According to His Promise

2Peter 3:11-13 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness. 

‘Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved’ seeing then – that all the things of earth and of man that need to be removed will be burned up, leaving only those things which need not be burned up – let us live godly and holy lives.

‘Conversation’ [Greek: anastrophe] behaviour or manner of life; the whole conduct of life in domestic and public relations. Always translated “conversation” (1:15, 18; 2:12; 3:1, 2, 16; Gal. 1:13; Eph. 4:22; 1Tim. 4:12; Heb. 13:7; Jas. 3:13; 2Pet. 2:7; 3:11).

‘Looking for’ let us look forward to the renewal of the earth and to the day of God in the new earth when He will be all and all, as before rebellion and sin (1Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21:1-22:5).

‘Hasting unto the coming’ expecting and desiring the day of God. Man cannot hasten or hinder the coming of Christ, the coming kingdom, the day of God, or anything else fixed in God’s own time (Acts 1:7), but there are those who are excited about being with God and that are looking forward to His coming.

‘Day of God’ the day of God is when God rules supremely again over all His creation without one person rebelling against Him, and as it was before Lucifer and Adam’s rebellions (3:13; 1Cor. 15:24-28; Eph. 1:10; Rev. 21:1-22:5; Isa. 65:17; 66:22-24).

‘Wherein the heavens being of fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat’ this will be at the end of the day of the Lord and the beginning of the day of God (3:7, 10-13; 1Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 20:7-15).

‘Promise’ this promise was already given in Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22-24. ‘New heavens and a new earth’ three times earth made new: At its first creation (Gen; 1:1); at the recreation in the six days of Genesis 1:3-2:25 and Exodus 20:11; 31:15. At the renovation of the heavens and the earth by fire (3:7, 3:12-13; Isa. 65:17; 66:22-24; Rev. 21:1-22:5).

‘Dwells righteousness’ the earth was originally created to be inhabited (Isa. 45:18). This purpose will be realized forever when the natural people who do not rebel with satan at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:7-10) will remain on the earth after its renovation by fire and multiply forever, as God intended Adam and his race to do before the fall (Gen. 1:26-31; 8:22; 9:12; Isa. 9:6-7; 59:20; Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-27; Luke 1:31-33; Rev. 11:15; 22:5).