EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/16/2026
9:16 PM
My
Worship Time Focus:
“The Character
of God”
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: 2
Peter 3:9
Message of the verse: “9 ¶
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but
is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should
reach repentance.”
This
evening I will begin this SD with what commentator Clarke has written on this
verse: “Verse 9. The Lord is not
slack They probably in their mocking
said, "Either God had made no such promise to judge the world, destroy the
earth, and send ungodly men to perdition; or if he had, he had forgotten to
fulfil it, or had not convenient time or leisure." To some such mocking the apostle seems
to refer: and he immediately shows the reason why deserved punishment is not
inflicted on a guilty world.
“ But is long-suffering It is not slackness, remissness, nor
want of due displacement at sin, that induced God to prolong the respite
of ungodly men; but his long-suffering, his unwillingness that any
should perish: and therefore he spared them, that they might have additional
offers of grace, and be led to repentance—to deplore their sins, implore
God’s mercy, and find redemption through the blood of the Lamb.
“As God is not willing that any should
perish, and as he is willing that all should come to repentance,
consequently he has never devised nor decreed the damnation of any man, nor has
he rendered it impossible for any soul to be saved, either by necessitating
him to do evil, that he might die for it, or refusing him the means
of recovery, without which he could not be saved.”
Now by putting the Online Bible Edition 6.95 on my
laptop I have more information to share in my Spiritual Diaries. The quote above from commentator Clarke is
from that.
John MacArthur writes the following
as he begins his comments on this verse by writing: “Peter’s support for the
second coming culminated in an appeal to the character of God. The thrust of his argument is this: The reason Christ’s return is not immediate
is because God is patient with sinners.
Any waiting is attributable only to God’s gracious longsuffering. It is not that He is indifferent, powerless
or distracted. Instead, it is just the
opposite. Because He is merciful and
forbearing, He delays so that elect sinners might come to repentance (1 Peter
3:20; Cf. Matt. 4:17; 9:13; Mark 6:12; Luke 15:10; Rom. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25; Rev.
2:5).
(1 Peter 3:20; Cf. Matt. 4:17; 9:13;
Mark 6:12; Luke 15:10; Rom. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25; Rev. 2:5).
“20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s
patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which
a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.”
“17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
“13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire
mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’”
“12 So they went out and proclaimed that people
should repent.”
“10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the
angels of God over one sinner who repents.’”
“4 Or do you presume on the riches of his
kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant
to lead you to repentance?”
“25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God
may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,”
“5 Remember therefore from where you have
fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you
and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”
“Despite the ridicule of the scoffers, the Lord is
not slow about His promise, as some count slowness. Slow (braduno) means ‘delayed,’ or
‘late,’ implying the idea of ‘loitering.’
None of that applies to God; His seeming slowness is not due to lack of
ability, forgetfulness, or apathy. In
fulfilling His promise, God is working everything precisely according to
His perfect plan and schedule (cf. 2 Sam. 22:31; Ps. 111:5, 7-8; Isa. 25:1;
Jer. 33:14; 2 Cor. 1:20).”
(cf. 2 Sam. 22:31; Ps. 111:5, 7-8; Isa.
25:1; Jer. 33:14; 2 Cor. 1:20)
“31 This God— his way is perfect; the word of the
LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”
“5 He provides food for those who fear him; he
remembers his covenant forever.”
“7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy; 8 they
are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and
uprightness.”
“1
¶ O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt
you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed
of old, faithful and sure.”
“14 "Behold, the days are coming, declares
the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the
house of Judah.”
“20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in
him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”
“That same
principle applied to Christ’s first coming:
‘But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born
of a woman, born under the Law’ (Gal. 4:4).
That is a far in this section that I
will go this evening as the verse we are looking at this evening is a very
important verse that Peter wrote, and because of that I think it best to take
is rather slowly so that we can learn much from it.
1/16/2026
9:52 PM
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