… and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
Summary: God’s Word explains clearly in many ways that there will be a final judgment. In today’s passage, Peter repeats this truth one more time.
When the “day of the Lord” comes, what do you expect will happen? Is it just another day?
We struggle to imagine this for two reasons. The first reason is that there has never been a day like this one ever before. Never. The second reason is that we have blinders on; spiritual blinders.
Paul writes about this when he says:
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
The King James Version translates the first part of this passage, “For now we see through a glass, darkly…” The translation here is difficult. One gets the impression Paul is comparing a person who sees a blurred reflection of themselves in a piece of polished metal with a person talking to another person face-to-face. I can relate this to when my son was studying abroad one year.
Every Sunday, while he was overseas, my son would call home using the computer. The software at that time would allow us to see his face and hear his voice across thousands of miles. The quality of communication then was sketchy. Today it is much better, but even now there is a difference between talking with someone over the phone or a video link and being face-to-face. When our son got home, we could hug him, see him, and hear him directly. There is no comparison between looking through a glass screen at an image of someone and being in the same room with them.
Now let us take this to the next level.
Suppose that besides being in the same room with someone you could “see” into their heart and mind? What would that be like?
Imagine that somehow you did not have to wonder what a person’s motives were. Regardless of their words, you could see a picture of what their intentions are. That would make buying a used car a lot less scary, wouldn’t it? How about voting for your town’s mayor or council person? What about voting for a DA or a judge?
In Jesus’ day, when he walked the earth, he did not have to wonder what was in men’s hearts. He knew! (Matthew 9:4) The Bible uses the analogy of light to explain this. John writes:
“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” (John 3: 20)
While we wait for our Lord’s return, we walk in darkness (John 12:35). In the darkness, many things are hidden from us. People say one thing and do another. People steal from each other, taking what is not theirs to take. Judges and officials take bribes and sell their offices for a profit.
On the day of the Lord, when he comes again, everything will be made known (Luke 8:17, Matthew 10:26, 1 Corinthians 4:5, Hebrews 4: 13). In the day of the Lord, there will be no place to hide. The light of God’s truth will reveal everything. It will be a bit like the end of a good mystery story when all is revealed. The detective gets all the principal players together in a room and step-by-step explains who did what. No one escapes the probing eye of the good detective. Each person’s hidden secrets come out and are exposed before the group.
In a similar way, before God, nothing is hidden. Does he explain it all to you and me? I do not know. I doubt I will care as long as I can be in the presence of my Lord. Those who know Jesus now know that he sees into every corner of our hearts. The people who will be surprised are those who believe that they can hide their secrets from judgment. This will not be. As Peter says, “everything done in [the earth] will be laid bare.”
Application: Don’t expect to be able to hide anything from God.
Food for Thought: How will life where “everything is laid bare” be different than our lives now?
I think we may even be more grateful for His grace and mercy. What is accomplished at the cross will be clearer than ever.
Brother Rich,
So true! Thank you!
I agree with R. We will understand better the difference between God’s perfection, and sin, and our attempts to live without sin. We’ll see how we fall short and then how Jesus treats us, see His face and His reaction to seeing us. How precious when faith becomes sight!
Thank you!
Well it wont be a R.A.T. race like today’s society
🙂
We would have more honest sales people that actually care about their customers instead of their bottom line,..same thing with preachers,..they would be more likely to be teaching what’s in the Bible instead of what’s on their minds,..
We could actually see things for the way they really are,..may not be a good thing for us to see until we get to heaven,..
My take on the question would be like,..getting a banana to eat,..peel it, start eating it and then after the third bite you come to find that there is a bruised rot with a very dark color to it,..
Isn’t that what the cross does to us,..lay’s us bare before Him?
I like your response, John.
It has a certain “a-peal” to it. 🙂
And yes, that is exactly what the cross does. It brings us to our knees.
01-02-2022, 2 Peter 3:10c, How will life where “everything is laid bare” be different than our lives now?
One day while my youngest daughter was in grade school, she came home with a bumper sticker, given to her by a teacher, telling the world what a special person she was. I asked her what she had done to be given the sticker. She replied “ they caught me doing something good.”
Today all believers have an opportunity to do something good as they allow Jesus Christ to minister to others through us. The experience makes us want to be used by Him more. One day we will be perfected by Christ, and in His power dwell for eternity in the presence of God, in uninterrupted obedience to His will. HEAVEN!!
Ron,
What a great motto: “Get caught doing something good!” 🙂
Amen!
The bar is really high. Live in the Kingdom Brother!
Im not 100% sure but I’m guessing there’s no bar in the Kingdom, no high bar or even a desire for a bar. We will be without sin with Jesus.