Always on Time
by William Yuille
Generations of Christians from the first century onwards have lived in the expectation that the Lord was coming soon. But here we are in the year 2012* [*date of this article] and He hasn’t come yet. Why not? Peter speaks to this in 2 Peter 3.
God doesn’t estimate time the way we do. “Do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (v. 8). Some Christians, all the way back to post apostolic times, have interpreted this as a sort of formula and have applied it to human history over a period of one week or 7,000 years.
According to Archbishop Ussher’s calculations, Adam was created around 4,000 BC, so there were four days before the coming of Christ; another two days take us to 2,000 AD, at which time the seventh day, the millennial age, should arrive. Now that we are in the year 2012*, that theory doesn’t look too likely. In any case, if Peter had heard such an interpretation of this verse, he probably would have been flabbergasted. This is not a formula, it is simply a statement to the effect that God doesn’t calculate time the way we do. He is outside of time altogether so that what might seem to us like a long time doesn’t appear that way to Him.
God is longsuffering. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (v. 9). In his first letter, Peter uses this word “longsuffering” in connection with the flood: “the Divine longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared...”1 It took a long time, 120 years in fact, because God was longsuffering. The psalmist says, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.”2
God will act on schedule. “But the day of the Lord will come...” (v. 10). God is not indifferent to time. On the contrary, He always does things on schedule. Consider, for example, how that was true with the Lord Jesus:
· He was born at the right time: “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son...”3
· He began His ministry at the right time: For 30 years He was hidden in quiet obscurity, of which we know virtually nothing. But, “after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled...’”4
· He went up to the feast at the right time: His brothers urged Him to go up to the feast of Tabernacles but He said, “My time has not yet come...”5 Later, about the middle of the feast, He did go up to Jerusalem.
· He died at the right time: Repeatedly we hear Him say that His hour had not yet come. But at last He made His way up to Jerusalem and declared, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.”6 John adds, “Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father.”7 And Paul writes that “in due time [at the right time, ESV] Christ died for the ungodly.”8
· He’s coming back at the right time: The writer to the Hebrews applies the words of Habakkuk to the return of the Lord Jesus, “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”9
· He will judge at the right time: “He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained...”10
We may wonder why it is taking so long for Him to appear, but it is sure to happen. The exact moment of His intervention in human affairs is uncertain, but God’s program will be executed right on schedule. Therefore, Peter adds, “What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness...?” (v. 11).
1 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Psalm 103:8; 3 Galatians 4:4; 4 Mark 1:14-15; 5 John 7:6; 6 John 12:23; 7 John 13:1; 8 Romans 5:8; 9 Hebrews 10:37; 10 Acts l7:31
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