This conspicuous verse of Scripture flashed before me in the transitional state between sleeping and waking, and it was one of those mysterious occasions where you can't get the thought out of your head until you write it down and mine the depths. 

Having had some time to think about it, considering both the context of the passage and the context of our current high-watch season, I have some idea of the meaning. Maybe not the fullest extent, but as the late Tom Petty sang, I'm currently"runnin' down a dream, that never would come to me; workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads..."

Workin' on a mystery. That about sums up our journey so far as we still look through a glass darkly. One thing for sure: The alarm has sounded (the great sign), and the Day of the Lord is near. Joel 2:17 has primary application to Israel, but considering how Peter recalls Joel 2:28-32 in Acts 2:17-21, there is relevance for the Church as well:

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, 'Have pity on Your people, LORD, and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' " (HCSB).

Over the past couple of months, your internal or external conversation with God might have resembled mine. Something like this: "Lord, where are you? Don't you know my reputation is at stake? I've stuck my neck out there and told people about the sign, the implications, to be prepared. What gives?"

Our loving Father, knowing our limited understanding, comforts us with what He has already spoken and revealed in His word. Joel 2:17 is one example. Within the book of Joel, this is the verse just before the turning point in 2:18. And that's where we are right now. On the cusp. On the verge. And yet, until Christ returns, our hearts' cry will continue to be, "How long?" and "Why should the people say, 'Where is their God?"

We also need to be reminded that it is not our name that is on the line. It's His name and reputation. I know that it would be nice to have been vindicated already, but the LORD has told us that He is going to act for His own name's sake. He alone is going to be exalted and glorified when He erupts onto the world stage again:

I will act for My own sake, indeed, My own, for how can I be defiled? I will not give My glory to another" (Isa. 48:11, HCSB).

Just as He did for Israel in the past:

...I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they [Israel] lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt (Ezek. 20:9, NASB).

After all, the day that we, the body of Christ, are so eagerly looking for is a day that belongs only to the LORD. It's the Day of the LORD. He alone will be exalted at that time and go out to conquer until all His enemies are a footstool for the Messiah's feet—a gracious privilege that we will also share as co-heirs and co-rulers in the coming millennium (Ps. 2; 1 Cor. 15:28-29; Rev. 1:6; 2:26-28; 12:5).


Watching Our Walk While We Wait

Times of bewilderment and confusion can be prime opportunities for growth. Though it's often agonizing to wait, especially when we're so close and our Father's house is on the horizon (c.f. Lk. 15:20), we have to be patient and stay focused. We must take this time to examine our motives and continue to listen and learn from the One who provides rest and says that He is gentle and humble in heart (Matt. 11:29).

I have also read that God's people will know Him and find what they're looking for when they search for Him with all of their heart (Jer. 29:13). For some, He's got your attention now. But have you given Him your all? Have you let go of control and said to Him, "Your will be done, not mine?" As many of us have already experienced, Bible prophecy rightly interpreted can result in significant life-change. When you see the Bible come alive and witness prophecy being fulfilled before your very eyes, how can you not be amazed and transformed?

However, the signs are means to an end. Even prophecy will cease when the perfect arrives (1 Cor. 13:8-10). So, we should keep our eyes fixed on the author and perfecter of our faith, looking to Jesus continually until we are seated with Him in the heavenly realm (Eph. 2:6; Heb. 12:2; Rev. 3:21; 4:4; 5:6).

The transition from perishable to imperishable will be swift, this much we know. Like the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:51-52). Therefore, we can't wait until then to seek Him wholeheartedly, so we have to seize the moment at hand. I don't know about you, but I want my flight from earth to heaven to be smooth without turbulence. I want to know how we can accomplish what Peter refers to in this verse:

For in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you" (2 Pet. 1:11, NASB).

I believe the late-19th century English minister, J.C. Ryle, had this verse in mind when he wrote:

Ah, reader, I fear that some believers will be far less ready for the day of Christ than others. I suspect that some will have far more abundant entrance into heaven than their brethren, more boldness, more confidence; more felt readiness for the company of their Lord. Oh, that every one into whose hands this address may fall, may so walk with God, that like Enoch he may be only translated from a lower degree of communion to a higher: from walking by faith to walking by sight..." (from Coming Events and Present Duties, "What Time Is It?" pg. 60).

Ryle, along with some of his other trailblazing contemporaries, had keen insight. In the work previously cited written around 1867, he was already expecting the prophecies concerning the nation of Israel to be literally fulfilled in the future. This was well before the First Zionist Congress in 1897 and what we now see on the world stage today as end-time events continue to rapidly unfold (if you want to read more from these 19th-century pro-Israel writers, go here).

Let's explore this concept of having an entrance into heaven "abundantly supplied." As a genuine believer in Jesus Christ, you have two options regarding your transition into glory. When the door opens, you can:

A) Leap over the threshold
B) Stumble over the threshold

My guess is that you want to leap and not stumble; to be, as Ryle stated above, like Enoch translated from walking with God on earth to walking with Him in heaven without fear, shame, or hesitation. The apostle Peter tells us how we can accomplish this goal in the opening of his letter.

Abundant entry into heaven isn't available to everyone, this much is clear from Peter's opening address:

...to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours [the apostles], by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:1, NASB).

If all that survived from the New Testament were the Greek manuscripts of 2 Peter, we'd still have solid evidence from Scripture that salvation is exclusive: By grace through faith given only to those who have the imputed righteousness of Christ. Oh, and in case you missed it, the deity of Christ is made explicit as well, "...by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Ok, so this narrows the scope to genuine born-again believers. Now we can proceed further to discover how a believer in Christ can have an abundant entry into glory:

(1) We need to know that God has already done His part (2 Pet. 1:2-4)

(2) We need to know our part (2 Pet. 1:5-7)

(3) We need to know that this is a matter of maturity [i.e. sanctification], not eternal security (2 Pet. 1:8-10)

Now let's clarify the summarizing verse of 2 Pet. 1:10:

Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble" (HCSB).

At first blush this verse might sound like "salvation by works," but we know from the previous verse that even a genuine believer can fall away, becoming "blind and short-sighted" and as one who "forgets his past cleansing from sins" (2 Pet. 1:9). Remember, this is a matter of sanctification, not eternal security.

The apostle isn't trying to plague his readers with fear or heap condemnation on them. On the contrary and positively speaking, he wants them to "confirm" their calling and election [God's part] by doing their part in the process of sanctification (2 Pet. 1:5-7).

The Greek word often translated "confirm" is also used in 1:19, where Peter says that the prophecy of Scripture was strongly confirmed by the apostles' eyewitness testimony of the Transfiguration (2 Pet. 1:16-17; c.f. Matt. 17:1-9). Thus, based on the apostolic teaching and testimony, you can confirm or strengthen your calling and election by supplementing your initial saving faith in Jesus with all of the qualities mentioned in 1:5-7. This is a similar idea that the apostle Paul had in mind as he sought to bring about "the obedience of faith" among the nations by proclaiming the gospel and instructing the churches (Rom. 1:5; 15:18).

There's a particular reason why an abundant entry into heaven was top-of-mind for Peter. He sensed his own departure was near (1:14-15). And though this humble, gracious servant of Christ was speaking of his physical death ("laying aside his tent" – c.f. 2 Cor. 5:1-10), we should adopt the same mindset of being on the verge of transition. Surely, given the strong prophetic indicators of our day, our departure is imminent. Really imminent.

Further, when you look at the Greek of 2 Peter 1:11, 15, there is some intentional wordplay. The word translated "departure" in 1:15 is exodos, a term used only 3 times in the New Testament, one of which connects Peter with Jesus (see Lk. 9:31). Peter is following in Christ's footsteps, just as the Lord commanded him to do (c.f. Jn. 21:18-19, 22). Now we are to follow the apostle's word and example in order to obtain the abundant entry into glory.

The antonym [opposite] of exodos is eisodos, a term translated "entrance" and found in our key text of 2 Pet. 1:11. Thus, not only is Jesus' return for us a departure [an exodus], the resurrection and rapture of the Church is also an eisodos, an entrance into His eternal kingdom in glory. The Holy Spirit must have inspired the author of Hebrews to pen a similar concept in Heb. 10:19-25 (the word eisodos is used in 10:19, "Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus...").


Why Should It Be Said, "Where is Your God?"

Back to my dream from earlier ("Joel 2:17"). It's never fun to be the object of scorn and ridicule. The Lord Jesus, a man of sorrows, knows this feeling more than anyone (Isa. 53:3; Mk. 15:16-20; Jn. 15:18-21). Following in the steps of Jesus and His apostles involves enduring ridicule and mockery for speaking the truth.

Mockery seems especially poignant and disheartening when it comes from within our own tribe. Aside from the unbelieving nations, why should it be said among the churches, "Where is Your God?" Or, as Peter says about the scoffers in 2 Pet. 3:3, "Where is the promise of His coming?"

In the meantime (and I do mean meantime), it was suggested above that we turn our attention to our walk with the Lord. We addressed what we should do while we wait for our salvation, and Peter emphasizes the proper mindset again in 2 Pet. 3:14-15.

Brothers and sisters, we are at tipping point. We are on the verge of a major transition. As shown above from the text of 2 Peter, we are exhorted to grow and strengthen our heavenly calling by bearing good fruit. Patience is a necessity.

Also, at a moment's notice, we must be ready for the door to open. Draw closer to Him today, so that when He does open that door, you can be bold and leap over that threshold!