“The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (v9).
I have a confession to make. I’m not a soccer fan. I don’t hate it. Just don’t get it. That’s a hard thing to admit during the World Cup. The rest of the globe is going gaga over the “beautiful game.” Oh, I appreciate the skill of the players but I just don’t get it. One of the many things that leaves me scratching my head is the clock. In sports like football, basketball, and hockey, the scoreboard clock counts down the time remaining. Not soccer. The referee keeps track of the clock on the field. He’s the only one who knows when the game will end. Throw in the crazy idea of injury time (with dudes flopping and faking all over the pitch, I have NO idea how the ref figures that out!), that extra part of the game played after the clock runs out. All the players know it will end, just not exactly when. Only the referee knows when the clock hits zero.
Despite my soccer rant, there’s a clear parallel to Jesus’ return and the end of a futbol match. We might think that the clock has run out and Christ is running late for His return. But only God knows the timing. Only God holds the clock. He’s not slow. He’s patient. There’s a VERY big difference. He’s giving everyone a chance to turn from their sin and toward His salvation. He doesn’t want anyone to face the red-hot wrath that He took on our behalf at Golgotha. He keeps the clock running so that everyone can repent. But let’s be sure. The clock is running out. Only Jesus knows when it will hit zero. He’s not slow. He’s patient. There’s a VERY big difference.
Let’s remember just why the Apostle Peter wrote this letter in the first place. A posse of false teachers is tearing churches apart from the inside out (2:1-3). They’ve infiltrated fellowships in places like “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1Pet 1:1). You won’t most of those places in Google Maps. These were in what we now call Turkey. Pete warns the followers of Jesus to be on the lookout for this team of spiritual snake oil salesmen. They’re greedy (2:3, 14-15). They’re sexual predators (2:2, 10, 14, 18). Their message is not just destructive (2:1) but a bunch of hot air (2:17). These hucksters apparently make Jesus’ Second Coming a punchline in their act (3:3-7).
Just because Christ hasn’t come back doesn’t mean He’s never coming. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness” (v9). The word Pete uses for “slow” and “slowness” here is the Greek term braduno. It means to delay, be negligent, loiter, or be slow. The King Jimmy translates it as “slack” and “slackness.” The apostle makes sure we know that Jesus is no slacker. He’s not distracted. He hasn’t forgotten. You might not like His timing. You might think the clock has run out. But Christ is just like that soccer referee. He’s the only One who knows exactly when it will happen. He’s not slow. He’s patient.
So just what is “His promise” Pete writes about (v9)? This is Jesus’ personal pledge to comeback and finish everything. His Second Coming. A big part of His encore is to punish evil. Those who scoff at the idea of His return will eventually face the music. They will eventually understand that they’ve made a huge mistake. Those who make jokes about Jesus as Judge will stand before Him one day. We need to remember that “He who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23). Jesus keeps His promises. Every last one of them. He’s the ultimate Promise Keeper.
Jesus isn’t just killing time and taking a few years off until He shows up again. He’s “patient toward you” (v9). The original text uses the word makrothumeo. This is a compound word that literally means “slow burning.” The KJV translates this as “longsuffering.” It means to wait patiently. Jesus has a long, slow fuse. The writers of the Old Testament liked to describe God as “slow to anger” (Neh 9:17; Ps 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jon 4:2; Nah 1:3). God is no hot head. He’s got a very long fuse. He’s slow burning. You see, Jesus isn’t slow. He’s patient. There’s a HUGE difference.
You might wonder just what Jesus is waiting for before taking center stage one final time. He is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (v9). He’s patiently waiting for you. He’s patiently waiting for me. Jesus wants us to reach a place of repentance on our own. The word we translate here as “repentance” (Gr. metanoia) literally means “after thinking.” Once I consider God’s incredible goodness and patience toward us, I think again. I reconsider who I am and all that I’ve done. After reconsidering my sin and His grace, I turn from my own filth and toward His forgiveness. Take a long look at our sinless Savior. Now think again about who He is and what He’s done for us. Think again who I am and what I’ve done. Yeah, see what I mean? Once I do, it’s time for a 180. Turn from my sin. Turn towards Jesus. He’s waiting. Patiently waiting.
A mega-theme throughout the Bible is God’s incredible timing. He’s never early. He’s never late. Jesus is right on time. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Gal 4:4). God told the prophet Habakkuk to let everyone know that what He promises, He delivers. “If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (Hab 2:3). And out His overflowing love and goodness, God doesn’t want anyone to face the hammer eternal punishment. “God our Savior…desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Tim 2:4). Take another look at Jesus’ legendary words to Nicodemus one dark night. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). Our loving God sacrificed His own Son for our sin. At that incredible cost, He’s certainly going to shut the door to early. He wants everyone to turn to Him.
You see, Jesus isn’t slow. He’s patient. There’s a HUGE difference.
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