Melt

2 Peter 3:12 (ESV)

The heavenly bodies will melt as they burn.

Metal melts when it reaches its melting point. Lead, for example, melts at 621 F. But that's not the whole story. At 752 F, lead begins to vaporize, and at 1800 F, lead will completely evaporate. Now, try applying this concept to the above verse. Imagine God's wrath (2 Peter 3:10) producing such intense heat that even diamond and tungsten, some of the hardest known metals behind, melt and eventually evaporate. This leaves no room for imagination, as scripture is explicit. Everything we see in the material universe and the unseen spiritual realm, such as the heavens, will burn!

Some theorize that this is just a purification process. Unfortunately, it is more than that. Verse 11 says, "since everything will be destroyed" (ESV says dissolved!), meaning that nothing will be left and everything will burn to rubble and eventually vaporize. That raises two questions. Why is God so wrathful? And why does everything need to burn? Why not just purify things, remove the dross, and let things continue? First, sin has not only entered earth due to Adam's sin but also entered the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12) due to Lucifer's rebellion. Such filth can only be cleansed by completely burning and melting it up. Second, God, being the Genius that He is, is preparing even better heavens, earth, and a brand new sin-free cosmos (2 Peter 3:13). This should be a sober reminder to every Christian and politician of every stripe and color. All the countries and societies they passionately fight for will all burn. That doesn't mean they shouldn't try to clean up their systems; it just means that no matter how hard they strive, God will not spare this universe destined for His eternal wrath. Why? This universe and cosmos are nothing compared to the new creation God plans to launch. The only things or entities redeemed from this universe that will burn are the Church and her redeemed souls (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).