Thoughts From 2 Peter - Day 9

  We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it...20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.  2Peter 1:19-21

          Peter has just discussed the transfiguration where he, James, and John went up a mountain with Jesus and witnessed the bodily "tent" of Jesus being unzipped and the glory of his "God-ness" being revealed. Along with that, Moses was finally granted his wish of setting foot in the promised land and Elijah was present too. When you think about it, you have the Bible represented on the mountain - the Old Testament was often referred to as "The Law and Prophets" represented by Moses and Elijah, and the New Testament has the gospels - Jesus, and the epistles written by disciples and Revelation written by John. God the Father's voice from Heaven is validating the New Testament when He says "Listen to my son". He is basically saying, you have been following the Law and prophets, and rightly so, but they were pointing to the coming of Jesus who is fulfilling their writings. Listen to Him now. Jesus is introducing a New Covenant.

         This eyewitness account of Peter's was not just his but James and John's. Peter was crucified upside down, James was beheaded, and John was boiled in oil but they couldn't kill him so we was exiled to an island Patmos (think Papillon) rather than denounce what they had seen and heard. Peter now says, if you don't believe us, look at the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus -over 300. Only God can write a book that describes the future as if it has already happened because to Him it has. How does that work? God is outside of time so therefore if He were to write a book we would expect it, too, to be outside of time which the Bible is! Picture a train going down a track. As we sit in our car at the intersection, we see car by car going past one at a time. We are experiencing the present which as they go by is now the past. Picture God, in a helicopter above. He sees the whole train from the engine to the caboose, the past, present, and the future all at the same time. He is outside of time. Likewise, as He inspires people what to write, He tells them the future, too, and it's always right. Even Peter had been told earlier by God that he was about to die.

      Finally, let me remind you of one more prophecy that hasn't been fulfilled but will be soon. Jesus is coming back to claim all of us that believe in Him. Are you going to be one of those who lives forever in Heaven with Him?