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865A.
"But the
Day of the Lord will come; it will come, unexpected like a thief. On that day,
the heavens will disappear" "and the elements*
will be dissolved with fire", "and the earth and the works that are upon
it" "will be laid bare." (From 2 Peter 3:10 NEB & RSV).
WHAT ARE THE "WORKS" THAT WILL BE "LAID BARE" ?
The elements*
(Greek: στοιχεΐα) earth, water, air and fire were thought by the ancients to be
the foundation of the natural world. They also believed there existed elemental
spirits that presided over these four elements, who lived in and ruled them.
That is why the apostle Paul admonished: "Be on your guard; do not
let your minds be captured by hollow and delusive speculations, based on
traditions of man-made teaching and centred on the
elemental spirits (στοιχεΐα) of the universe (elementary ideas
belonging to this world) and not on Christ." (See Col 2:8 NEB & Footnote).
The "works" that will be "laid bare" and "burnt up" on the Day of the Lord are
man-made teachings and traditions of the unGodly. How? By the spirit fire of the
Lord's judgement, as it is written: "The heavens and the earth that are
now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day
of judgement and of destruction of the unGodly men." (2 Peter 3:7). "For no man
can lay any other foundation than what is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if
anyone builds on the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood materials,
hay, stubble, each one's work will become manifest, for the day will
show it up, because it will be revealed by means of fire; and
the fire itself will prove what sort of work each one's is. If anyone's
work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved; yet if so,
it will be as through fire. (1 Cor 3:11-15).
SO HOW ARE THE "ELEMENTS"*
"DISSOLVED WITH FIRE" ?
To state that "he himself will be saved; yet if so, it will
be as through fire" indicates that the "fire" is not literal flame, but is a
spirit test of earth's inhabitants. "For see, the Lord is coming in fire, with
his chariots like a whirlwind, to strike home with His furious anger and with
the flaming fire of His reproof. The Lord will judge
by fire, with fire he will test all living men, and many will be slain by the
Lord". (Isaiah 66:15,16 NEB). The teaching of Peter's second letter is that
those who have advance knowledge of the "Day of Jehovah" must do their utmost to
be found by Him "spotless and unblemished and in peace" and not be led away with
law-defying people. (2 Peter 3:10-18.
1:1,2). For the new heavens and new earth that we are awaiting in which
righteousness is to dwell (2 Peter 3:13), serves to indicate that this spirit
"fire" is the means by which Jehovah is to begin the creation of
His "new earth".
Peter also
said: "For you know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers
with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying:
'Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell
asleep [in death], all things are continuing exactly as from creation's
beginning." (2 Peter 3:3,4). Those who do not truly attain to repentance will be
destroyed. (2 Peter 3:9). Have you truly attained to repentance, and have you
the "advance knowledge" for earthly protection to go
into God's new heavens and new earth? (Matt 25:7-9).
FURTHER EXPLANATIONS OF 2 PETER 3:10.
To many, the day of the Lord's coming is
likened to a thief, when he comes to take away the lives of "law-defying"
individuals from households of those that have proved disobedient to God during
His patience and considered slowness in coming. (2 Peter 3:9,17). Knowledge of
the actual "day and hour" we do not and will not have. But for the "sort
of watch" and "sort of day" when "one is taken along" and when
one is being "let go off" read Matthew 24:36-43 of the Greek Interlinear
Translation, and be "proving yourselves ready" in obedience to the spiritual
refinements set out in Pages 777 to 864D of the "Little Scroll".
Because Noah
was a preacher of righteousness and found favour in the eyes of God, physical safety
was provided for him and his family during the destruction of the earth when it
was deluged with water. We also know, by world evidence, that we are in the "sort
of watch" or period that the "thief" is likely to come. Only acceptable
baptisms in Christ's name correspond to a place of safety, as that of Noah's
baptism (but not baptisms of disobedience for the sake of being dead ones. 1 Cor
15:28,29). Noah and his family were "taken along" and the rest of mankind was
"let go off": Abandoned. Further knowledge for physical safety is now
being made known
to those being "taken along". (Matt 25:6-10).
Jehovah God
has begun to put "hooks" in the "jaws" of satan (Ezek Ch.38) and has turned him
around in open confrontation as to mankind's aspect under satan's demonic
influence at the end of this system of things. (Zech 5:1-6). The important facts
are: That although at the time Gog comes in upon the soil of "Israel"
Jehovah has said He will speak in the fire of His fury (Ezek 38:18-20)
and would war against those that war against His Holy City spiritual "Jerusalem"
(Zech 14:12-16), Jehovah furnishes only the appointed "time" when satan's
reign is to be exposed. We are now witnessing the unfolding of events according
to the anger of God against all that war against the people of Spirit "Israel".
(Rev 17:16-18. Dan 8:19) (Dan 11:44,45).
(Cont. on Page 865B).
30/1/80.
Revised 7/2/08.
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