In his second letter, penned soon after the first, Peter encourages his fellow believers to pay attention to God’s word and warns them about the coming of Jehovah’s day.

“JEHOVAH’S DAY WILL COME”

(2 Pet. 1:1–3:18)

“Prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will,” writes Peter, “but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.” Paying attention to the prophetic word can protect us from “false teachers” and other corrupting individuals.​—2 Pet. 1:21; 2:1-3.

“In the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule,” warns Peter. But “Jehovah’s day will come as a thief.” Peter closes his letter with sound advice to those ‘awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of that day.’​—2 Pet. 3:3, 10-12.

Scriptural Questions Answered:

1:19​—Who is the “daystar,” when does he rise, and how do we come to know that this has happened? The “daystar” is Jesus Christ in Kingdom power. (Rev. 22:16) In 1914, Jesus rose before all creation as the Messianic King, heralding the dawn of a new day. The transfiguration provided a visionary foreview of Jesus’ glory and Kingdom power, underscoring the dependability of God’s prophetic word. Paying attention to that word illuminates our hearts, and we are thus made aware that the Daystar has risen.

2:4​—What is “Tartarus,” and when were the rebellious angels thrown into it? Tartarus is a prisonlike condition to which only spirit creatures​—not humans—​are consigned. It is a state of dense mental darkness regarding God’s bright purposes. Those in Tartarus have no hope for the future. God threw the disobedient angels into Tartarus in Noah’s day, and they will remain in that abased condition until they are destroyed.

3:17​—What did Peter mean by “advance knowledge”? Peter was referring to advance knowledge, or foreknowledge, of future events, given to him and other Bible writers by inspiration. Since this was not an infinite knowledge, having it did not result in the early Christians’ knowing all the details about future events. They came to know only the general outline of what could be expected.

Lessons for Us:

1:2, 5-7. In addition to helping us increase in “accurate knowledge of God and of Jesus,” our putting forth earnest effort to cultivate such qualities as faith, endurance, and godly devotion can “cause [us] to be neither inactive nor unfruitful” regarding that knowledge.​—2 Pet. 1:8, ftn.

1:12-15. To remain “firmly set in the truth,” we need constant reminders, such as those we receive through our congregation meetings, personal study, and Bible reading.

2:2. We should be careful that our conduct does not bring reproach on Jehovah and his organization.​—Rom. 2:24.

2:4-9. In view of what he has done in the past, we can be certain that “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous people for the day of judgment to be cut off.”

2:10-13. While “glorious ones,” that is, Christian elders, have faults and may err at times, we must not speak abusively of them.​—Heb. 13:7, 17.

3:2-4, 12. Paying close attention to “the sayings previously spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior” will help us to keep in focus the nearness of Jehovah’s day.

3:11-14. As those “awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah,” we must (1) ‘be holy in conduct,’ maintaining physical, mental, moral, and spiritual cleanness; (2) abound with deeds that reflect “godly devotion,” such as those in connection with the Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making work; (3) keep our conduct and personality “spotless,” untainted by the world; (4) be “unblemished,” doing all things with a pure motive; and (5) be “in peace”​—at peace with God, with our Christian brothers, and with fellow humans.