2 Peter 4:3-9: 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 father’s fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same Word, are kept in store, reserved unto Fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men: But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord is 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 us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance:
This word means to suffer long, but a better definition in the Greek, are two words meaning, Long and Tempered: Having self-restraint, when one is stirred to anger: A LONG-SUFFERING person does not immediately retaliate or punish, but rather patiently forbears, which is associated with Mercy:
Exodus 34:6: And the LORD passed by before him and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, Merciful and Gracious, LONG SUFFERING and Abundant in Goodness and Truth: Keeping Mercy for thousands, Forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the Iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon children’s children, unto the third and fourth generation: Moses made haste, bowed his head toward the earth and Worshipped :
Number 14:18-20: The LORD is LONG SUFFERING and of Great Mercy, Forgiving Iniquity: Pardon, I beseech the Iniquity of this people, according to the Greatness of Thy Mercy: The LORD Pardoned:
Psalm 86:15: But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of Compassion, Gracious, LONG SUFFERING and plenteous in Mercy and Truth:
Romans 2:4: Or despiseth thou the riches of His Goodness, Forbearance and LONG SUFFERING; not knowing that the Goodness of God leads to Repentance: God is the source of LONG SUFFERING:
In the days of Noah, God’s LONG SUFFERING was for one hundred and twenty years of Preaching without Repentance, they all died in the flood: The Gospel of Repentance and Faith in The Lord Jesus Christ, who bore our sins upon Himself on the Cross, shedding His Blood without which there is no Forgiveness and Cleansing from sin: Not willing any should perish, but have Everlasting Life:
God’ LONG SUFFERING can come to an end as in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah: He is not slack in keeping His Promise to Judge the Unrepentant sinner: He will be on schedule: He cannot be late:
Hebrews 12:2: Jesus endured and SUFFERED LONG, looking to the Joy set before Him of bringing many sons and daughters to the Father and to Heaven: Please do not take His LONG SUFFERING for granted, He is waiting for the Precious fruit: A Repentant heart: LONG SUFFERING is also a fruit of The Spirit, towards each other: Do not exhaust His LONG SUFFERING: Repent before it is TOO LATE:
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