The Bible teaches that, sometime in the future, God will bring a close to history and there will be a new heaven and a new Earth, as stated in Revelation 21:1. However, Matthew 24:6-8 and Mark 13:7-8 indicate that before this occurs, there will be wars, famines, and earthquakes during the so-called “End Times” or “Last Days” that immediately precede the return of Jesus Christ to Earth (i.e., His second advent). And, Revelation 20:1-4 indicates that after a millennial (i.e., 1,000-year) reign on Earth by Christ, the consummation of human history will follow.
A number of people believe that, during at least the last 100 years, there has been a significant increase in the frequency and magnitude of wars and other horrible events caused by humans (e.g., genocides, terrorist attacks, etc.), as well as famines, earthquakes, and other terrible events caused by nature (e.g., hurricanes, tsunamis, etc.). If this belief is correct, it raises the question as to why God is waiting to bring about the other events leading to the consummation of human history.
To answer this question, we will focus on 2 Peter 3:9, which pertains specifically to the Last Days. This verse of scripture states,
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.
[Note: When we quote Scripture in this article, we use the wording in the New King James Version of the Bible, unless we are quoting a source that uses a different translation.]
In the NIV Bible, a footnote regarding 2 Peter 3:9 states, “God’s seeming delay in bringing about the consummation of all things is a result not of indifference but of patience in waiting for all who will come to repentance.” In other words, this scripture indicates that God wants to give many more people ample time to repent and receive His gift of eternal salvation before He brings judgment on mankind.
Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible supports this point of view. Barnes says 2 Peter 3:9 indicates that God wants to give human beings “ample opportunity” to obtain eternal salvation. According to Barnes,
But [God] is long-suffering to us-ward – Toward us. The delay should be regarded as a proof of His forbearance, and of His desire that all human beings should be saved. Every sinner should consider the fact that he is not cut down in his sins, not as a proof that God will not punish the wicked, but as a demonstration that He [God] is now forbearing, and is willing that he should have an ample opportunity to obtain eternal life.
Not willing that any should perish – That is, He [God] does not desire it or wish it. His nature is benevolent, and He sincerely desires the eternal happiness of all, and His patience toward sinners “proves” that He is willing that they should be saved. If He were not willing, it would be easy for Him to cut them off and exclude them from hope immediately.
John Calvin’s Commentaries on the Bible provides a similar perspective regarding 2 Peter 3:9. Calvin says,
But the Lord is not slack, or, delays not – He checks extreme and unreasonable haste by another reason, that is, that the Lord defers his coming that he might invite all mankind to repentance. For our minds are always prurient, and a doubt often creeps in, why he does not come sooner. But when we hear that the Lord, in delaying, shews a concern for our salvation, and that he defers the time because he has a care for us. . . . And as to the duration of the whole world, we must think exactly the same as of the life of every individual; for God by prolonging time to each, sustains him that he may repent. In the like manner he does not hasten the end of the world, in order to give to all time to repent.
Not willing that any should perish – So wonderful is his love towards mankind, that he would have them all to be saved, and is of his own self prepared to bestow salvation on the lost.
Adam Clarke Commentary also expresses the belief that God wants to give people sufficient opportunities to be redeemed. Clarke states,
It is not slackness, remissness, nor want of due displacence [sic] at sin, that induced God to prolong the respite of ungodly men; but his long-suffering, his unwillingness that any should perish: and therefore he spared them, that they might have additional offers of grace, and be led to repentance – to deplore their sins, implore God’s mercy, and find redemption through the blood of the Lamb.
Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, which agrees with the preceding Bible commentaries, provides a few additional scriptures to support his perspective, declaring,
We must never underestimate or understate the greatness of God’s longsuffering. For two thousand years He has endured the insults of atheists and scoffers, the challenges of foolish men, and the apathy of the great majority, and has granted them the opportunity to repent. And His love has constantly reached out through the cross. “God commends His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). But still they have not heard.
Not wishing that any should perish – And that love is revealed in the fact that “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” In the words of Paul, “He would have all men saved and come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). This does not mean that all men will be saved. It is rather an indication that if it were possible, this is how God would have it to be. He takes no delight in the death of the sinful, but would rather that they turned from their wickedness and lived (Ezekiel 33:11).
Likewise, The Pulpit Commentaries asserts,
St. Peter . . . reminds us [in 1 Peter 4;1-19] how the long-suffering of God waited while the ark was a-preparing; here he tells us that the delay of the judgment, at which unbelievers scoff, is due to the same cause. . . . Not willing that any should perish; rather, not wishing or desiring . . . . The participle gives the reason of the Lord’s delay; he hath no pleasure that the wicked should die (Ezekiel 18:23, Ezekiel 18:32, and Ezekiel 33:11).
If God has been postponing the consummation of human history to give people more time to trust in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation, is there any indication that this manifestation of grace is being widely received? Are people throughout the world becoming Christians at a significantly faster rate than the world’s population is growing?
According to the website Wikipedia, a 2011 survey indicated that the rate of growth in the number of Christians during 1910 to 2010 was slower than the growth of the world’s population. As a result, the percentage of Christians in the world declined during that 100-year period.
However, the website reconciliationoutreach.net states that Christianity has been growing faster than worldwide population since 2000. Likewise, the website washingtonpost.com indicates that, in recent years, Christianity has been growing faster than the population of the world.
Summary and Conclusions
It is reasonable to believe that the reason God is waiting to bring about the consummation of human history is because He wants to give those who are not Christians more time to repent and receive His gift of eternal salvation before He brings His judgment on mankind. As a result, hundreds of millions of people throughout the world who have not previously heard the gospel are having opportunities to learn how they can receive God’s gift of eternal salvation.
Recent data indicating that many millions of people throughout the world are making decisions to trust in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation. This seems to infer that there are potentially millions of people in our country who are likely to make similar decisions, if they hear the gospel.
We conclude that the return of Jesus Christ to Earth, His millennial reign, and the consummation of human history will not occur until people in every relatively significant culture of the world have had an opportunity to respond to the gospel message of how to receive eternal salvation.
Therefore, it behooves us to pray for ourselves and other Christians to have opportunities to share the gospel with people who are not Christians. This necessitates that we be prepared to share the gospel when God gives us such opportunities. Being prepared means that we need to be able to share what the Bible teaches about how to receive eternal salvation. Helpful scriptures in this regard include John 3:16-18, John 6:37, John 14:6, Romans 3:10 and 23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9, and 1 John 5:11-13.
[For a discussion regarding a matter that is closely related to this article, click on “When Will Jesus Christ Return?”]