“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (v.9)
Verses 1-9 of this chapter cover the subject of the Lord and His delayed return. Early in this first section Peter is reminding the brethren that the prophets, the apostles, and even Jesus himself said, “in the last days there shall come scoffers saying, where is the promise of his coming” (vv.1-4)?
He then goes on to remind the brethren that there was another time in human history when men scoffed, during the time of Noah (vv.5-6). Day after day while he was constructing the Ark, Noah heard the voices of the scoffers (for over 100 years), then came the rain, and the skeptic voices changed to pleas for help - not spiritual salvation mind you (for they were not desiring to save their souls), but physical salvation from the flood. In that regard there was nothing Noah could do, for the appointed time had come and God closed and sealed the Ark doors.
Today God is still patiently waiting, just like the time given man before the catastrophic flood of Noah’s day, delaying His second coming - giving man time to repent again, for He is not willing that any should perish. However, just as the days of Noah, their is an appointed time when His long-suffering toward man will end.
Peter then goes on to encourage the brethren that even through the waiting God is still in control (v.7), and waits in a realm where a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (v.8). I thank God for His long-suffering, for without it, I would have been among the scoffers. Now I pray for His grace to continue for yet a little while longer, so others might be brought into His arms of love and salvation, for in heavenly time, the “Return of the King” is not far off.
The Truth: "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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
