2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
The cosmos
The word cosmos is most often translated world, but not every time that the word world appears does it come from the word cosmos. Many times the word used for world is aion and carries the idea of period of time. However cosmos means: 1 an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government. 2 ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. the arrangement of the stars, ‘the heavenly hosts’, as the ornament of the heavens. 1 Pet. 3:3. 3 the world, the universe. 4 the circle of the earth, the earth. 5 the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race. 6 the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ. 7 world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly.
Our word cosmology and other related words come from this word, which always carries the idea of outward adorning and not true substance. Now, when we talk about cosmos in the context of our study, we are meaning all things – every system, every structure, every organism, every process, everything in heaven and earth. Cosmology in our study is the study of the whole cosmos. In his final epistle, Peter outlines four different cosmologies – one is false and the other three are each true, but at differing time in history.
The false cosmos
The false cosmology is that of evolutionary uniformitarianism – the doctrine taught by modern intellectuals who scoff saying, “where is the promise of His coming . . .” (2 Pet 3:4). This is all together false since the first cosmos – heaven and earth which were of old perished (2 Pet 3:5-6). The primeval cosmos, in which everything that God made was good, was destroyed in the waters of the flood.
The three true cosmos
The first cosmos mentioned by Peter is that of the original creation, which was overflowed and destroyed by the flood of Noah’s day. Man so corrupted God’s way in the original cosmos that it repented Him that He had made man (Gen. 6:5-6). The cosmos that then was passed away and we only have remnants of its former beauty and magnificence with us today.
The second cosmos spoken of by Peter is the present one in which we live (2 Pet 3:7). This cosmos will last many years and is called by Paul as “this present evil world” (Gal 1:4). But the day of the Lord will come and then this second cosmos will be destroyed by fire (2 Pet 3:10).
The third true cosmos is the one brought into being out of the ashes of this present evil world. God will make a new and incorruptible world (2 Pet 3:13). That cosmos will continue forever because God will eliminate all evil and corruption and will be present as God and Father of all who inhabit it (Isa 66:22).