{"id":44298,"date":"2021-03-27T22:19:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-27T19:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=44298"},"modified":"2025-05-06T03:52:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T00:52:40","slug":"what-does-it-mean-that-with-the-lord-one-day-is-as-a-thousand-years-and-a-thousand-years-as-one-day-2-peter-38-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2021\/03\/27\/what-does-it-mean-that-with-the-lord-one-day-is-as-a-thousand-years-and-a-thousand-years-as-one-day-2-peter-38-9\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does It Mean That \u201cWith the Lord One Day Is as a Thousand Years, and a Thousand Years as One Day\u201d? (2 Peter 3:8\u20139)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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2 <\/span>Peter <\/span>3:<\/span>8\u2013<\/span>9 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>But <\/span>do <\/span>not <\/span>overlook <\/span>this <\/span>one <\/span>fact, <\/span>beloved, <\/span>that <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>one <\/span>day <\/span>is <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>thousand <\/span>years, <\/span>and <\/span>a <\/span>thousand <\/span>years <\/span>as <\/span>one <\/span>day. <\/span>The <\/span>Lord <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>slow <\/span>to <\/span>fulfill <\/span>his <\/span>promise <\/span>as <\/span>some <\/span>count <\/span>slowness, <\/span>but <\/span>is <\/span>patient <\/span>toward <\/span>you, <\/span>not <\/span>wishing <\/span>that <\/span>any <\/span>should <\/span>perish, <\/span>but <\/span>that <\/span>all <\/span>should <\/span>reach <\/span>repentance.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In <\/span>this <\/span>passage, <\/span>the <\/span>Apostle <\/span>Peter <\/span>addresses <\/span>a <\/span>concern <\/span>that <\/span>many <\/span>believers <\/span>had\u2014<\/span>and <\/span>still <\/span>have <\/span>today: <\/span>the <\/span>apparent <\/span>delay <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>return <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ. <\/span>Some <\/span>were <\/span>beginning <\/span>to <\/span>doubt <\/span>God’s <\/span>promises <\/span>because <\/span>time <\/span>had <\/span>passed <\/span>and <\/span>Christ <\/span>had <\/span>not <\/span>yet <\/span>returned. <\/span>Peter <\/span>responds <\/span>by <\/span>pointing <\/span>out <\/span>a <\/span>vital <\/span>truth: <\/span>God <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>bound <\/span>by <\/span>time<\/span><\/strong> in <\/span>the <\/span>way <\/span>humans <\/span>are.<\/span><\/p>\n

Peter <\/span>writes, <\/span>\u201c<\/span>With <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>one <\/span>day <\/span>is <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>thousand <\/span>years, <\/span>and <\/span>a <\/span>thousand <\/span>years <\/span>as <\/span>one <\/span>day.\u201d<\/span><\/em> This <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>meant <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>a <\/span>mathematical <\/span>formula <\/span>but <\/span>a <\/span>theological <\/span>statement <\/span>highlighting <\/span>the <\/span>eternal <\/span>nature <\/span>of <\/span>God<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Time, <\/span>as <\/span>we <\/span>understand <\/span>it, <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>limit <\/span>Him. <\/span>What <\/span>seems <\/span>like <\/span>a <\/span>long <\/span>delay <\/span>to <\/span>us <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>a <\/span>delay <\/span>at <\/span>all <\/span>from <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>perspective. <\/span>He <\/span>exists <\/span>outside <\/span>of <\/span>time\u2014<\/span>He <\/span>created <\/span>time <\/span>and <\/span>sees <\/span>all <\/span>of <\/span>history <\/span>at <\/span>once.<\/span><\/p>\n

This <\/span>concept <\/span>echoes <\/span>what <\/span>is <\/span>written <\/span>in<\/span><\/p>\n

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Psalm <\/span>90:<\/span>4 (<\/span>NIV):<\/span><\/strong>
\u201c<\/span>A <\/span>thousand <\/span>years <\/span>in <\/span>your <\/span>sight <\/span>are <\/span>like <\/span>a <\/span>day <\/span>that <\/span>has <\/span>just <\/span>gone <\/span>by, <\/span>or <\/span>like <\/span>a <\/span>watch <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>night.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So <\/span>why <\/span>hasn\u2019t <\/span>Christ <\/span>returned <\/span>yet? <\/span>Peter <\/span>gives <\/span>a <\/span>clear <\/span>answer <\/span>in <\/span>verse <\/span>9: <\/span>God <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>slow<\/span><\/strong> as <\/span>some <\/span>understand <\/span>slowness. <\/span>Instead, <\/span>He <\/span>is <\/span>patient<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>giving <\/span>humanity <\/span>more <\/span>time <\/span>to <\/span>repent. <\/span>God’s <\/span>seeming <\/span>delay <\/span>is <\/span>actually <\/span>a <\/span>reflection <\/span>of <\/span>His <\/span>mercy <\/span>and <\/span>desire <\/span>for <\/span>all <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>saved.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2 <\/span>Peter <\/span>3:<\/span>9 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong>
\u201c<\/span>The <\/span>Lord <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>slow <\/span>in <\/span>keeping <\/span>his <\/span>promise, <\/span>as <\/span>some <\/span>understand <\/span>slowness. <\/span>Instead <\/span>he <\/span>is <\/span>patient <\/span>with <\/span>you, <\/span>not <\/span>wanting <\/span>anyone <\/span>to <\/span>perish, <\/span>but <\/span>everyone <\/span>to <\/span>come <\/span>to <\/span>repentance.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

God\u2019s <\/span>delay <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>due <\/span>to <\/span>forgetfulness <\/span>or <\/span>failure\u2014<\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>purposeful <\/span>and <\/span>loving. <\/span>He <\/span>desires <\/span>that <\/span>none <\/span>should <\/span>perish <\/span>but <\/span>that <\/span>all <\/span>would <\/span>come <\/span>to <\/span>repentance. <\/span>His <\/span>timing <\/span>is <\/span>perfect, <\/span>even <\/span>when <\/span>it <\/span>doesn\u2019t <\/span>align <\/span>with <\/span>our <\/span>expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, <\/span>this <\/span>passage <\/span>teaches <\/span>us <\/span>that <\/span>God <\/span>can <\/span>accomplish <\/span>great <\/span>things <\/span>in <\/span>what <\/span>seems <\/span>to <\/span>us <\/span>like <\/span>a <\/span>short <\/span>time<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>If <\/span>one <\/span>day <\/span>is <\/span>like <\/span>a <\/span>thousand <\/span>years <\/span>to <\/span>Him, <\/span>then <\/span>He <\/span>can <\/span>fulfill <\/span>His <\/span>promises <\/span>instantly<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>We <\/span>should <\/span>never <\/span>lose <\/span>faith <\/span>simply <\/span>because <\/span>things <\/span>are <\/span>taking <\/span>time <\/span>from <\/span>our <\/span>perspective. <\/span>God’s <\/span>power <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>limited <\/span>by <\/span>time, <\/span>and <\/span>He <\/span>is <\/span>always <\/span>on <\/span>time\u2014<\/span>His <\/span>time.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This <\/span>truth <\/span>should <\/span>also <\/span>encourage <\/span>us <\/span>in <\/span>our <\/span>daily <\/span>lives. <\/span>When <\/span>we <\/span>feel <\/span>like <\/span>we <\/span>are <\/span>waiting <\/span>too <\/span>long <\/span>for <\/span>God’s <\/span>intervention, <\/span>we <\/span>must <\/span>remember <\/span>that <\/span>He <\/span>can <\/span>turn <\/span>everything <\/span>around <\/span>in <\/span>an <\/span>instant<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>One <\/span>day <\/span>in <\/span>God’s <\/span>hands <\/span>can <\/span>be <\/span>more <\/span>fruitful <\/span>than <\/span>a <\/span>thousand <\/span>years <\/span>of <\/span>human <\/span>effort.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s <\/span>why <\/span>Scripture <\/span>tells <\/span>us <\/span>the <\/span>time <\/span>to <\/span>act <\/span>and <\/span>respond <\/span>to <\/span>God’s <\/span>grace <\/span>is <\/span>now.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2 <\/span>Corinthians <\/span>6:<\/span>2 (<\/span>NIV):<\/span><\/strong>
\u201c<\/span>In <\/span>the <\/span>time <\/span>of <\/span>my <\/span>favor <\/span>I <\/span>heard <\/span>you, <\/span>and <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>day <\/span>of <\/span>salvation <\/span>I <\/span>helped <\/span>you.\u201d <\/span>I <\/span>tell <\/span>you, <\/span>now <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>time <\/span>of <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>favor, <\/span>now <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>day <\/span>of <\/span>salvation.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Conclusion:<\/span><\/strong>
This <\/span>passage <\/span>in <\/span>2 <\/span>Peter <\/span>reminds <\/span>us <\/span>that <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>timing <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>our <\/span>timing<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>His <\/span>delays <\/span>are <\/span>not <\/span>denials. <\/span>His <\/span>patience <\/span>is <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>His <\/span>loving <\/span>character, <\/span>giving <\/span>everyone <\/span>an <\/span>opportunity <\/span>to <\/span>turn <\/span>to <\/span>Him. <\/span>It <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>call <\/span>for <\/span>us <\/span>to <\/span>trust, <\/span>wait <\/span>patiently, <\/span>and <\/span>respond <\/span>promptly <\/span>to <\/span>His <\/span>grace\u2014<\/span>because <\/span>the <\/span>day <\/span>of <\/span>salvation <\/span>is <\/span>today<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>Christ\u2019s <\/span>return <\/span>is <\/span>nearer <\/span>than <\/span>ever.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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