Peter writes of scoffers who are to be expected in the "Last Days." That period can have a broad time reference (see Hebrews 1.2), but Peter may have in view a time beyond his own life-time.
Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. 2 Peter 3.3-4
Their identity is uncertain. Scoffing at the expectation of the coming of Christ by the unsaved would be nothing unusual, so I think this must be a reference to those who have some association with Christianity, and we do see that they make reference to the "fathers" having fallen asleep. But who are the fathers, and why make reference to them and then refer to the beginning of creation as a reference point? I would tend to think the fathers are the early church fathers--as they are referred to by some, and the scoffers are first referencing them, and then they go all the way back to the beginning of creation. There point is that nothing of note has happened that hasn't been happening throughout time that would indicate the coming of Christ is near. There's nothing to "hang your hat on."
I suspect these are liberal Christians who typically question the authority of Scripture and are skeptical of eschatological expectations.
Their scoffing suggests an expectation of an event or events that would signify or precede the Coming of Christ. This seems to be a typical expectation.
The disciples of Christ asked Jesus what signs would precede the Second Coming and the end of the age. In Matthew 24.3-8, Jesus answers the question. He speaks of those things one might normally associate with the expectation that Christ's coming and the end is near. But Jesus said these things must come to pass, and the end is not yet.
The things Jesus references are things one might expect to signify the Coming of Christ (COC) or the end of the age is near. It's typical to think this way. Major wars have led to such speculation. Some people count earthquakes. Is Covid 19, that has gone global and is still with us a year later a "pestilence?"
But Jesus said that "the end is not yet." What is Jesus telling us? I believe He is saying don't "jump the gun." We don't want to be scoffers, but we need to be discerning.
Some believe Jesus spoke more specifically of the "70th Week" events, being represented in the "seals" of Revelation, but others say it speaks of the period between His First and Second Comings. If those things are the same as the seals of Revelation, during the 70th Week, then when they begin, we should know the time is short, with less than 7 years to go. But if they are concerning events between his comings, which I tend to think they are, one should realize these things will happen, and they are not specific enough to know how close to the Second Coming we are. But the temptation has always been to see major world events as an indication that the end is near.
In 2 Peter 3.5-7, Peter points out that the Flood was an event the scoffers choose to forget, but it was a Divine event that reveals they are wrong. There has been an event in history clearly unusual, beyond that which is merely natural.
The Flood was divine judgment on the world, and it is set forth as how it will be at the COC, though it will have some "hang your hat on" indictors of its approaching occurrence.
I believe Peter clearly connects the COC with the Day of the Lord (DOL). They can be used interchangeably as a Day of judgment on the world and coming like a "Thief." 2 Peter 3.8-10 says the DOL will come as a "Thief." All the "thief" references speak of how it comes on people who are unprepared: it comes as destruction: see John 10.10; Matthew 24.36-44; 1 Thes 5.1-3; Rev 16.15 (in connection with Bowl 6 and approaching Armageddon).
There are no specific fulfillments as of yet, nothing to "hang your hat on," but there are some curious events that may be getting us closer. We don't want to be a scoffer or jump the gun.
The Covid virus and the vaccine are not the "Mark of the Beast." The timing is not right, nor can it be just a vaccine. The Mark must involve a state of mind that confirms one's conscience in a state of unbelief about salvation through Christ. However, how this virus has affected the world, and the way it has been handled, along with a vaccine that the world needs, and how it may be part of a required verification system to move about freely could be how the Mark comes about and works: you need the Mark to buy and sell. I still do not understand the Mark's nature as being eternally condemning.
There's also the Abrahamic Accords that has stated agreements between Israel and some Arab countries. Some may anticipate something similar to this that starts the 70th Week of Daniel, the last 7 years before the COC, as revealed in Daniel 9.27.
How should we answer the claim that "we are in the last days, and Christians are not prepared for it?"
I don't think we are there yet, but even if we were, what should we do? Being a "prepper" is a lot of work and expense. I think we should live wisely, prepare as we can, and do what is always required as a believer, abiding in God's word.
