looking for and hastening

[randy2844]

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall
pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also
and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:10-13)

In the Greek text, "looking for and hasting" literally means, to long for, or eagerly await.

My question is, Why would Christians eagerly look for such a terrifying day of fiery destruction...unless they knew that day represented for them a time of deliverance via the rapture--which is the same thing Paul is teaching in 1 Thess 4:16-5:3.

 

[Sparkey]

"Looking for" Strong's g4328: ÀÃÂοÃδοκάÉ prosdokaÃ…Â
"and" Strong's g2532 καί kai
"hasting" Strong's g4692 ÃÀεÃÂδÉ speudÃ…Â

Greetings randy2844!

I agree with your conclusion and especially like the idea that those who do look for the coming of the Lord are able to quicken His return.

Could it be that our turning our eyes upon Him with earnest strong desire for Him will cause Him to leap upon the mountain tops toward us? We know and are told that and believe that as we draw nigh unto God, He draws nigh unto us. Conform us to You, Most High.

There are six (6) verses where the Greek word, ÃÀεÃÂδÉ, transliterated: "speudÃ…Â", translated "hasting" or "haste" or "make haste" can be found:
Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for speudÃ…Â (Strong's 4692)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 21 Sep 2009. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4692&t=KJV >

Luk 2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Luk 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
Luk 19:6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
Act 20:16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
Act 22:18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

I really like the fact that this word is used so often in context of the coming of the Lord. First regarding to His coming as a babe - and then regarding His second coming. It's worth a study in and of itself, yes?

[The Shulamite]:

• The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills.
  
  My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice.
  
  My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.
  
  For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over [and] gone.
  
  The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.
  
  The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines [with] the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!
  
  "O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret [places] of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice [is] sweet, And your face [is] lovely."

[Her Brothers]:

• [list:2y99g8gb] Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines [have] tender grapes.

[/list:u:2y99g8gb]

[The Shulamite]:
My beloved [is] mine, and I [am] his. He feeds [his flock] among the lilies.

• [(To Her Beloved)]:[list:2y99g8gb] Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether*.

[/list:u:2y99g8gb]
*literally "Separation"

Yes, King Jesus! --be like a young stag upon the mountains of Bether for us, your called and chosen. Unto You the glory, O my love. Come. Strengthen me in the desire to depart all sin that I might be lovely in Your sight. Let none fail to adorn themselves with Thy Righteousness. Our wedding garments are prepared. Teach us to walk unspotted in the world as we behold You leaping on the mountains. Yes, the very same mountains that have been fortold to "Clap their hands" in joy. Turn now our captivity and accomplish in us the purpose of your coming. Set the captive free, bind the hearts of the broken-hearted, cause the lame to leap and the deaf to hear. The green figs are here, grant us, your children healing. The tender grapes are seen, let the fruit of the earth be harvested as we join even closer to You. Even now, Lord. Let us serve You as we serve each other in truth. Cause us to live, Lord. Join your voice to ours as we proclaim Your majesty in the valley of Bones. Let those bones walk, Lord! By your Power, by Your Grace. By the resurrection power of You our Messiah King! Come now, yea even Now! as we do desire you earnestly --and know that You can and have accomplished all things.

~Sparrow

 

[randy2844]

Hello Sparrowhawke,
My understanding that the saints are delivered the same day that the wrath of God is poured out on the unsaved--the day of the Lord, was a turning point for me in my study of eschatology. The "same day" principle Jesus taught in drawing a parallel between His return and the days of Noah and of Lot put the rapture in the right perspective for me.

I too have pondered how our eagerly awaiting Jesus' return could actually affect how soon He arrives. Perhaps the mutual yearning of the bride and the bridegroom to be united causes Him to hasten His return. One thing is certain: the sooner we as the bride make ourself ready, the sooner Jesus can come to catch us up into the clouds to be with Him.

--Randy

 

[sheshisown]

Looking for and hastening ...THE DAY

:waving


Hello precious brothers in Christ! :D

I can see something else too, the most important part of these verses from my perspective is the question we are asked to answer…

IN LIGHT OF THE COMING DISINTEGRATION OF THE MATERIAL UNIVERSE, WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT WE TO BE?

That is the question, how should we be living?

If the material universe is to be destroyed, surely I would be a fool to be a materialist. To place all my stock in material things. If I count my treasure and worth by my material possessions when it is dissolved, I will have nothing. That is exactly why Jesus exhorted His disciples not to lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust can corrode, or thieves steal. At least, we cannot take it with us, and at best, we can send it on ahead of us!

Then we see that Peter answers his own question…

"In all holy manner of living and godliness." (verse 11)

So here is a list of at least seven things I found in the word ~that we ought to be doing~

1. We should strive to be living godly spiritual lives.
2. We should place our greatest efforts toward spiritual things.
3. We should be looking for and seeking to hasten the coming day of God.

But~ is it ALSO possible for us to hasten the day of the Lord's return? If so~ how could we possibly do that?

Jesus said, "When you pray, say, Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."

4. So we should seek to hasten the coming of the Lord ~ by praying for it.
5. AND by spreading the good news of Jesus Christ out to the entire world.

I believe the Bible speaks of the fullness of the Gentiles coming in~ and then God once again working with the nation of Israel.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Verse 14 commands us to… "Be diligent"

That is diligent in the things of the Lord… Matthew 24 has such good exhortation for me to be that faithful and wise servant~

Matthew 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

Matthew 24:46- Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


6. Now is not the time for relaxing, but for great diligence in the things of the Lord. Oh Lord grant us faithful and diligent lives! Let us know how to redeem the time, using it up well~ for Your glory!

AND when He comes~ may He find us in peace. :yes That is peace with God… :D Not in the turmoil that rebellion against His laws brings. God be gracious and help us.

7. Let us remain without spot and blameless.

There is an old Pentecostal song I still remember~ the lyrics to the chorus follow:

Don’t let your heart be hardened
Don’t let your love grow cold
May it always stay so child-like
May it never grow too old~

Don’t let your heart be hardened
May you always know the cure~
Keep it broken~ before Jesus~
Keep it thankful meek and pure.


I suppose the main question is, if the Lord should come today… would I be prepared to meet Him?

I cannot say just when the Lord is coming, but I can say that my personal conviction is that He is coming very soon, and I believe much sooner than most people realize.

Let us hear again what Paul wrote to the Romans; "It is high time to wake up for now is our salvation nearer than we first believed.

Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Bonnie~ :shades

 

[randy2844]

All I can say Bonnie, is... :amen

--Randy

 

[Sparkey]

Re: Looking for and hastening ...THE DAY

IN LIGHT OF THE COMING DISINTEGRATION OF THE MATERIAL UNIVERSE, WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT WE TO BE?

Indeed.