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II Peter 3: 3-13.
A | 3-5-. Wilful ignorance. |
a | Knowing this first.
b | The last days.
c | The promise of His coming.
c | Since the fathers fell asleep.
b | The beginning of creation.
a | Wilful ignorance.
B | -5-8. Heavens and Earth. |
d | By the Word of God.
e | f | Heavens of old and earth.
g | Water.
d | By the same Word.
e | f | Heaven and earth which are now.
g | Fire.
A | 9-12. Be not ignorant. |
h1 | Day--like 1,000 years and vice versa.
i | j | Not slack.
k | Longsuffering. Come to repentance.
h2 | Day of the Lord.
l | In which, dissolution
i |
k | What manner of persons?
j | Hastening unto.
h3 | Day of God.
l | By reason of which, dissolution
B | 13. Heavens and Earth. |
m | His promise (the Word as above).
n | New heavens and new earth.
o | Dwelleth righteousness (No more destruction).
The whole of the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, deals with these three
phases of creation.
The heavens and the earth that were at the beginning (Gen. 1: 1).
The world that then was perished by water (Gen. 1: 2).
To this, the words "before the foundations (Gk. katabole, overthrow) of the world"
refer (Eph. 1: 4).
As also do the word "without form and void" (Hebrew, tohu va bohu) (Gen. 1: 2).
The heavens and the earth which are now (Gen. 1: 3 - 2: 3).
The heavens of this creation are limited (Gen. 1: 6-8).
They are called "an expansion" (Hebrew, raqia) (Gen. 1: 6).
They have been spread out as a curtain (Isa. 40: 22).
They are to roll up like a scroll (Isa. 34: 4; Rev. 6: 14).
All the host of heaven shall be dissolved (Isa. 34: 4).
And tohu and bohu again be their state (Isa. 34: 11; Jer. 4: 23-27).
The heavens and the earth which are new (Rev. 21: 1).
John notes the absence of the sea (Rev. 21: 1; Gen. 1: 2).
No more death, no more curse (Rev. 21: 4; 22: 3).
God all in all (I Cor. 15: 28).