KNOW THIS FIRST

by Tammy Phillips
October 6, 2021

 “Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,” (2 Peter 3:3 NKJV)

In the first two verses of 2 Peter 3, Peter wants us to remember the words of Jesus, the prophets, and apostles.  Then he says, “Know this first.”  He wants us to know what is going to happen before the coming of the Lord.

Scoffers will come who will ridicule, treat with derision, and scorn.  Scorners will come who will act with extreme contempt and belief in their own superiority or worth.  Deriders will come who will laugh in contempt, turn to ridicule and make-sport of the Jesus coming again. There will be triflers that act like children. They will make a laughing-stock of Jesus’ return. There will be mockers who imitate and mimic for the sake of derision.  It is going to get uglier and uglier, folks.  When people act like they are God, they laugh at our God.

The scoffers “walk according to their own lusts,” desires, cravings, and longings.  They do not “walk by faith.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)  Whatever they want, they justify by calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). It is a world turned upside down. They laugh in the face of righteousness.  They laugh and make fun of the word of God that says the Lord is coming quickly.  Sound familiar? There is so much contempt in the world at this time that it cannot even be quantified.

The scoffers ignorantly laugh in the face of God questioning His very promise.  They say, “Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Peter 3:4 KJV) They think nothing has changed since the beginning of creation.  Wrong.  Look at how our world has changed since our birth. Look at the state of this world and the prophecies that have been fulfilled.  What is going on now, and since Jesus ascended to heaven, we have been told about in His word. He warned us.  Yet, the scoffers keep on laughing and believing, “Jesus is not coming back anytime soon.” 

“They deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.” (2 Peter 3:5-6 NIV)

They conveniently forget God’s word.  They forget God’s word!   God said it!  He wrote in all down in the Bible.  He inspired men to write of what was, is and is to come.  He inspired me to write about Himself, what was, is, and is to come. The scoffers forget and keep on doing life in their own ways with utter disregard to His word. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7 NKJV). If derision is sown, derision will be reaped.

The word of God says, “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 3:7 NIV)

God gives His creation chance after chance.  Nobody gives us more do-overs than God, but at some point, in time, He will say enough is enough.  Jesus will come again.

I enCOURAGE you to WATCH for Him and not be one of the scoffers that says, “I have heard this all my life.  Jesus is not coming anytime soon.”  Peter called out the scoffers and in warning us, warned them.   God’s word is true.  Know this:  He is coming and when He comes, He will come quickly.  Be prepared.  Have your spiritual suitcase packed.  You do not want to miss Him.

“He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.” (Psalm 2:4).