an exegesis of 2 peter 3

in this passage we a great teaching about God and his purposes, which we need to allow the context speak its own truth ...
this is the same for scriptural passages
so here we will go in depth on this chapter ... (the first 13 verses)

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires (verse 1-3)

here in this first section we have an importand element to discuss "This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder"
this statement is important for us to really understand ... basically for us to understand anything about this passage or any other in 2 peter we first need to know 1st peter thoughly to know what peter wants us take away from this book (indeed this passage)
peter wants us to know the real focus of this section by allowing all his writings and speeches to have their own way
why is this important for us to understand ... the question of who this is directed at comes out clear in 1peter 1
"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood"
here we note that peter is writing specific people the elect of the jewish side of the faith .. this is very clear .. in the fact it appears in the context ... and no amount of dislike can change this fact
"the elect exiles" ... and we know by the last word it is adressing peters own people the jews as they are the one who were exiled twice in history once in jeremiahs time and secondly in the time after christ (the distruction of jerusalem)
this is also connected to acts 2 : 1-13 note all the people groups named who are jews by birth (vs 5)

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome  (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring
the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
the next point is the discription " that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires" this is a very prophetic statement which over the past 2,000 years has proven to be true ...
you have many people group who distrust the biblical truth even some in the faith do, in such a way that they are going into a sceptic moses of postmodernism
and peter tells us this is all apart od "their own sinful desrire" very strong terms

"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" (vs 4)

here is the very point of the text that we need to consider deeply ... peter is going to provide a very indepth answer to a question... or morr of a false belief similar to the one paul adresseses in 2 timothy 2 :14 -18 ..

Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. tho' paul is dealing with a different aspect that of people claiming christ return had already taken place
and then there is an importance in the following part of people falling asleep (dying) before his return which is consistent with 1 thessalonians 4 :13 -18
 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. so we can see a common need of assurance on  

such a topic even this very point in time with cultic thing on this subject .. think of the bahai's and others

"For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,
and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.
But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly." (vs 5-7)

here is the first point that peter turns to after the question in verse 4 to which we need to fully understand
peter uses the creation of the heaven and earth to make this point more firm in its truth ... "so it could be said just as sure as God created the heavens and earth and there will a day of judgement
as much as the flood in noahs day and there will be a consuming fire to take it away" ... the real point is now to follow .. for this section .... sinners who are to remain will be judged ..
but there as deeper point to this when we read the first letter
in chp. 4 where God reveal man has been determined in his position as a unsaved sinner and they are justly judge too .... note the idea which paul takes to it fullest manner in romans 9

 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?  What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—  even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
so here we have the point that these men are sinner due to God passing over them,
and they are used to bring judgement against the church and then are condemned themselves ... similar in nature to isaiah 10 

When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes. For he says: “‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.I removed the boundaries of nations, I plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their kings  as one reaches into a nest,

 

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar,
and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (vs 8 -10)

here is the second point to be considered in this teaching based on the question verse 4 that needs to be understand
it starts with a poetic statement of " a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" .... but this has a meaning which i think would be useful to understand ...
peter is addressing the eternality of God work ... what happened from day 1 till this very day in time is seen as a long waiting period,
but to God it is one act and event in his being a similar fact to ephesians 1 and romans ch . 8 -9
with this we now need to address a real important point in these words
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance"
who is being discussed .. as in the fist second there a particular audience .. the jewish elect
God has chosen to make this salvific work go on for long enough to bring in these people .. the jewish elect (though it can be applied to the gentile elect as well)
but this is the issue paul address in romans 11

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,  and in this way all Israel will be saved.
the last verse is interesting as it states that one thing will not last for so long .. the heavenly bodies ...
the univers maybe the implied point .. though i do not profess to fully understand this .. the next part is very important as the evil sinner will be judged for there acts, so to will all people acts be exposed

"Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved,
and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." (vs 11 -13)

now peter turns his attention to the future promise of the new heavens and earth .. which is the vocal point of the last several chapters of revelation
where no sin will exists at all ... this seen in these word " in which righteousness dwells"