argument is that the original promise in Deuteronomy, that God would judge the current temple, his people, Jerusalem, the old covenant, etc. will be fulfilled, by fire. And this of course is exactly what happened in 70ad.

And yes, this happened at the second coming of Christ circa 70ad.

Original Answer

1 & 2 Peter are Jewish scrolls intended for a Jewish audience about Jewish concerns. Peter and the other apostles (except Paul) were trained by the earthly Jesus concerning the kingdom of God (triumphant, eschatological Israel). Peter's expectation was that Jesus would judge temple-centric Judaism, humiliate the nations and rule from Jerusalem as the descendant of David:

NIV Acts 1:6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

However, the triumph of Israel was still thousands of years off because the Jewish leadership rejected their messiah. Instead Paul was sent to the gentiles:

NIV Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

This is what Jesus warned would happen:

ESV Matthew 21:

33“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servantsc to the tenants to get his fruit. 35And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;d this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”e

45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

Peter's letters are written to faithful Jews who looked for the arrival of the kingdom. However, it appears Peter had to reconcile himself to the fact that due to disobedience the arrival of the kingdom would be delayed for thousands of years:

NIV 2 Peter 3:

8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Note that Peter's gospel of the kingdom (which he got from the earthly Jesus) is definitely not "faith without works". One must watch and pray, laboring to be found as a torah observant Jew:

NIV 1 Peter 4:17:For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18: And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

ESV 2 Peter 1:

10Therefore, brothers,g be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This is in sharp contrast to Paul's gospel where the believer is immediately "translated" into Christ's kingdom:

ESV Colossians 1:

12 ...giving thanks to the Father [IE: God], who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light [NOT Israel]. 13 He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and [has] transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Peter and the Jewish community are living in the last days of the Jewish temple-centric theocracy. During the last days of the theocracy God's spirit was poured out on Jews and gentiles alike, male and female to wait for Jesus to descend from the sky and overthrow Rome.

NIV Acts 2:17“ ‘In the last days [of temple-centric Judaism], God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

This outpouring of the spirit (the "baptism in the spirit") gave to the Jews of that time all they needed to live godly lives in preparation to meet the king:

NIV 2 Peter 3:

3His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

However, the kingdom was forfeited because the leaders rejected the messiah. So they Jews gathered in Jerusalem, sold all they had and the like but Jesus did not show. Instead the stumbling stone fell upon the heads of the Jewish leaders, the Jews in Israel became poverty stricken and Rome crushed the Jewish rebellion. After 70AD the Jewish believers hopefully were subsumed into the new humanity and gospel of the grace of God that the risen Christ sent to Paul to dispense.

So what about the 1000 year reign? The 1000 year reign is a period of time where Christ rules from Jerusalem over the entire world specifically for the purpose of demoralizing the gentiles into submission to God. Once all of God's enemies are securely underfoot Jesus will become the subject king of Israel only so that God may be all in all:

NIV 1 Cor 15:

24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

This matter of the temporary nature of the 1000 year reign is extremely important and overlooked by most:

NIV Matthew 22:44 The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.'

However, this humiliation of the nations was not to occur immediately because the dramatic rescue of Zechariah 14 was postponed:

NIV Zechariah 14:

1A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls.

2I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

So to make a long story short, Peter's expectation of Jesus at this time restoring the kingdom to Israel was dashed. Or rather, deferred for thousands of years and with it the 1000 years of subjugation of the nations. Peter was concerned with the millennium, that period of subjugation of the nations under Israel but did not call it such.

Answer 2

I think there is a subtlety that some miss in this verse. 1 Peter 3:10-13 discusses only the dissolving and destruction of "the elements" which occurs at the 2nd coming according to this verse. V13 then places the new heavens and new earth (actually land) after that without saying how why or when this might occur. That is, no mention of the millennium. That information (whatever your interpretation) comes from Rev 20.

Answer 3

These verses were prophesy Peter wrote to the " to the choice sojourners of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia," (YLT, 1 Pet. 1:1) The same people to whom he wrote the 2nd epistle / letter. The sojourners of the dispersion were those of the dispersion in Asia from both the Assyrian and Babylonian captivity that did not return to the land of Israel / Judah.

So, Peter, for the most part was speaking to the "Jews" in Asia, as well as any from the other nations that may also have been converted to the gospel. Therefore we need to think in terms of the time - 1st century AD - and the people's culture / background. These people knew the OT. They knew the Hebrew idioms / euphemisms of God's prophetic language that we aren't taught today.

This passage in 2nd Peter chap. 3 is not speaking of melting the physical world / cosmos.

"Heaven and earth" was the metaphor of the covenant between God and Israel. Heaven meaning God, and earth meaning Israel. The promise between the two. Isaiah used the same terminology in the prophesy of the return of the tribes from the Babylonian captivity in Isa. 65:17 to rebuild Jerusalem and restore the covenant between the tribes and God looking forward to the promised Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus).

God did not literally create a new earth for the Judeans to occupy a literal new Israel. They returned from Babylon with a renewed heart and spirit to follow and keep God's commands. They renewed their promise with God. Heaven and earth was the Hebrew idiom for their relationship with God.

It follows then that the new heaven and new earth is the new covenant under the gospel of Christ. 2 Pet. 3:7 "the present heavens and earth" refers to the same covenant that was still in existence with Jews until that temple was destroyed in AD 70. The same covenant which Heb. 8:13 said

"...A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." (YLT)

The book of Hebrews was written approx. 60-65 AD. The old covenant was ready to vanish away in the 1st century AD. So, the present heavens and earth at the time Peter wrote in about AD 64 - 65 was the old covenant they still lived under and which was ruled by the sanhedrin in Jerusalem, and the Roman empire - all the world (Luke 2:1).

It does not mean our time today, but their "present" time which is now our history. The present tense verbs of the NT books were in the present of the time in which the books were written. Not when we are reading them 2,000 years later.

We have to know this was written to a people who lived almost 2,000 years ago. 1st audience perspective has to be maintained.

The next part of verse 7 is the indicator of prophesy, "...reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

The word judgment is key. Judgment prophesied against the wicked, ungodly people uses prophetic language and is very prone to God's metaphors of prophesy. So, we have to watch for those. The word fire meant God's fury.

"...lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings." (Jer. 21:12, KJV)

"Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him." (Nah. 1:6, KJV)

"...and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire." (Lam 2:4, KJV)

The word "like" indicates a synonym, a metaphor. God's fury is fire. So, when we see the word "fire" in prophesy it is the expression of God's fury that is promised to pour out upon the wicked ones.

2 Pet. 3:7 is the prophesy of the destruction of those wicked in the 1st century AD who crucified Christ, and killed His disciples. It is the prophesy of the destruction of the old covenant - the old heaven and earth promise with the remnant of national Israel / Judea, and the destruction of that temple in AD 70.

The word "elements" in vs. 10 is not the Greek concept of the physical elements of air, water, earth, and fire. It is Strong's Gr. 4747 “στοιχεῖον” transliterated as “stoicheion” and it means one of a row, hence a letter (of the alphabet), by ext. the elements (of knowledge). (Source: Biblehub)

The elements are the fundamentals, an orderly arrangement like the basic components of philosophy, structure, or first principles. It refers to the elements and rudiments of religious training and the ceremonial precepts of worship.

The elements here is used in the context of being in bondage under the elements of the law in Gal. 4:3-5. The word is rendered as “rudiments” in Col. 2:8, 20 where the traditions of men, and ordinances of men are discussed. It is translated as “principles” in Heb. 5:12 for the first principles of the gospel.

The elements that melted, and the works therein were the elements of the system of worship under the old law and all of the temple priestly ritual services of that old temple in Jerusalem which the Romans literally burned on the 9-10 of AV in AD 70.

So, the works of the "earth" of Judah - the remnant of Israel from the Babylonian captivity - were all burned up in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. This particular judgment was both expressed in language of fire, and was also carried out literally in fire.

Contrary to what most people have been taught, the entire passage of 2nd Peter 3:7-13 has nothing to do with an "end-of-the-world" or end-of-time scenario. The destruction of Jerusalem was the 2nd coming of Christ which was promised to those Christians of the 1st cent. AD who were waiting for His return. He came back to them to destroy that old covenant system just as He promised them He would.

See more details on this passage in the post "Frequent Mistakes - Part IV: The End of The World?" at my site ShreddingTheVeil.

Some very wicked people have taught a twisted perversion of the scriptures for about 150 years now, and have distorted the message of the gospel of Christ from a spiritual kingdom, back to the satanic physical kingdom idea. It was never about a physical restoration of Israel, nor a physical restoration of a 3rd temple in Jerusalem.

We have to go back to the time the books were written, and we have to view them from the perspective of the people to whom they were written. The new heavens and the new earth is the kingdom of God, and the promise between God and all those in Christ under the gospel. It was promised to come quickly to those of the 1st century AD.

"Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" (2 Pet. 3:12, , KJV)

They were waiting for the kingdom to be fully and completely established during that time of transition between the cross of Christ and the destruction of the old temple worship system. Hasting unto.. shorty to come.

We are now in that new heaven and earth kingdom, the new covenant, and we are not worshiping either at any mountain in Samaria nor at any temple in Jerusalem, nor will we. Under the gospel of Christ, we worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-23).

Answer 4

The new heavens and new earth will come is physical dwelling place for the saved persons as Jesus has promised to prepares a place and come again. As it mention in verse 6 that the world before being overflowed with water perished but in the second time the world or earth including skies over us will be dissolved with fervent heat before the new heavens and new earth will come out. The second coming of Jesus is the judgment and will be the end of everything on this earth, there is no third coming of Jesus mention in the scripture.

Answer 5

Peace.

Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old things are passed away (passed by) and behold all things become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV (17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The “old things”…..the “former things” of death, sorrow, crying, pain….pass away for us in the here-and-now as He makes all things new…but we must be found in Christ at the hearing of His voice (at the coming of Christ in the voice of the Spirit of Truth) who speaks to us from Heaven.

We shall hear His voice speaking through men who are led by the Spirit to speak His words of life and spirit to our hearing ears. We pass from death unto life by showing the love towards these brothers sent out by Him to speak His words (1 John 3:14).

Revelation 21:4-5 KJV (4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

The process of all things becoming new ( the new heavens and new earth wherein righteousness dwells) starts at the manifestation of the sons of God (who are led by the Spirit and the old things of death, sorrow, pain have passed away for as the mortal body shall be redeemed in the here-and-now).

Romans 8:18-23 KJV (18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (19) For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (20) For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

It starts with the manifestation of the sons of God (who are become a new creation in Christ) so that this current creation itself shall then be delivered from the bondage of decay (corruption) into the glorious liberty of the children of God. This current heavens and earth are changed (and not literally destroyed) as one changes clothing….putting on His righteousness.

(21) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (23) And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The dissolving is for the current system of decay and death upon all men (God’s wrath …His judgment…that rises like the sun upon all flesh) who hold down the truth in their unrighteousness. They set aside the commandment of God to have love for one another in order to keep the teachings and commandments of men (the "elements" that burn).

The wrath of God is revealed (now) from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold down the truth in their unrighteousness. But He is patient with all not willing that any should perish under this current system of destruction which is in place now in this earth and is upon all flesh of men. He turns men to destruction so that He may have mercy upon us (Psalm 90:3). God is love and we all know how to love.

Romans 1:18-19 KJV (18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

The heavens and the earth which are now are by the same word stored with fire (now) against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men (the Day of the Lord spoken of in 2nd Peter 3: 10).

This judgment is active now upon all men as the sun of His wrath rises upon all flesh and withers our mortal bodies unto our deaths for our ungodliness and unrighteousness.

2 Peter 3:7 KJV (7) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Every man’s religious work shall be made manifest for the Day (the Day of the Lord) shall declare it.

1 Corinthians 3:11-17 KJV (11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward

If a man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss (the mortal body perishes) but he himself (his spirit) shall be saved….yet as by fire (the wrath of God). The temple….our mortal body which is the temple of the Spirit of God…is destroyed (the “loss” that is suffered).

(15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

The “day of the Lord” in 2nd Peter 3:10 speaks of the final day of our death when the Lord comes to take us from this earth as our mortal body shall eventually perish from it. It is the final day of our judgment for our ungodliness and unrighteousness. All of things we did and said in this earth are then burned up as we shall no longer have an active part/work or say in this earth. (Ecclesiastes 9:6). We suffer loss…the loss of our mortal body.

2 Peter 3:9-12 KJV (9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, **not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance*.

The Day of the Lord is the final day we individually perish from this earth. He is not willing that any should perish from this earth but come to repentance instead.

The heavens do not "pass away" (as put forth by most translations) in this verse but "come near" to us with a "great noise"....or rather a whizzing/whir sound (a whirlwind of His wrath that comes to take us away from this earth). We do not know the day He comes for us as the day of our death for our sins (the wages of the sin is death) will come as a thief in the night. All of our works done in this earth will not save us but burn up.

(10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.*

But this current system of judgment upon all people shall be “dissolved” in the here-and-now for those who seek after His righteousness in all holy conversation and godliness. The old things of the current heavens and the earth being stored with fire for our judgment (our mortal decay and death under the wrath of God) for our unrighteousness shall pass away as all things become new. We strive to enter into His rest now and take shelter from the current system of destruction that is active now for all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.

(11) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

The current system of judgment in place for our ungodliness and unrighteousness (as the current heavens are stored with fire for our destruction) shall be dissolved for those who look for and hasten (strive for) the coming day of God. We haste the coming day of God by being diligent that we may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. We enter into His rest now…but we must strive to do that.

The “elements” that burn us shall melt.

(12) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

The “elements” are the teachings and commandments of men that do not save anyone but causes them to perish as they set aside the commandment of God to have love for one another in order to worship and serve them (using them to judge others with). By speaking evil of others using the doctrines and commandments of men as a basis for doing so is not having love.

The “elements”…the rudiments of the world…cause us to perish with the using. The “elements” burn as many perish with the using of them.

Colossians 2:20-22 KJV (20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not; (22) Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Fortunately, the Son of God comes to give us an understanding as He opens up the Scriptures to our minds so that we may show forth that we know God by having love towards what we hear and towards those who will speak it. We must be “ready” at all times by remembering to have brotherly love and entertain “strangers” and their words.