Why hasn’t Jesus returned yet? (Jer 50-51; 2 Peter 3)

As you look around a world filled with pain and suffering and war, do you ever find yourself wondering, why hasn’t Jesus come back? Some of course laugh at such an idea, they think you’re crazy for even believing that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.

It’s encouraging to know that even their mocking is predicted in the Bible! Peter tells us that in the last days (the period between Jesus’ ascension and his return), people will scoff and say, why hasn’t he come back yet?

It’s been hundreds/thousands of years and everything has carried on as before, stop believing such nonsense. Peter tells us why they say such things, first of all it’s because they are following their own sinful desires (2 Peter 3:3). The idea of Jesus Christ returning to judge them is troubling. They are enjoying living their lives with little or no reference to God, the idea of judgment is troubling to them. So they say, look everything is carrying on as before, don’t trouble yourself!

But Peter says, they are forgetting something – the flood! In Noah’s day, people almost certainly laughed at the idea of God judging them with a flood. But it didn’t stop it happening. We even turn the account of Noah into a cute story about animals, and miss the fact that God was judging the world for its’ sinfulness. Peter says, it’s happened before and God will judge the earth again.

Then why has it taken him so long? Well Peter says, God has a different time scale to you. With the Lord a thousand years is like a day, and so you could say it’s only been 2 days since the death and resurrection of Jesus! But Peter gives another reason, the Lord is patient. If you’re a believer in Jesus, aren’t you so grateful that Jesus didn’t return before you put your faith in Christ? Don’t you have friends and family who are not yet trusting in Jesus?

Peter tells us the heart of God is that people should repent. One day He will judge the world, when it happens, it will be sudden and unexpected, like a thief in the night, but He has graciously delayed to give people time to repent. The tragic thing is that instead of repenting, people laugh at the idea of Jesus returning.

What should we do as we wait for the great day of the Lord? Peter tells us to live lives of holiness and godliness (v11). How wonderful it will be when Jesus does create the new heavens and the new earth, but how awful it will be for those who have refused to turn to Jesus. God is right now patiently offering salvation, if you haven’t come to Jesus for forgiveness, don’t put it off until tomorrow.