which interposed so long a time before the realization of the promises, while

forming an integral part of Paul's epistles, did indeed present `some things

hard to be understood' (2 Pet. 3:15,16).  To stem any tendency to drift, to

doubt, or to despair, the apostle Peter employs this word `hasten' several

times.  Perhaps by putting them together we shall see more clearly what his

intention is in the exhortation of 2 Peter 3:12.  We will record the passages

in the order in which they occur in this second epistle.  There are three forms

of the word used here, speudo, spoudazo, and spoude.

2 Pet. 1:5  Giving all diligence, add to your faith.

2 Pet. 1:10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.

2 Pet. 1:15 I will endeavour that ye may be able ... to have ... in

2 Pet. 3:12 Hasting unto the coming of the day of God.

2 Pet. 3:14 Be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace.

It will be seen that Peter has had this need for `diligence' before his

mind right through the epistle, even as he has had the scoffer at the second

coming very much at heart.  In 2 Peter 3:14, a verse that follows and expands

the teaching of verse 12, he uses the word again:

`Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent

that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.  And account

that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation' (2 Pet. 3:14,15).

Here `be diligent' is spoudazo, `hasting' in verse 12

is speudo, and `seeing

that ye look' is prosdokao, as it is in verses 12 and

13.  Another item of

importance is that the apostle may have had in mind a

parable which he heard

the Lord speak, and concerning which he had asked the

`Lord, speakest Thou this parable unto us, or even to all?' (Luke 12:41).

In this parable we have the exhortation `Let your loins be girded' (Luke

12:35), even as in the first epistle Peter had said:

`Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end'

(1 Pet. 1:13).

In both the parable and the epistle, the coming of the Lord is likened

unto `a thief in the night' (Luke 12:39; 2 Pet. 3:10).  In both there is

expressed the idea of being `found' either in peace, or `watching', and in both

is found the verb prosdokao, `to look for, or expect' (Luke 12:46; 2 Pet.

3:12,13,14).  It appears therefore that while the human agent can, speaking

after the manner of men, appear to delay or to hasten the outworking of the

purposes of God, the purpose of the apostle in writing 2 Peter 3:12 is more in

line with such a passage as Habakkuk 2:3,4:

`For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall

speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely

come, it will not tarry ... the just shall live by his faith'.

Peter, it will be remembered, referred to an epistle written by the

apostle Paul to those of his own readers, the dispersed of Israel, and in

Hebrews 10, the epistle to which Peter evidently referred, we read:

`Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of

reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will

of God, ye might receive the promise.  For yet a little while, and He