2 Peter 1

Highlight:

2 Peter 1:16–21 (NLT) 

¹⁶ For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes ¹⁷ when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” ¹⁸ We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹ Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. ²⁰Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, ²¹ or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. 

Explain:

Peter is about to be martyred for the faith and he knows it. He writes this book to encourage the believers to stand firm and to grow in their faith. In this way, he says, they will confirm that they are really elect of God. As a ground for their faith, he reminds them that the things they were told about Jesus were not “made up, clever stories.” He actually saw the glory of God physically present in Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and he heard God’s voice say, “This is my dearly loved Son . . .” He says that it is because of seeing this glory that he has even more confidence in what the prophets said about Jesus. Till Christ returns, he urges them to put confidence in what the prophets said about Jesus because those prophets wrote truth through the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Apply:

Several applications come from these verses:

Because Christ was really the Son of God:

1. I have some great and precious promises (1:4).
2. I must be diligent to live out my calling (1:10).
3. I have some great evidence of His identity through the prophets and Apostles. (1:16-21)

Respond:

I will live out my faith today.