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So this morning we'll be continuing with our dispensational overview of the Bible. And this is going to be part eight in the series. Last time, in part seven, part seven, we had progressed through the Book of James, and we saw how that the little flock of believers who will be located outside of the land at that time, how that they were now beginning to experience phases two and three of the Satanic policy of evil against them, just as the writer of Hebrews implied in Hebrews 12:4, that there was going to come a point when members of the little flock were going to begin resisting unto blood, striving against sin, that is to say, striving against every aspect of the Satanic policy of evil which they will be facing during the tribulation. Some of them were now being killed as they strove to stand fast in the instructions and doctrines which had been given to them, those instructions and doctrines which had been given to them to enable them to be able to endure to the end of the great tribulation. And we ended part seven with a brief review of the Mystery Kingdom Parables which Christ had given to his disciples in Matthew chapter 13. Because those parables were designed to provide the little flock with all manner of information which they needed to know because of the long delay which was going to take place before the prophesied kingdom actually became a reality.

Now we noted that the transitional connecting verses written by James which will progress the little flock into the instructions and further revelations of the apostle Peter, how that those connecting verses are found in James chapter five, verses six through eight. And it would be good if we just reviewed that for a minute. So turn with me to James chapter five, and we'll look at verses six through eight again, which read, Ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it until he received the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient. Stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

So in verse 6 we see how that just members of the little flock are now being killed because of their doctrinal positions. And then in verses seven and eight, the attitude which the little flock must have from this point on is going to be that of patience. Because the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is drawing nigh.

And with that little review, we are now ready to move into the book of First Peter. So get yourself a marker that you can move along as we progress through first and second Peter this morning. And in 1 Peter chapter one, in verses 1 through 12, Peter is going to encourage the little flock not to forget about the promise of the deliverance that they will experience at the Lord's second coming, just as we saw repeatedly throughout the Book of James. So beginning in verse one, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.

So again, as I said to you previously, as we saw in the book of James, Peter is also addressing members of the little flock who will be outside of the land of Jerusalem and Judea in the future. Continuing on in verse two, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you, and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So the Lord Jesus Christ, by virtue of his own resurrection, has the little flock to a lively hope. It says here, a lively hope.

This is that kind of first fruits of his creatures which James had described back in James 1:18. And notice that they are referred to here as a lively hope. A lively hope. Even if these members of the little flock are killed as a result of their standing fast in the doctrines and instructions which they have been given, they will be resurrected right into the kingdom. Now, right here you can begin to see how different the situation will be for these saints outside of the land compared to those saints who will be in in the land at that time.

Those saints who are in Jerusalem and Judea. They are instructed to flee Jerusalem immediately in the middle of the 70th week of Daniel, when they see that abomination of desolation in the temple which Christ spoke of in Matthew 24:15‑16. And when they flee Jerusalem, they will be supernaturally provided for by the Lord for three and a half years. That was the information which is needed for the little flock who will be in the land. But here we have the information which is needed for the little flock who are going to be outside of the land. Here are their instructions and encouragements.

Continuing on in verse 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you. So the little flock is destined to receive an inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled and which will never fade away. And that inheritance is now being reserved for them in Heaven.

Verse 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Now, what is this salvation which the little flock is going to receive? This is not talking about individual salvation, individual justification unto eternal life, as we would say it. If they're true members of the little flock, they already have that. They already have individual justification unto eternal life.

This salvation is going to be deliverance right into the prophesied kingdom. If they can just endure to the end. Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. So these escalating persecutions, no matter how intense they become, are only going to continue for a season.

They will come to an end with the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. So the little flock is being encouraged to just hang in there because it will soon come to an end. Verse 8. Whom having not seen ye love, in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. This is an interesting verse.

Peter is addressing people who have never seen Jesus Christ at His first coming. Think about it. These folks will be over 2000 years removed from Christ's first coming and also from all these men who are writing to them in these letters. They just know about Jesus Christ and they will be learning about what has been promised to them in the Scriptures, the things that Christ will be doing for them at his second coming. And they just need to hang on to those promises, because look at what it says in verse nine.

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. And again, the salvation Peter is referring to here is a physical deliverance right into Christ's never ending kingdom when Christ does return. Now drop down to verse 15 which says, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy. So here are some more exhortations to the little flock to continue demonstrating the righteous character and lives which will be necessary as citizens of the kingdom. Just as James was repeatedly exhorting the little flock to do.

And these exhortations to live as God expects them to live in spite of the persecutions they are facing, they continue on into chapter two, and let's look at verses one and two there. Wherefore, laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby. So Peter further describes some of the qualities which should characterize the lives of little flock. And what else does he say they should be doing here?

Desire the sincere milk of the Word. They need to focus on what the Word of God is instructing them to do. Then in verses three through eight, Peter reviews the unique importance of the Lord Jesus Christ and what he has done for Israel. And Peter warns the Little Flock not to let the Lord Jesus Christ become a stumbling block to their potential destiny. And what is another component of that destiny?

Drop down to verse nine. Peter writes, but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. The verse calls them a royal priesthood. They have been chosen to be a royal priesthood, a kingdom of priests, as the Lord described their destiny way back in Exodus, chapter 19 and verse 6. The destiny of God's special peculiar people, as the verse describes them here, was always that they should be functioning as a kingdom of priests, as mediators between God and and all the other Gentile nations of the world as part of the Abrahamic covenant.

And you can read about that prophetic reality in verses like Isaiah, chapter 61. And that's such an interesting verse. We should go back there and take a look at it. The prophetic reality of Israel as a kingdom of priests. Isaiah chapter 61, verse 6, which says, but ye shall be named the priests of the Lord. Men shall call you the ministers of our God. Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. And now in first Peter, the Little Flock is on the brink of finally realizing that destiny. And so Peter writes in verse 11, chapter two. Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. The verse says, having your conversation, meaning your conduct honest among the Gentiles So what is that again?

That's that perfect righteous life which members of the little flock are supposed to be demonstrating. Now, we didn't see verses like this back in Hebrews because those saints were not out among the Gentiles like these saints will be in Hebrews. It was all about separating themselves from Israel's vain apostate religious system which was going on in the land. These saints, who Peter is writing to will need to abstain from the incredible escalation of ungodliness which will be going on with the Gentiles at that time outside of the land. Peter continues on through chapter three and verse 12, describing how these members of the little flock are supposed to conduct themselves in the details of their lives out amongst these Gentile nations.

And as you read through these verses, it's almost like listening to Paul explaining to the Body of Christ how we are expected to conduct our lives. And these exhortations end with these words in chapter three, verse 12, which say, for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil evil. And then Peter gets right back into the subject of the escalating trials and tribulations and persecutions once again. Look at verse 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good?

So now the little flock receives further exhortations not to be afraid of the terror of the opposition which is really coming from the Satanic policy of evil. Drop down to verse 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by by the Spirit. So those members of the little flock of believers can be assured that even if they are killed, they will be resurrected right back into the kingdom.

Just as sure as Christ was resurrected from the dead as the only begotten Son, verse 19, by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. Now, these are typically difficult verses for many folks, and it would take quite a bit of time to exegete these four verses fully, and we would lose the flow of what we really want to focus on if we did that. But suffice it to say that the key to understanding the thrust of these verses is in verse 21, where it says the like figure whereunto baptism doth also now save us. The only hope for these Jews in the future will be to disassociate themselves completely from Israel's vain apostate religious system and become water baptized into the little flock of true believers, just as Peter had instructed all the house of Israel to do 2,000 years earlier in Acts, chapter 2, verse 38.

We're going to move now into chapter 4, verse 1. Forasmuch, then, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he that has suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. Now once again Christ is held up as an example of suffering in the flesh, which they can expect to experience as well. And the verse says, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. In other words, let Christ be your example.

This is just like when Paul exhorts us to have the mind of Christ in Philippians chapter two, but for a different purpose. To be able to live the righteous lives which they have been exhorted to live, and to be able to endure to the end of the tribulation. Continue on in verse 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries, wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.

So in verse two we see again the righteousness which the little flock is supposed to be demonstrating out in the world. And in verse three we see that it is out in the world among the Gentiles that is indeed where this group of believers will be. And in verse four we see the evil influence which the world of unbelievers will be inflicting on those who are righteous members of the little flock. Drop down to verse seven. But the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

The verse says the end of all things is at hand. Here again the little flock is told how that what they are going through now is soon going to come to an end. Well, Peter then goes on to say how that they can rest in the hope that Christ will very soon return and that Christ will be glorified, and that Christ's glorification will be even greater as a result of their suffering, as a result of being partakers of Christ's suffering.

Listen to how he says it. Verse 12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy if ye be reproached for the name of Christ. Happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but but on your part he is glorified.

So Christ's glorification will be even greater as a result of the suffering of the little flock as a result of being partakers of Christ's suffering. Now, as we get into chapter five, Peter will be saying more about the intensification of the Satanic policy of evil against the little flock. And that will continue to be the main theme in Peter's second epistle. And in chapter five, verse eight, Peter will introduce the connecting transitional link for the doctrine which will be taught to the little flock by John in his epistles. So let's take a look at that in chapter five and verse eight, which says, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour.

The verse says, your adversary the devil. This is the first time that any of these Jewish authors specifically identify Satan the devil, as the one whose policy of evil is going to escalate to unbelievable levels. So what is the little flock supposed to do? The verse says be sober. They need to be thinking clearly.

The verse says, be vigilant. They need to be constantly on guard because of the imminent tactics which the Satanic policy of evil is going to be throwing at them. They need to be ready. And in Peter's second letter, the Satanic policy of evil will be in full view. So we're going to move on into that second epistle now.

Second Peter one, verse one, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and Godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. So verse three again refers to a life of Godliness. This issue of righteousness and a righteous life and Godliness in the lives of the believers of the little flock are still being stressed to the little flock they have been ever since Hebrews 13:20, 21, I believe it was the writer of Hebrews introduced this concept of how important it is going to be for the little flock to demonstrate the righteous character that's necessary to be members of the kingdom. And in the second letter, Peter will be warning the little flock about certain specific tactics of the Satanic policy of evil against them so that they'll be able to identify those tactics for what they are.

So they need to be sober, they need to be vigilant, they need to be watching out for this, as that transitional connecting verse in 1 Peter 5:8 was forewarning them. And they especially need to stay with what the word of God has said to them in all their decision making.

Now then, the first of these tactics of the Satanic policy of evil which Peter is going to address is going to be the danger of the deceptions associated with false signs and false wonders which will be taking place during that time. So we're going to see this tremendous passage in 2nd Peter which illustrates how important it is going to be for the little flock to know all the doctrines which relates to these trials and tribulations, so as not to fall prey to the signs and to the wonders which they will be witnessing during this third phase of of the Satanic policy of evil against them. Now it's interesting that both Christ and Paul addressed these deceptive signs and wonders. Turn with me back to Matthew 24:24. He says, There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

So there are going to be false Christs, and there are going to be false prophets demonstrating deceptive signs and wonders which could be capable of deceiving even the very elect. Now the very elect are the little flock of true believers. That's how convincing these deceptive signs and wonders are going to be. And then, from the apostle Paul turn into Second Thessalonians, chapter 2. And let's look at verses 8 and 9 there, which say, and then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. Now that one whose coming will be after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, that is the Antichrist, who will be literally indwelt by Satan during the last half of the tribulation.

Now we see all these events actually come to pass in Revelation chapter 13, with the imagery of the two beasts, i.e. the Antichrist and the false prophet, where the Antichrist, indwelt by Satan at the time, and the false prophet are performing their deceptive signs and wonders in view of all the world. And that is why Peter presents this tremendous passage in his second Epistle, which illustrates how important it is going to be for the little flock to know all the doctrines which relate to these trials and tribulations, so as not to fall prey to the things which they will be witnessing during this third phase of the Satanic policy of evil against them. So let's go back to 2 Peter again, and we are going to pick this up now and look at this tremendously important and instructive passage which Peter provides here. Beginning in verse 15, he writes, Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly defies fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father, honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount. Now Peter, of course, is referring here to the transfiguration of Christ, when Christ appeared in his glory on the mountain with Moses and Elijah in Matthew, chapter 17.

Peter, James and John were eyewitnesses of that event. They were there. But then Peter goes on to stress to his readers in verse 19. Listen to what he says. We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.

What's he saying here? As legitimate as their own eyewitness testimony of that historical event may be the transfiguration. It is going to be even more reliable to be able to depend on the written word of God for everything that they are going to need. The word of God to them is going to be a more sure word of prophecy. As it's stated here, the words of instruction which they have been given in these written epistles are going to be more reliable than the miraculous signs and wonders which will be going on all around them and which they will be able to see and will be seeing routinely.

The little flock must not be deceived by the miracles and wonders which are going to be performed by the Satanic policy of evil. And the little flock must reject the temptations to succumb to the Antichrist and to his false religious system. If they don't, they will fail to endure to the end. And they might even do something worse than that. If they sin that sin unto death which John will be warning them about in 1 John, chapter five.

Now remember, Peter is addressing those members of the little flock who are outside of the land. Peter is addressing those members of the little flock who are not going to be able to flee Jerusalem and be supernaturally provided for in the wilderness by the Lord. Peter is addressing people whose only hope of enduring to the end will be to be able to focus on what the written word of God has said to them. They must not be deceived by what will be going on all around them. And that's why Peter wrote what he did back in 2 Peter, chapter 1, verse 12. And following where he says, wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle (In other words, as long as he is still alive} to stir you up by putting you in remembrance, knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me. Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance. So the little flock needs to pay very close attention to all these warnings and instructions from Peter and from the other writers of the books of Hebrews through Revelation.

So the first thing that the little flock has to be aware of is the deceitful nature of the signs and wonders which will be going on all around them. Now another tactic of the Satanic policy of evil is going to be the infiltration of false teachers, false brethren, imposters who will sneak in among them and attempt to draw members of the little flock back into Israel's vain, apostate religious system. These are going to be the tares from the parable of the wheat and tares. So we're back in 2 Peter now. And we're going to be in chapter 2, verses 1 and 2, where Peter writes, but there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

So the verse says there were false prophets also among the people. Now we just saw the future false prophets predicted by Christ in Matthew chapter 24, verse 24. But Jesus began warning his disciples about these false prophets and teachers even very early on in his ministry. Let's turn back to Matthew again.

This time Matthew chapter 7. And look at what he said in verse 5. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ravening wolves.

False prophets in sheep's clothing. They might look like sheep. These impostors are going to present themselves as sheep. They'll be among the little flock of believers. But they're really ravening wolves whose intent it is to destroy the little flock.

Now Christ began warning them about these imposters. This would have taken place then, but of course, since Israel's program was cut off In Acts chapter 7, this verse in Matthew 7:15 never did occur, but it will occur in the future. That's what we're reading about in Peter's letters. And we see these Jewish imposters also in passages like in Revelation 2. Turn with me to Revelation 2:2.

Here is some information written to the church at Ephesus. I know thy works and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil, and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars. Drop down to verse nine. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich. I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

So these are the false teachers and the imposters who are sneaking in among the little flock. These are the tares in the parable of the wheat and the tares, verse 9 identifies these tares as members of the synagogue of Satan. They are representatives of of the Satanic policy of evil. And remember how that the parable instructed the little flock to just let them remain in their midst right up until Christ's second coming, at which time those tares would then be eliminated by the baptism of fire referred to in Matthew chapter 3, verses 11 and 12 by John the Baptist. Now, when we get to John's Epistles, John will be elaborating on those issues in great detail.

Just how, just how the little flock is going to be able to identify and to know exactly who these false brethren are, who are among them. But let's go back to 2 Peter again and look at verse 1. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. All right.

Verse one says that one of the things that these false teachers are going to be doing is to bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. This is going to be a major issue in that day. Denying that Christ came in the flesh, and denying that Christ did what he did, and denying that Christ is going to do what members of the little flock are saying that he is going to do. Notice that verse two teaches that these truths which the little flock will be professing are actually going to be spoken of as evil by those who are still clinging to Israel's vain apostate religious system. Those who will be denying that the Messiah has already come will be leaving the door wide open.

For when the Antichrist walks into the temple to declare himself as Israel's Messiah, these people who will be denying the reality of Christ at His first coming, and who are attempting to lure members of the little flock into Israel's vain apostate religious system, are very aptly described by Peter in verse 12. Look at what he says about them in verse 12. But these, as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption. These imposters are going to utterly perish. Let's go back to verse one again.

In chapter two there were false prophets. And what does he say about them in this verse? He says, the Lord will bring upon these brute beasts swift destruction. So this verse assures the little flock that these folks who will be denying the first coming of their Messiah are going to be judged, and that when they are judged that judgment will be swift and certain. But all the while these imposters are supposed to be allowed to remain in the presence of the little flock until the actual second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, when Christ will do the judging.

But their judgment will be certain, absolutely certain. Just as certain as the Lord judged the angels that sinned back in Genesis chapter six, when those angels left their dominion, came down to the earth and corrupted the seed of the woman, and just as certain as the Lord judged Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins. As Peter goes on to remind the little flock in verses four and five, and the verses which follow then go on to describe those and other judgments which the Lord has executed in the past. All this just to assure the little flock that these righteous judgments will not fail to come to pass. Then we come to chapter three, we see these scoffers who are saying, where is he?

Where is this one you call Jesus of Nazareth? Over 2000 years have gone by, and there is no indication at all that this so called Messiah of the Gospel account is coming back. Let's read about it, beginning in verse one, the second Epistle. Beloved, I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that ye may be mindful of the words which are spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

But Peter's response to these scoffers, and the explanation which he gives is very interesting. Drop down to verse eight. He writes, but beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing. That one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long suffering to usward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

So the return of Christ will not fail to happen. And when Christ does return judgment will follow. And then Peter goes on to provide some additional explanation as to why so much time has elapsed with the Lord Jesus Christ having not yet returned as he promised he would. And that explanation is intimately related to what we just read in verse nine, which said that the Lord is long suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

It is God's desire that he should not have to judge anyone. Because look at what Peter continues to write in verses 15 and 16, And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. The most important reason that so much time has gone by without the return of Christ as a result of the long suffering of God is so that God could introduce what is currently called the dispensation of Grace to the world through the Apostle Paul. Why did God do that? Because of his long suffering and goodness.

God did that so that he would not yet have to bring on the judgments which are written about here, and so that he would not yet have to judge any person for any of their unrighteous Acts and behavior. And that is the way it has been for 2000 years and counting. The goodness and long suffering of God is giving every single person who has ever lived during this dispensation of Grace the opportunity to avoid judgment and to receive salvation. The salvation which Peter refers to here in verse 15. Since this dispensation of Grace began over 2,000 years ago, this, by the way was explained in greater detail when we examined our great commission in Second Corinthians 5: 17-21 in part six of this series part six of this series and this current forbearance of judgment by God and the salvation which Peter refers to here in verse 15 is granted as a free gift to any person, any person who can make the faith choice to put their trust in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ alone as payment for their sins, any person who will make that faith choice will forego all judgment and receive instant and eternal life with Christ forever in heavenly places.

So the next time anyone asks you where is the promise of his coming, or the next time anyone says to you that if there is supposed to be an all knowing, all powerful God, who is supposed to be full of love, and full of compassion, why doesn't He do something about all the evil and unrighteousness going on in this world today? Well, you just heard the answer to those questions. The goodness and the long suffering of God is giving every single person in this world the opportunity to respond to his provision for individual salvation and to be able to avoid any manner of eternal destruction and judgment.

But before we move on from verses 15 and 16 here, there is something very interesting about these two verses that I want to point out. These are very unique verses in these circumcision epistles.

When Paul wrote all of his letters for us as members of the Body of Christ today for this current dispensation of Grace, letters which Peter is referring to here in these two verses, Paul didn't know how long this dispensation of Grace was going to last. And when Peter wrote these verses for the little flock of the future, he didn't know how long this current dispensation of Grace was going to last either. I don't think either of them would have ever suspected that this dispensation of Grace was going to continue on for over 2000 years. So then, hypothetical situation here. What if some person who considers himself or herself to be a Jew all of a sudden reconsiders what mainstream Judaism has always taught them about their Messiah?

That their Messiah has not yet come, that he has not arrived, or that this one who was referred to as Jesus of Nazareth was certainly not their Messiah? He may have lived, he may have been a historical figure, but he wasn't the one. He was definitely not the one. What if, for whatever reason, that Jewish person comes to the point of reconsidering that this Jesus of Nazareth really was Israel's Messiah? I mean, it's not that hard to come to that conclusion.

You can look at the hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament Scriptures and you can see how they all fit, and you can put all these things together, and it's not that hard to come to that conclusion. What would that enlightened Jewish person need to do now? Should that person follow all the instructions and warnings for the little flock that we've been looking at associated with the resumption of Israel's prophetic kingdom program? No. Why not?

Because the resumption of Israel's prophetic kingdom program for this recently enlightened Jewish person who has now reconsidered who Jesus of Nazareth really was, is still living in this current dispensation of Grace. Israel's kingdom program has not resumed yet.

So what this newly enlightened Jewish person needs to do is exactly what Peter implies in these two verses. And what does Peter say in the context of the Lord's long suffering? Peter directs that person to look at what Paul has to say about personal salvation and about all the ways in which that newly enlightened Jewish person needs to think and live in this current dispensation of Grace.

Now, lest anyone is failing to understand what I'm saying here, we have the perfect example of what I'm saying here. Right here in our own assembly, in the person of our very own Pastor Peter Philippi. Pastor Peter was born into a Jewish family which would still, I'm sure, consider itself predominantly a Jewish family, was raised for a significant segment of his life as a Jew, but fortunately came to understand the truth that in God's eyes today, because we are still living in this current dispensation of Grace, that God does not recognize any people who consider themselves to be Jews as part of his prophetic kingdom program. So what did Pastor Peter do? He did exactly what the Apostle Peter says in verse 15 he needed to do.

He looked to Paul and to the letters written by Paul for the doctrine he needed in order to obtain salvation and to come to the knowledge of the truth. But when this dispensation of Grace finally comes to an end, that particular course of action will no longer work. It will be over, and Israel's kingdom program will have resumed.

So, enough then, on these truly unique verses 15 and 16 in Second Peter. And now we come to the transitional connecting verse which will tie into the doctrines that John will now be expanding upon in his epistles. And that's verse 17 which says, ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. Okay. Beware, lest ye also being led away from the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. The error of the wicked. The epistles written by John are now going to be addressing those errors of the wicked.

John will be giving the little flock all manner of additional information and warnings to enable them to be on guard against the tactics of the wicked. Now, when Peter speaks of the wicked, who is he really referring to? Yes, he is referring to those tares who will be living among the true believers within the little flock. But the wicked implies much more than that. In the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew chapter 13, the tares are defined in verse 38 as the children of the wicked one, the children of the wicked one.

And who is the wicked one? The wicked one is Satan. So at this point, the little flock is in the heart of the intensity of the wickedness of the Satanic policy of evil against them. Now, if you were to review the series that I've referred to as the Mystery Kingdom parables of Matthew 13, Mystery Kingdom parables of Matthew 13, you would learn that there will be three phases of escalating tribulation and persecution against the Little Flock from the Satanic policy of evil. That is exactly what we are seeing as we progress through the books of Hebrews, through Revelation.

Those first two phases of persecution were illustrated in the first Kingdom Parable of the Sower, where we saw members of the little flock failing to endure to the end simply because of the tribulation and persecution arising because of the Word. That's how it's stated in Matthew 13:21, tribulation and persecution arising because of the Word. That is phase one of the Satanic policy of evil against the little flock. These folks, even though they were believers, were not able to endure the suffering that they were experiencing, probably from friends and family members, simply because of the doctrines which they were now embracing and professing. And they will drop off relatively early during the tribulation.

And then you had the next group of believers who hung in there a little longer until the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches proved to be more than they were willing to give up. That's how it is stated in Matthew 13:22, the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. That is phase two of the Satanic policy of evil against the Little flock. Now remember what James had to say about all the problems associated with wealth and riches and seeking after the lusts of the flesh. So those folks fail to endure to the end.

If someone is going to focus on the deceitfulness of riches at that time, they will never stand fast and endure to the end. And then phase three of the Satanic policy of evil will be when Satan is seeking to destroy every single member of the little flock because they will be the only ones standing in opposition to him, in opposition to Satan, declaring himself as the Christ. And that's where we are, as we are moving and progressing through these epistles of Peter, John, Jude, and then Revelation, continuing escalation of the Satanic policy of evil against the Little flock. And that Satanic policy of evil will be using imposters and false teachers who call themselves Jews and brethren, but who will not really be a part of God's Israel. The Satanic policy of evil will be using these impostors as a means of drawing true members of a little flock into apostasy.

And John is going to provide the little flock with the doctrines and the information that they will need to be able to identify these false brethren, the tares, who will be right there in their midst. And we will look into that next week.