Deeper Reflection
TOGETHER WITH THE EXISTING HEAVENS AND EARTH, all ungodly people will be destroyed on the day of the Lord, i.e. the day of judgment (vv.7, 10, 12). In contrast, righteous people − all those who have repented of their sins and received the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ¹⁹ − will henceforth dwell in the new earth that God will bring about. In that eternal dwelling place of God and His people,²⁰ there will only be righteousness (v.13). Evil and wickedness will be absent forever.²¹God’s people must persevere in living godly lives while they wait for the day of the Lord, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That day will certainly come, as God has promised (vv.5-7), and suddenly and unexpectedly “like a thief ” (v.10). In the last days, God’s people must be careful not to be discouraged or distracted by scoffers who, motivated by their sinful desires, will scoff at God’s promise and mock His beloved people who are waiting for the return of Christ (vv.3-4). Such scoffers deliberately suppress the truth and deceive themselves to justify continuing their sinful lifestyles. If there is no God or no judgment day to come, then one has no need to account for one’s works of evil and wickedness, the deeds of darkness.It is a mistake to perceive slowness on God’s part to fulfil His promise. Any “delay” is correctly to be regarded by us as God’s exercise of patience in giving sinners more time to repent and turn from their sins to believe in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life.

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¹⁹ Romans 3:21-26. ²⁰ Revelation 21:1-4; 22:1-5. ²¹ Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:15.