One of the most misunderstood events – even by many Christians and God-fearing individuals – is the end of the world (last day of time). Many look to it in fear and dread, while others look to it in vengeance wanting vindication for all the things that they think are wrong with the world. More still look to it for validation of their own life, service, or perceived goodness. The end of the world is a blessed event as everything that is sinful, defiled, and spoiled is going away forever. In the case of this globe on which we dwell, it will be burned up and annihilated. In the case of people, it will either be changed (resurrection to glory) or forever condemned (eternal woe and misery). When Peter wrote about the end of the world as he closed his second epistle, he uses three terms about how we should view the end of the world in verses 3:11-12.
Holy Conversation: The word “conversation” has many meanings in the Bible that one must rightly divide not only the word but also the context in which it appears to understand its meaning. Here the word refers to someone’s entire way of life. It is not regulated to speech, action, or thought. It’s everything from how someone feels, acts, and contemplates: complete decorum. The concept of the end of the world should be approached in a manner that reaches every touchpoint of our life in a holy way. In other words, we don’t just think about God in church. We think of Him in our thoughts perpetually. We do not just talk about God and His kingdom when we manifestly enter the courts of His house. Our speech, down to every other way of life we have is geared to talking about Him and following Him. When Daniel came under scrutiny of jealous presidents in Babylon, they knew they couldn’t find a condemnation of him as his manner of life was upright, good, and just. Their final ploy came by implementing a law that contradicted the law of Daniel’s God (Daniel 6). God’s law informed Daniel’s life and holiness was displayed in every aspect of his life. So, our lives should be informed by God’s word and thereby holy in every regard as we contemplate the blessed day of our Lord’s return.
Godliness: This is a word that many people use, but I fear many do not fully contemplate. What exactly does it mean? Like conversation, it has different meanings and connotations. Here, the word indicates a respect and piety towards God. Connecting this word to the previous phrase, our way of life and manner of being is centered around God. As Jesus said, we must seek Him and His kingdom first. (Matthew 6:33-34) Everything about us hinges on Him and what He has done for us. Weeks that don’t begin with the house of God generally find themselves in the bottom rungs of our existence. Days that do not have prayer, meditation, reading of God’s word, and contemplation of what we’ve read seem to “stack up” problems moreso than days when we do those things. However, having a healthy respect (fear) of God and who He is puts things in proper perspective. If the One with all the power is going to burn all this up one day, what about it should garner our fear, dread, anxiety, or care? If the problems of today could be gone tomorrow and will be one day without fail, the One who has the power and does deliver should be given the higher place in daily life than the things we we face. (Romans 8:38-39)
Hasting: Peter rounds out our behavior by telling us that we are not just looking for these things but also hasting these things. The word literally means to speed things up. While it seems obvious that the disciple of Christ should be looking for His coming and looking for it honorably, how does that same disciple speed it up? We are told that no man knows the day or the hour (Mark 13:32-33). We are also told that He has appointed this day already (Acts 17:31). So, if there is a day that is fixed and known of no man, how could it be that we speed this up? What we have been laboring to show in this writing is how we as disciples of the Lamb should be “seeing” the end of the world. Peter is doing the same thing by saying that we look for these things. There is an anticipation there. Therefore, this is a perception word. Perspective doesn’t inform reality. Reality is reality, regardless of someone’s perspective, but our perspective informs how we “feel” about the world around us. Time flies when you’re having fun, and it drags on when things are weary and burdensome. Are there still 24 hours in a day or 7 days in a week? Sure, but it feels different. Peter is exhorting us to speed up the end of the world to ourselves, and thereby be living rather than just existing until it arrives.
Friends, no matter how much or how many times I try to contemplate the last day this universe will ever see, the more I become like John at the end of Scripture saying, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” While none of us know for sure whether we will still be here on earth when that moment comes, we should live every day like today is the day. One of my favorite examples for this is looking at a child who is anticipating a vacation that is coming up. Their eyes light up thinking about it, and every day is more and more anticipation about it finally getting here. So may our days be here on earth that our eyes light up thinking about this, and every day the anticipation grows and grows, ever looking homeward for home to come for us.