“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
In the Apostle Peter’s treatment of the subject of the longsuffering, and patience of God, he prefaces it by saying that we should not be ignorant of this one thing: “…that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:9) Why does Peter write this? It is not only that we should grasp something of the eternity of God, and His relationship with time, but that sovereignly God is the creator and maintainer of time. As such, He alone can meet the needs of men who live in the realm of time, so that they in their lifetime should show forth the knowledge of God unto their generation.
When Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, he wrote specifically concerning the matter of time. “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (3:1) Again, why did Solomon write this? It is for the purpose of giving to man a true perspective with regard to his life upon this earth, and this, specifically in relationship to the Creator and Redeemer of men, Christ. For Solomon to write concerning a “season” and a “purpose,” he is not only speaking of that which relates to men, but primarily concerning that which is OF GOD concerning men. From the very outset of Solomon’s treatment of the subject of time, he speaks of the creation of man, and that span of his existence whereby he is called upon to use his time for the purposes of God, in their season, and presently, “…for such a time as this.” By the words of Ecclesiastes, written perhaps a thousand years before Christ’s coming, we are brought to the days of the Apostle Paul when he wrote to the Ephesian believers, “…See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (5:15,16) He goes on to give clear direction to all believers of the succeeding ages by writing: “Wherefore be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph. 5:17) How then can one redeem the time of his existence upon this earth?
In the days of Noah, before the flood came, and destroyed the then known world, Scripture tells us that “…the earth was filled with violence, …it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” (Genesis 6:11,12) God waited in the days of Noah, a preacher of righteousness, while the ark was being built. When the moment came when there was absolutely no receptivity of the light of God’s truth and Life in the hardened hearts of all men, the judgment of the flood came, and destroyed all upon the earth.
In the days of Abraham, when Lot was brought out of the city of Sodom, the people had become entirely wicked in their rejection of God. God waited until Lot, his wife, and daughters, were brought out of the city before He destroyed it. God had waited for the people of Sodom to repent, but they would not.
In the days of the conquest of Canaan by Joshua, there would only be one family that would be saved at the conquest of Jericho, the family of Rahab. Though the inhabitants had heard of Israel’s miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, and the conquest of two enemy kings, their hearts were hardened to not believe. As God had told Abraham hundreds of years before, “…the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” (Gen. 15:16) In Joshua’s day, that iniquity had become full, and judgment came in the conquest of the enemies of Israel in Canaan.
The time that God gives us, if rightly spent, must be in seeking first His kingdom and righteousness. Life must be lived in the light of “today” being the acceptable time, the day of salvation for all.
Dear Father, Accomplish all Thy purposes in us today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.