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In the Peanuts’ comic strip, “The Great Pumpkin,” Linus mistakenly believed a great pumpkin would appear on Halloween. He would bring gifts for all the boys and girls without their having to go trick or treating. Some people think Schultz built an underlying message into the story—that he wanted to mock the idea that Christ would return to earth. Whether that was his intent or not, some people dismiss the idea of Christ returning to earth but not the Apostle Peter. He wrote this in 2 Peter, Chapter 3, “Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, ‘What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” Peter goes on to declare that, yes, Christ will return to receive His people and to judge a wicked world. He says God’s people look beyond that judgment to the New Heavens and new earth God has promised. He says we can hasten Christ’s return in two ways: By living holy lives devoted to Christ; and by sharing the Good News that God offers to save all who repent. Peter says God is delaying Christ’s return for a reason: to give us the chance to share this Good News all over the world.
