God's Word Is Dependable

As noted earlier, pre-Christian prophets often warned that Jehovah's day of vengeance was near.  A miniature "day of Jehovah " came in 607 B.C.E. when Jehovah executed vengeance upon his wayward people.  (Zephaniah 1:14-18)  Later, other nations, including Babylon and Egypt, suffered such  a"day of Jehovah." (Isaiah 13:6-9; Jeremiah 46:1-10; Obediah 15) The end of the first-century Jewish system of things was also foretold, and it occurred when Roman armies devastated Judea in 70 C.E. (Luke 19:41-44; 1 Peter 4:7) But Peter points to a future "day of Jehovah," one that will dwarf even the global Flood in magnitude!  

Peter introduces his description of that coming distraction, saying:  "But by the same word." He had just said that  "By the word of God," the pre-Flood earth stood "out of water and in the midst of water."  This situation described in the Bible's creation account, made possible the Deluge when the waters poured down at God's direction, or word. Peter continues:  "By the same word [of God] the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly men." (2 Peter 3:5-7; Genesis 1:6-8)  We have Jehovah's dependable word for it! He will bring an end to the heavens and the earth"-this system of things-in the fiery wrath of his great day! (Zephaniah 3:8) But when?

Next time: Eagerness for the End to Come

From the Watchtower magazine, 1997