II Peter 3

It seems to me that we can approach the events of II Peter 3 in one of two ways. We can let the
context determine the timing, or we can let the timing determine the context.

Dennis has chosen the former and has done a convincing and thorough job. In this writing, I
would like to propose our consideration of the latter.

Is II Peter 3 a “new prophecy”?

• If this is in fact a new prophecy (i.e., Peter has been given a new revelation which has not
previously been given through the prophets) then, based upon the context of the passage, it
seems fairly reasonable to conclude that the prophecy is literal and therefore, future to us.
“Case closed.”
However, if it is not new prophecy, but rather, repeated prophecy, then I maintain it is wise
that we should search the scriptures to see where it has previously been prophesied. We can
then study the previous prophecy to compare this repeat/confirmation of prophecy.
This is not without precedent. After all, Daniel 12 was given, and Jesus confirmed it in Matt.
24:15 ff. There are other examples, of which I will not show here for sake of brevity (not my
strong suit!)

• II Peter 1:19-21: “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed
as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your
hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for
prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by
the Holy Spirit.” (NKJV)

• II Peter 3:1-4: “Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up
your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were
spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord
and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to
their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’” (NKJV)

• II Peter 3:15: “…also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has
written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things,…” (NKJV)

It seems that Peter himself confirms three times in this writing that he is not delivering new
prophecy but is rather confirming previous prophecies. Since this seems to be the case, we
should search the scriptures to see where these prophecies arise. Peter states that they are in
Paul’s epistles; I am not going to address the Pauline epistles herein, as I do not think the
prophecy is limited to Paul’s epistles based upon II Peter 3:2 (i.e., “prophets”, plural).

Previous prophecy

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• The prophet which Peter seems to speak most similarly to is Isaiah, specifically Chapters 65
and 66. There may be others (such as Ezekiel), but I did not consider them for this writing.
Isaiah 65:
1 "I was sought by those who did not ask for Me;
I was found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, 'Here I am, here I am,'
To a nation that was not called by My name.
2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,
Who walk in a way that is not good,
According to their own thoughts;
3 A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face;
Who sacrifice in gardens,
And burn incense on altars of brick;
4 Who sit among the graves,
And spend the night in the tombs;
Who eat swine's flesh,
And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
5 Who say, 'Keep to yourself,
Do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!'
These are smoke in My nostrils,
A fire that burns all the day.
6 "Behold, it is written before Me:
I will not keep silence, but will repay
Even repay into their bosom
7 Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,"
Says the LORD,
"Who have burned incense on the mountains
And blasphemed Me on the hills;
Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom."
8 Thus says the LORD:
"As the new wine is found in the cluster,
And one says, 'Do not destroy it,
For a blessing is in it,'
So will I do for My servants' sake,
That I may not destroy them all.
9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
And from Judah an heir of My mountains;
My elect shall inherit it,
And My servants shall dwell there.
10 Sharon shall be a fold of flocks,
And the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,
For My people who have sought Me.
11 "But you are those who forsake the LORD,
Who forget My holy mountain,
Who prepare a table for Gad,
And who furnish a drink offering for Meni.
12 Therefore I will number you for the sword,
And you shall all bow down to the slaughter;
Because, when I called, you did not answer;
When I spoke, you did not hear,
But did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight."
13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

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 "Behold, My servants shall eat,
But you shall be hungry;
Behold, My servants shall drink,
But you shall be thirsty;
Behold, My servants shall rejoice,
But you shall be ashamed;
14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart,
But you shall cry for sorrow of heart,
And wail for grief of spirit.
15 You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen;
For the Lord GOD will slay you,
And call His servants by another name;
16 So that he who blesses himself in the earth
Shall bless himself in the God of truth;
And he who swears in the earth
Shall swear by the God of truth;
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My eyes.
17 "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing,
And her people a joy.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
And joy in My people;
The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her,
Nor the voice of crying.
20 "No more shall an infant from there live but a few days,
Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days;
For the child shall die one hundred years old,
But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain,
Nor bring forth children for trouble;
For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD,
And their offspring with them.
24 "It shall come to pass
That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
The lion shall eat straw like the ox,
And dust shall be the serpent's food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,"
Says the LORD.

Isaiah 66:
1 Thus says the LORD:

"Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?

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 And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,"
Says the LORD.
"But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
3 "He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck;
He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine's blood;
He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol.
Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
4 So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight."
5 Hear the word of the LORD,
You who tremble at His word:
"Your brethren who hated you,
Who cast you out for My name's sake, said,
'Let the LORD be glorified,
That we may see your joy.'
But they shall be ashamed."
6 The sound of noise from the city!
A voice from the temple!
The voice of the LORD,
Who fully repays His enemies!
7 "Before she was in labor, she gave birth;
Before her pain came,
She delivered a male child.
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Or shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?" says the LORD.
"Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?" says your God.
10 "Rejoice with Jerusalem,
And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied
With the consolation of her bosom,
That you may drink deeply and be delighted
With the abundance of her glory."
12 For thus says the LORD:
"Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
Then you shall feed;
On her sides shall you be carried,
And be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you;

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 And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem."
14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice,
And your bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of the LORD shall be known to His servants,
And His indignation to His enemies.
15 For behold, the LORD will come with fire
And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by His sword
The LORD will judge all flesh;
And the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 "Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves,
To go to the gardens
After an idol in the midst,
Eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouse,
Shall be consumed together," says the LORD.
18 "For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they
shall come and see My glory.
19 "I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and
Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame
nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
20 "Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations, on horses and in
chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem," says the LORD, "as the
children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
21 "And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites," says the LORD.
22 "For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me," says the LORD,
"So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD.
24 "And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." (NKJV)

Context of Isaiah 65-66

• It is Messianic in nature, with elements of salvation (redemption) and judgment.
• I believe a careful study will show that it is a continuation of Is. 64, 63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58, 57,
56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 49, 47 (and therefore 48), 46 (v. 13, therefore, the entire chapter),
45 (see v. 17), 44 (v. 3, see Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2:38-39), maybe parts of 43, 42 (6-7, 9),
41, and 40.
• It seems clear that these Isaiahic prophecies (both redemptive and judgmental) were fulfilled
in the first century. There are elements of babies being born, aging, physical death, building
of houses, planting of vineyards, apostate sacrifice, continuity of time. If these were future,
these elements would not exist. Also, I cannot see how we can “de-link” Ch. 65-66 from 40-
64.

Comparison of events

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A look at the events of Is. 65-66 and II Peter 3 will show not only similarity, but replication (i.e.,
confirmation).

Event Isaiah II Peter Other Comment

Destruction of Old Heavens 65:17b 3:7,10,12b Rev. 20:11; Matt.
and Earth 24:35
New Heavens and New Earth 65:17a; 3:13 Rev. 21:1
66:22
New Jerusalem 65:18 Rev. 21:2 Rev. 21:9-10 identifies this as
the church (“Lamb’s wife”)
(Sidebar: no weeping) 65:19 - Rev. 21:4
(sidebar: apostate 66:2-4 - - OC is “no good”; need NC (i.e.,
elements of OC) “new heavens and earth”)
Fire judgment 66:15- 3:10,12 Rev. 18:8-10,18 Babylon=OC Israel=Old
16 Heavens and Earth
Coming of the Lord/Day of the 66:15 3:4,10 Rev. 19:11; Rev. 1:7; Also Matt. 24:43 (“comes as a
Lord Rev. 22:7,12,20 thief”)
Gathering of Nations 66:18 Mt. 24:31;Mt. 25:31-
- 32, Rev. 20:12
Judgment of ungodly 66:18 2:9, 2:17, Mt. 25:33, Mt. 25:41 Olivet discourse places this
3:7b event at AD 69

Conclusions
• Unless there is more than one destruction of heaven and earth, and more than one “new
heavens and new earth”, then II Peter 3 and Isaiah 65-66 speak to the same events. And if
this is the case, then since Isaiah 65 and 66 have already been fulfilled, then II Peter 3 must
also already be fulfilled.
• If II Peter 3 is a duplication of Isaiah 65-66, then it has been fulfilled based upon Luke 21:22
“For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” (i.e., at
AD 69).
• Matt. 5:17-18: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come
to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or
one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Since the law has been
fulfilled (v. 17) and since the entire law has passed (which includes every jot and tittle, v. 18)
then all has been fulfilled (v. 18) and thus heaven and earth has passed away (v. 18). These
would of necessity be the same heavens and earth of II Peter 3 and Isaiah 65-66. (Note: If
the law has not passed, then let’s get that temple rebuilt quick-like!)
• The first century immanency of II Peter 3 (emphasis mine):
v.2 “that you may be mindful of the words…”
v.8 “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a
thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
v.9 “The Lord is not slow about his promise,”
v.11-12 “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of
the day of God,…”
v.13 “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.

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 v.14 “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by
Him in peace, without spot and blameless…”
• II Peter 3 is linked to the “Day of the Lord” (v.10) and the “last days” (v.3). How many “last
days” are there in the Bible (and NT), and how many “days of the Lord” are there in the NT
(Esp. those which are the culmination of the “last days”)? I submit that the NT (along with
Daniel and Joel, and perhaps others) only speak of one “last days” and one “Day of the
Lord”, i.e., AD 69.
• Rev. 20-22: These same events (as demonstrated above) were to occur quickly (based upon a
pre-AD 69 writing), not 2000+ years hence and counting. Also, Daniel is told to seal up his
prophecies until the time of the end (as the fulfillment was not near, Dan. 12:4); contrast with
the instruction to John, where he is told NOT to seal the Revelation as it is near (Rev. 22:10:
“And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at
hand.’”)

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