“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 by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly — the same word that destroyed by water will destroy by fire. The storage (thēsaurizō) metaphor suggests accumulating judgment rather than passive observation. The eschatological fire will melt stoicheia (elements) as part of creation's renewal.
Church Fathers on 2 Peter 3:7
Let us now see what the Apostle Peter predicted concerning this judgment. There shall come, he says, in the last days scoffers. . . . Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness. There is nothing said here about the resurrection of the dead, but enough certainly regarding the destruction of this world. And by his reference to the deluge he seems as it were to suggest to us how far we should believe the ruin of…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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