Bible interpretation or literal belief

[Deborah]

Hi Deborah
Thank you for your reply if its not a mathematical statement why dose St Peter say its a fact if its a fact surely it can't be poetic.
If it is poetic why can it not mean what it says and why dose God tell us this fact.

Love and Peace
Dave

Look at it in context, Dave. We're not supposed to pick out verses in isolation - that's not how the Bible were written.

Peter is talking about the long time that we have to wait before Christ returns. It isn't "long" on God's timescale - in fact, time doesn't really 'pass' in that sense on heaven.

It's also mathematically contradictory. First Peter says that a short period of time (a day) can be very long (1000 years) to God. Then he says that a long period of time (1000 years) can from God's point of view go past as quickly as a single day.

Nowhere does he say that one day is a thousand years - only that it is like a thousand years.

[davetaff]

Hi Deborah
Thank you for your reply much appreciated I do value your opinion if I can be a pain can we continue to look at 2 Peter you mention the context I have read through the letter several times and get the distinct impression that it is about creation if we look at these few verses

    For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2 Peter 3:5-‬8 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2pe.3.5-8.ESV       

So as far As I can see verse 8 has to do with creation and the only thing that makes sence is it is in relation to creation and there are 6 days of creation.
Its interesting that Christ will reign for a thousand years the last day of creation the Father's sabbath rest.

I was wondering if you would like to go through this epistle to see if we can come to some agreement

Love and Peace
Dave
https://bible.com/bible/59/2pe.3.5-8.ESV

[Deborah]

Hi Deborah
Thank you for your reply much appreciated I do value your opinion if I can be a pain can we continue to look at 2 Peter you mention the context I have read through the letter several times and get the distinct impression that it is about creation if we look at these few verses

    For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2 Peter 3:5-‬8 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2pe.3.5-8.ESV       

So as far As I can see verse 8 has to do with creation and the only thing that makes sence is it is in relation to creation and there are 6 days of creation.
Its interesting that Christ will reign for a thousand years the last day of creation the Father's sabbath rest.

I was wondering if you would like to go through this epistle to see if we can come to some agreement

Love and Peace
Dave

Sorry Dave, but to me it seems obvious that Peter isn't talking about creation. He's talking about the last judgement!

Yes, he mentions creation, but also the Flood - and he's not interested in the time either of these events took but simply in the fact that they were acts of God. Anyway, if you insist on applying your formula to the days of creation, surely it also applies to the days of the Flood? So "forty days" would really mean "forty thousand years"...
https://bible.com/bible/59/2pe.3.5-8.ESV

[davetaff]

Hi Deborah
Thank you for your reply yes Peter dose mention the judgement and that comes last or as I see it at the end of this creation.
Peter also tells us that what God created before the flood perished in the flood ceased to exist.
Then he goes on to say the heavens and earth that now exist which to me indicates it is a new heaven and earth or as St Paul puts it

       Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2co.5.17.ESV 

      For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Galatians 6:15 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gal.6.15.ESV         

What Paul is saying is that those in Christ are a new creation of man in the image of God the old creation is Israel.

For me what God is creating after the flood is only man in his image.

As for Peter and the thousand  years we have nothing in  scripture that would say it applied to all days only to what he is speaking about in this epistle which to my mind shouts creation.

Love and Peace
Dave
https://bible.com/bible/59/2co.5.17.ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gal.6.15.ESV

[davetaff]

Hi
Let's look at these verses

   that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ?Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.?
2 Peter 3:2-‬4 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2pe.3.2-4.ESV     

As we can see the whole epistle is about creation and a very true prophecy of the end times thats the end of this creation so we can be pretty certain that what he says about the thousand year days are also to do with creation.
Which would mean we are somewhere towards the end of this creation

Love and Peace
Dave
https://bible.com/bible/59/2pe.3.2-4.ESV

[TaraH]

And again, you asked Deborah?s opinion, totally disregard it, and off we go again, the bible according to Dave, again, no engagement from anyone. 

Tara

[davetaff]

And again, you asked Deborah?s opinion, totally disregard it, and off we go again, the bible according to Dave, again, no engagement from anyone. 

Tara

Hi Tara
Thank you for your post so are you saying I have to believe everyone who posts on here there are on end of denominations all with different views on scripture which one should I believe in.
My answer is none but believe the word of God as it speaks to me which makes perfect sence to me and why I believe in God.
In nearly all my posts I back it up with scripture but very rarely does anyone give me a better interpretation all they say is I am wrong everything I say is based on creation which I mentain is ongoing and as yet no one has given me a better explanation all I get is God zapped everything together in 6 24 hour days then rested which in the light of science makes no sense.
I was under the impression that this was a Christian forum were could discuss Gods word like grownups not that I had to believe everything everyone else says.

Love and Peace
Dave

[davetaff]

Hi
How about the other part of this thread ( or literal belief )
Who decides what is literal and what is not there are of course parts of scripture which should not be taken literally parables for example tres walking as men there is a long list.
So how do we decide is it men or the holy spirit

Love and Peace
Dave