New heavens and a new earth

New heavens and a new earth are spoken of three times in scripture (2 Peter 3:13; Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22). Isaiah had already dealt with the judgment on the heathen nations (13:9-13; 34:1-4). He had gone on to show the contrast between righteousness, the eternal, and the created universe (51:3-6). He presents a time when former troubles are forgotten and there comes new heavens and a new earth (65:16b-19). This is a shift in God’s relationship with man when the Messiah comes. Similarly, 66:22-24 is a time of victory.

“The ‘seed,’ spiritual Israel, remains, worships Jehovah God, and looks upon the defeated enemies. Isaiah’s new earth is the new order under the Messiah, the present dispensation” (Homer Hailey).

Peter wants Christians to know that when the old earth is destroyed there will be a fresh new world in which to live (Revelation 21). Since they looked forward to the Lord coming again and a new dwelling place, Peter said they should give their best and fullest effort to be at peace with men and God, without sin laid to their charge and able to stand before God free of condemnation (2 Peter 3:14).

Instead of scoffing at God’s promise of the Lord’s return, Peter said Christians should be grateful the Lord waited and count it as an opportunity for more to be saved. It should be remembered that Paul withstood Peter to the face on one occasion (Galatians 2:11), yet Peter called him"beloved brother." All Christians should learn from the spirit displayed by this apostle and learn to stand up for truth without hating the sinner and, more importantly, how to receive criticism intended to help us without letting our pride get in the way. Peter recognized Paul’s writing as inspired, thus he said "according to the wisdom given to him" (2 Peter 3:15; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Galatians 2:9). It is impossible to know which of Paul’s references to longsuffering Peter had in mind, but any of them could be used by Christians to help them keep on keeping on.

It seems Paul’s letters enjoyed a wide circulation in the early church. Paul had certainly written about judgment, the suddenness of the Lord’s coming, God’s longsuffering and the eternal abode of the soul. Some, but not all, things in Paul’s writings were hard to understand. This can be because of false ideas held by the reader as well as the depth of the subject matter. Peter was an apostle, yet could admit difficulty in understanding some of the things Paul presented. No one should be ashamed to admit such problems. All should be prepared to give intensive study to a matter before reaching a conclusion (Acts 8:31; 2 Timothy 2:15). Peter said the untaught and those without firm convictions would take a hard to be understood scripture out of its context and destroy its true meaning. Notice Peter counted Paul’s writing as scripture (2 Peter 3:16).

They had been warned that some would present false teaching and twist scripture. Peter believed this would better prepare Christians to avoid being carried away into false doctrine. If Christians cannot fall, why would Peter warn them against it? Instead of falling from their stable position, Peter would have them to grow up in God’s favor and in a fuller understanding of Christ’s teachings. Peter closed by ascribing Christ glory until the "day of eternity," as Woods translates. Woods goes on to say it is appropriate to call eternity a day "because it is indeed an everlasting one, without a yesterday to precede it, or a tomorrow to follow it" (2 Peter 3:17-18).