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The Elements Shall Melt With Fervent Heat: A Study of 2 Peter 3
Does Second Peter 3 predict the end of time, or the end of the Old Covenant age of Israel in A.D. 70? This new book proves beyond a doubt that 2 Peter 3 is not a prediction of the end of planet earth! There is not another book like this on the market anywhere, by anyone! Scholarly, well-written, compelling! This is a must read for serious Bible students!
300 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 2012
About the author
Don K. Preston
59 books17 followers1968 Graduate of Elkins High School outside Fayetteville, Arkansas.
1975 graduate of the Northside school of preaching, (seminary) Harrison, Arkansas.
Don’s preaching ministry spans 35 years in only two different cities, Shawnee, Oklahoma and Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Don worked for 7 years helping produce a television program Christian magazine which received national recognition in the magazine, Christianity Today.
Don has written several books, including: 2 Peter 3: The Late Great Kingdom, reprinted now under the title of the Elements Shall Melt with Fervent Heat; Who is This Babylon? (Second Edition), Like Father Like Son, on Clouds of Glory, Into All The World Then Comes The End, The Last Days Identified, Seal Up Vision and Prophecy, Can God Tell Time?, Israel: 1948, Countdown To No Where, Blast From The Past: The Truth About Armageddon, Leaving the Rapture Behind, Seventy Weeks are Determined...for the Resurrection; How Is This Possible (third reprint, revised and enlarged, 2009). Some of Preston's works have been translated into six different languages, and reprinted several times.
Don’s book, Who is this Babylon?, A Study of Revelation, has received critical acclaim. He is currently at work on several other manuscripts including books on the(supposed) rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple, the Transfiguration, the parables of Jesus, the Olivet Discourse, the significance of circumcision in New Testament eschatology, the Song of Moses and eschatology, and others.
Don's 2010 book, We Shall Meet Him In The Air: The Wedding of the King of kings, is the very first, and only, full length commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4 from the preterist (fulfilled) perspective.
Preston’s writings have appeared in almost every major religious periodical of the churches of Christ.
Mr. Preston is an experienced debater, and has participated in several formal public debates as well as radio debates. his opponents include some of the leading evangelical leaders of the day, including:
Thomas Ice, co-founder with Tim Lahaye, of the Pre-Trib Research Center,
Harold Hoehner of Dallas Theological Seminary,
Dr. David Engelsma of Reformed Theological Seminary,
C. Marvin Pate of Moody College,
Dr. F. Lagard Smith, and other notable theologians.
He has participated in live interviews on such christian talk shows as “Salt and Light” in St. Louis, Missouri. Preston is also co-host, with William Bell, of a radio program each Tuesday evening, 6 PM central time, called "Two Guys and the Bible." The program can be heard live at ad70.net.
Mr. Preston‘s web address is www.eschatology.org. In addition to this website, Mr. Preston is also the personal owner of www.bibleprophecy.com, one of the top rated sites for the study of prophecy.
The websites contain many articles written by Don and other writers from around the country. They welcome open discussion and study.
Don served as minister for the Ardmore church of Christ, for 16 years. He resigned in order to devote himself full time to research writing, seminars and debates.
Hobbies include collecting and restoring old cars, especially early mustangs, and old pickups; fishing, hunting, internet research, reading, etc.
1975 graduate of the Northside school of preaching, (seminary) Harrison, Arkansas.
Don’s preaching ministry spans 35 years in only two different cities, Shawnee, Oklahoma and Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Don worked for 7 years helping produce a television program Christian magazine which received national recognition in the magazine, Christianity Today.
Don has written several books, including: 2 Peter 3: The Late Great Kingdom, reprinted now under the title of the Elements Shall Melt with Fervent Heat; Who is This Babylon? (Second Edition), Like Father Like Son, on Clouds of Glory, Into All The World Then Comes The End, The Last Days Identified, Seal Up Vision and Prophecy, Can God Tell Time?, Israel: 1948, Countdown To No Where, Blast From The Past: The Truth About Armageddon, Leaving the Rapture Behind, Seventy Weeks are Determined...for the Resurrection; How Is This Possible (third reprint, revised and enlarged, 2009). Some of Preston's works have been translated into six different languages, and reprinted several times.
Don’s book, Who is this Babylon?, A Study of Revelation, has received critical acclaim. He is currently at work on several other manuscripts including books on the(supposed) rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple, the Transfiguration, the parables of Jesus, the Olivet Discourse, the significance of circumcision in New Testament eschatology, the Song of Moses and eschatology, and others.
Don's 2010 book, We Shall Meet Him In The Air: The Wedding of the King of kings, is the very first, and only, full length commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4 from the preterist (fulfilled) perspective.
Preston’s writings have appeared in almost every major religious periodical of the churches of Christ.
Mr. Preston is an experienced debater, and has participated in several formal public debates as well as radio debates. his opponents include some of the leading evangelical leaders of the day, including:
Thomas Ice, co-founder with Tim Lahaye, of the Pre-Trib Research Center,
Harold Hoehner of Dallas Theological Seminary,
Dr. David Engelsma of Reformed Theological Seminary,
C. Marvin Pate of Moody College,
Dr. F. Lagard Smith, and other notable theologians.
He has participated in live interviews on such christian talk shows as “Salt and Light” in St. Louis, Missouri. Preston is also co-host, with William Bell, of a radio program each Tuesday evening, 6 PM central time, called "Two Guys and the Bible." The program can be heard live at ad70.net.
Mr. Preston‘s web address is www.eschatology.org. In addition to this website, Mr. Preston is also the personal owner of www.bibleprophecy.com, one of the top rated sites for the study of prophecy.
The websites contain many articles written by Don and other writers from around the country. They welcome open discussion and study.
Don served as minister for the Ardmore church of Christ, for 16 years. He resigned in order to devote himself full time to research writing, seminars and debates.
Hobbies include collecting and restoring old cars, especially early mustangs, and old pickups; fishing, hunting, internet research, reading, etc.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 18, 2019
Nope 👎
If you want something decent to study eschatology keep looking. This is not the book you're looking for. It's nothing more than heresy.
If you want something decent to study eschatology keep looking. This is not the book you're looking for. It's nothing more than heresy.
August 16, 2010
In this book Don's main point is to show that Peter's teaching about the new heavens and earth is nothing different than the old testament prophets of whom he quotes. I find that he proved this and more.
Secondarily Don sets out to show that not only did Peter teach the same message as the prophets but in fact Jesus, Paul, Jude and all of the new testament writers do as well.
Throughout the course of the book Don deals with several other topics which should be linked to the new heavens and earth such as gentiles coming into the kingdom, resurrection, and the age to come just to name a few.
This will be is a challenging read for most as it presents concepts that are totally foreign to our way of thinking that would not have been to the Hebraic mind. The findings Don puts forth and challenges the reader to consider are not just someone pulling ideas out of left field for the sake of presenting a new idea on eschatology or for the sake of book sales. Don's findings are completely exegetical and need serious consideration by even the most learned bible students.
The last section was an argument against universal salvation which I found very helpful. I hope this review has sparked your curiosity enough to pick up a copy of this book. I hope you find it as challenging and enjoyable as I did.
Secondarily Don sets out to show that not only did Peter teach the same message as the prophets but in fact Jesus, Paul, Jude and all of the new testament writers do as well.
Throughout the course of the book Don deals with several other topics which should be linked to the new heavens and earth such as gentiles coming into the kingdom, resurrection, and the age to come just to name a few.
This will be is a challenging read for most as it presents concepts that are totally foreign to our way of thinking that would not have been to the Hebraic mind. The findings Don puts forth and challenges the reader to consider are not just someone pulling ideas out of left field for the sake of presenting a new idea on eschatology or for the sake of book sales. Don's findings are completely exegetical and need serious consideration by even the most learned bible students.
The last section was an argument against universal salvation which I found very helpful. I hope this review has sparked your curiosity enough to pick up a copy of this book. I hope you find it as challenging and enjoyable as I did.
April 24, 2025
The message of this book is great. The author really knows his Bible and explains it well. I cannot argue with his writing.
However, the formatting of the Kindle edition is a disgrace. It looked like someone had simple run a pdf through an OCR app and never bothered to look at what came out. The chapters on the contents page were out of order and some were not listed. Icons and emojis like check marks or bulleted list were converted into random letters added to the front of words. It was a terrible job.
In addition, I listened, or tried to listen, to the Audible edition. It was “virtual voice”. Please, if you are going use AI to read books, teach it not to call out the punctuation! In a book with Bible references in it, do not read John 3:16 as “ John three colon one six. Can AI be taught that it’s “hated” not hatted.
I made it through the book, but I would gotten a lot more out of. I will never again download a virtual voice book. Definitely below Audible’s standards.
However, the formatting of the Kindle edition is a disgrace. It looked like someone had simple run a pdf through an OCR app and never bothered to look at what came out. The chapters on the contents page were out of order and some were not listed. Icons and emojis like check marks or bulleted list were converted into random letters added to the front of words. It was a terrible job.
In addition, I listened, or tried to listen, to the Audible edition. It was “virtual voice”. Please, if you are going use AI to read books, teach it not to call out the punctuation! In a book with Bible references in it, do not read John 3:16 as “ John three colon one six. Can AI be taught that it’s “hated” not hatted.
I made it through the book, but I would gotten a lot more out of. I will never again download a virtual voice book. Definitely below Audible’s standards.
August 30, 2025
I have to say, this is one of the best books I’ve read by Don K. Preston on the preterist view of the end times. In this work, he systematically examines 2 Peter 3, which primarily deals with the elements melting with fervent heat and the heavens passing away with a great noise (2 Pet. 3:10). At the same time, he carefully addresses the surrounding verses as well, making strong arguments for them from a preterist perspective. He does not interpret the verses in isolation, but considers the broader context and the sources Peter is drawing from—especially Old Testament writings such as Isaiah, but also Paul’s letters.
Although the book contains some repetition, it is noticeably less than in some of Preston’s other works I’ve read. All in all, this is an excellent and insightful book on a topic that is becoming increasingly relevant in Christian circles today.
Although the book contains some repetition, it is noticeably less than in some of Preston’s other works I’ve read. All in all, this is an excellent and insightful book on a topic that is becoming increasingly relevant in Christian circles today.
January 6, 2014
I like the format of his previous books. Please don't let others distract you from your next book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews