... The heavens
being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat."--2 Peter 3:10,12.
[447]It is manifest that the Apostle is here using symbolic language. He
states that the Lord comes as a thief, illustrating how quietly and
unobservedly his second coming or appearing takes place, as we have
already noted. Then we must conclude that the other main elements here
mentioned are symbolic. The heavens taken symbolically mean the
invisible power of control, consisting of Satan and his unseen agencies,
as well as his visible agencies in the earth. The earth symbolically
represents organized society under Satan's dominion. The elements here
meant are the various selfish elements of the earth, composed of
ecclesiasticism, political parties, lodge systems, etc., that go to make
up the various elements of human society; and we can see that these are
all discordant and warring amongst themselves. They shall all be
dissolved and shall melt with fervent heat; that is to say, during the
heated time of trouble.
[448]But the Apostle states in the thirteenth verse of this chapter:
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a
new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness"; meaning thereby that we look
for a new invisible power of control, Messiah's kingdom, and a new
earth, society organized along new lines, to take the place of the old.
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