CHART 114: PETER: TRUE AND FALSE PROPHECY The Man Who Knows God I Is Blessed for This Knowledge (1:1-2) II Acts on This Knowledge (1:3-11) III Should Not Forget What He knows (1:1215) B TRUE AND FALSE PROPHECY (1:16— 3:10) Here Peter seeks to stir up his readers concerning things present and things to come On the bright side, he reminds his Christian readers of the inspiring prophecy of Christ’s return What are the di erent references to this return in 1:16-21 and 3:110? On the dark side are his descriptions of the shocking state and destiny of false teachers and their followers Observe how each of the four sections under false prophets (Chart 114) leads into the next section For example: 2:1-3 General Statement “There will also be false teachers” 2:4-10a Law of Recompense These unrighteous men will reap judgment (just as the righteous will be rewarded) 2:106-16 Description of the Unrighteous (The one group of 2:4-10a is singled out.) 2:17-22 Destiny of the Unrighteous (Their destiny is spelled out in more detail.) C DISSOLUTION OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD (3:7-10) Peter’s description of the cataclysmic dissolution of the physical world is not a strange picture to this twentieth-century nuclear age He writes that “the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (3:10) The prophecy of this cataclysm was brought on by sco ers who challenged the truthfulness of prophecies of Christ’s return, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (3:4) Peter answered by citing three supernatural events that originated by decree of God (word of God): a First The universe was created (heavens and earth, 3:5).5 b Later The world perished in the Flood (3:6) (The word “whereby” connects the Flood with God’s Word Literally, the Greek is “through which things,” i.e., through the Word of God and the flood water.)6 c Yet to come Dissolution of the universe “by the same word of God” (3:7) Peter cites the Flood cataclysm to disprove historically the status quo argument of the sco ers Having done that, Peter clinches his original point by saying that history can and will repeat itself — another cataclysm will take place, at God’s command, in the “day of judgment” (3:7).7 This will be the dissolution of the universe The day of the ... and will repeat itself — another cataclysm will take place, at God’s command, in the “day of judgment” (3:7).7 This will be the dissolution of the universe The day of the ... water.)6 c Yet to come Dissolution of the universe “by the same word of God” (3:7) Peter cites the Flood cataclysm to disprove historically the status quo argument of the sco ers Having done that,... group of 2:4-10a is singled out.) 2:17-22 Destiny of the Unrighteous (Their destiny is spelled out in more detail.) C DISSOLUTION OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD (3:7-10) Peter’s description of the cataclysmic