What is the " Day of the Lord" ?

[civic]

The phrase “day of the Lord” usually identifies events that take place at the end of history (Isaiah 7:18-25) and is often closely associated with the phrase “that day.” One key to understanding these phrases is to note that they always identify a span of time during which God personally intervenes in history, directly or indirectly, to accomplish some specific aspect of His plan.

Most people associate the day of the Lord with a period of time or a special day that will occur when God’s will and purpose for His world and for mankind will be fulfilled. Some scholars believe that the day of the Lord will be a longer period of time than a single day—a period of time when Christ will reign throughout the world before He cleanses heaven and earth in preparation for the eternal state of all mankind. Other scholars believe the day of the Lord will be an instantaneous event when Christ returns to earth to redeem His faithful believers and send unbelievers to eternal damnation.

The phrase “the day of the Lord” is used often in the Old Testament (e.g. Isaiah 2:12; 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5, 30:3; Joel 1:15, 2:1,11,31; 3:14; Amos 5:18,20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7,14; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4:5) and several times in the New Testament (e.g. Acts 2:20; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10). It is also alluded to in other passages (Revelation 6:17; 16:14).

The Old Testament passages dealing with the day of the Lord often convey a sense of imminence, nearness, and expectation: “Wail, for the day of the Lord is near!” (Isaiah 13:6); “For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near” (Ezekiel 30:3); “Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand” (Joel 2:1); “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14); “Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near” (Zephaniah 1:7). This is because the Old Testament passages referring to the day of the Lord often speak of both a near and a far fulfillment, as does much of Old Testament prophecy. Some Old Testament passages that refer to the day of the Lord describe historical judgments that have already been fulfilled in some sense (Isaiah 13:6-22; Ezekiel 30:2-19; Joel 1:15, 3:14; Amos 5:18-20; Zephaniah 1:14-18), while others refers to divine judgments that will take place toward the end of the age (Joel 2:30-32; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4:1, 5).

The New Testament calls it a day of “wrath,” a day of “visitation,” and the “great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14) and refers to a still future fulfillment when God’s wrath is poured out on unbelieving Israel (Isaiah 22; Jeremiah 30:1-17; Joel 1-2; Amos 5; Zephaniah 1) and on the unbelieving world (Ezekiel 38–39; Zechariah 14). The Scriptures indicate that “the day of the Lord” will come quickly, like a thief in the night (Zephaniah 1:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:2), and therefore Christians must be watchful and ready for the coming of Christ at any moment.

Besides being a time of judgment, it will also be a time of salvation as God will deliver the remnant of Israel, fulfilling His promise that “all of Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26), forgiving their sins and restoring His chosen people to the land He promised to Abraham (Isaiah 10:27; Jeremiah 30:19-31, 40; Micah 4; Zechariah 13). The final outcome of the day of the Lord will be that “the arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:17). The ultimate or final fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the day of the Lord will come at the end of history when God, with wondrous power, will punish evil and fulfill all His promises.got?

hope this helps !!!

 

[DavP]

One of the interpretation problems some have about that "day of The LORD" is because of its usage by the Old Testament prophets, some think it's just an expression about 'various times' of God's Judgments. In reality, it is only about the very last day of this world, the Old Testament prophet example simply serving as blueprints.

Here's an example in the Book of Jeremiah, a time when God was angry at the Jews and sent Nebuchadnezzar on a path of destruction upon nations around Jerusalem, and then upon Jerusalem itself, with God declaring a day of His vengeance. In the Jeremiah 46 example, this was about His vengeance upon Egypt... unto the reaches of the river Euphrates...

Jer 46:10
10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
KJV

Yet, just like the "vile person" and "little horn" in the Book of Daniel serves as a final Antichrist blueprint to come at the end of this world, so likewise does the 'king of Babylon' (Nebuchadnezzar historically, but the Antichrist will do a working per the end of Rev.13 like the king of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar did, by setting up the "image of the beast" in idol worship. And thus Christ's Revelation uses the name Babylon for the symbolic Woman Harlot in Revelation 17 & 18.

That means we are not to just think that "day of The LORD" phrase could apply to just any time. It actually is about the very last day of this world when Jesus comes to end this present world.

One of the proofs of this view is the example by Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5 where he said the "day of the Lord" will come "as a thief in the night", and he linked that future "sudden destruction" event on the last day with it. Paul was pulling from the Old Testament prophets, where God showed that day would be a surprise upon the wicked, and would happen at an instant. Peter did the same in 2 Peter 3:10, showing the "day of the Lord" is when God's consuming fire will burn man's works off this earth, ending this present world.

So when reading the Old Testament historical uses of that "day of the Lord" phrase, those historical events are actually serving as 'blueprints' for the destruction on the very last day of this world when Jesus returns.

 

[civic]

Thanks @DavP for your insight.

 

[EclipseEventSigns]

The day of Yahweh is not just a short period of ultimate battle. It refers also to the entire period of 1000 years of reign on earth by Messiah Jesus. The 7th day of creation...the Sabbath is the pattern of this millennium. Almost 6000 years of man's reign are about to end. The start of the day of Yahweh dispenses with His enemies. The world then experiences a truly just and righteous ruler.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

In almost every reference to the Day of the Lord in the OT, it is described as being great and terrible. In revelation, it is the Day of the Lord's wrath. It is the Day when Jesus returns, although I'm sure it will last longer than just a day.

 

[civic]

In almost every reference to the Day of the Lord in the OT, it is described as being great and terrible. In revelation, it is the Day of the Lord's wrath. It is the Day when Jesus returns, although I'm sure it will last longer than just a day.

Kind of like the last days began with the time of Christ arriving and continues through our day and into the future.

 

[DavP]

In almost every reference to the Day of the Lord in the OT, it is described as being great and terrible. In revelation, it is the Day of the Lord's wrath. It is the Day when Jesus returns, although I'm sure it will last longer than just a day.

It will actually be the 1st day of Christ's "thousand years" reign. It begins on the 'last day' of this present world, which is when He returns.

And it does symbolically represent the idea of 2 Peter 3 about a day to The LORD is like a thousand years to us.

 

[TedT]

2 Peter 3:10

yes,
but you missed verses 11 and 12:

2 Peter 3:11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

which clearly tells us that if we live godly, holy, lives we will be hastening, ie, speeding up the coming of this day of GOD.

Most people associate the day of the Lord with a period of time or a special day that will occur when God’s will and purpose for His world and for mankind will be fulfilled.

Is it not probable that our holy, godly lives are HIS purpose and goal for our lives here on earth where we must live with the weeds until the time of the harvest when the wheat is mature.

 

[Rockson]

Other scholars believe the day of the Lord will be an instantaneous event when Christ returns to earth to redeem His faithful believers and send unbelievers to eternal damnation.

The phrase “the day of the Lord” is used often in the Old Testament (e.g. Isaiah 2:12; 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5, 30:3; Joel 1:15, 2:1,11,31; 3:14; Amos 5:18,20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7,14; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4:5)

If I might have us look at Joel 2,

Verse 1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

Verse 2 onwards, It seems that it talks about a vehicle of God's judgment as a people. I think it's using the term as a metaphor perhaps not a real people but an instrument of judgement....I'll show why ahead,

A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. Joel 2:3

The above sounds like what a meteorite or more than one would do if it hit the earth. And now the verse down below the same,

The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: Joel 2:10

So the earth shall quake before them? Sounds like a cosmic shaking is taking place. Interesting one can see this described in Matt 24: 29 and in Rev 6:12,13

And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? Joel 2:11

Look at those last words in verse 11.....and who can abide it. Interesting that you find these same words in Rev 6 :16

Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Rev 6: 16

Let's go to Joel 2:15 and we'll ask a question,

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Joel 2: 15

Is the above the rapture? A trumpet is blown and then there's a gathering? Now back to Rev 6 and Rev 7,

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Rev 7 : 9

The Rapture in Rev 7 right after Rev 6:16 saying who shall be able to stand? Right after the sun and moon being turned to darkness as Matt 24 : 29 says as well?

Now the book of Acts 2: 30

And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. Acts 2:30

Doesn't Acts 2:30 sounds very much like Matt 24: 29 the powers of the heavens being shaken?

Then Acts 2:20
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

At least it all seems to me to fit into Rev 6 / Rev 7 perfectly.

​

 

[Ezra]

in a nut shell the day of the Lord is when God has his finial say Romans 1:18 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

 

[dwight92070]

It will actually be the 1st day of Christ's "thousand years" reign. It begins on the 'last day' of this present world, which is when He returns.

And it does symbolically represent the idea of 2 Peter 3 about a day to The LORD is like a thousand years to us.

That's a very creative thought, but Peter mentioned nothing about a thousand year reign of Christ beginning on the last day - not on this earth, nor on the new earth. Christ is reigning NOW and will forever reign in the new heaven and the new earth.

The Bible does speak of the last day as being a single day - not an extended period of time:

"And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ... It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying , they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom ... It will be JUST THE SAME on the DAY that the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 17:26-30

 

[Ezra]

The Bible does speak of the last day as being a single day - not an extended period of time:

i fear when his wrath is pored out. its going to be pure hell. that day /days could be very near

 

[dwight92070]

We are told to love His appearing - 2 Tim. 4:8, so it will be a fantastic day for the saints.

 

[DavP]

That's a very creative thought, but Peter mentioned nothing about a thousand year reign of Christ beginning on the last day - not on this earth, nor on the new earth. Christ is reigning NOW and will forever reign in the new heaven and the new earth.

The Bible does speak of the last day as being a single day - not an extended period of time:

"And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ... It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying , they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom ... It will be JUST THE SAME on the DAY that the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 17:26-30

Brethren in Christ Jesus:

Beware of listening to those who TRY to claim they know GOD's WORD when they cannot even come to the Truth in God's Word of the future "thousand years" reign by Jesus Christ and His elect at His future return, which IS... the IDEA of the "thousand years" Apostle Peter was pointing to in 2 Peter 3...

2 Peter 3:8
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
KJV

The meaning? One thousand years to us, is like ONE DAY to The LORD.

"day of the Lord", GET IT? That's about the "thousand years" of Christ's future reign per Rev.20...

Rev 20:1-6
20 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
KJV

Now HOW... can someone CLAIM to be a CHRISTIAN, and FLAT DENY the SIMPLICITY of those above Scriptures about Christ's future "thousand years" reign with His elect??

 

[dwight92070]

Brethren in Christ Jesus:

Beware of listening to those who TRY to claim they know GOD's WORD when they cannot even come to the Truth in God's Word of the future "thousand years" reign by Jesus Christ and His elect at His future return, which IS... the IDEA of the "thousand years" Apostle Peter was pointing to in 2 Peter 3...

2 Peter 3:8
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
KJV

The meaning? One thousand years to us, is like ONE DAY to The LORD.

"day of the Lord", GET IT? That's about the "thousand years" of Christ's future reign per Rev.20...

Rev 20:1-6
20 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
KJV

Now HOW... can someone CLAIM to be a CHRISTIAN, and FLAT DENY the SIMPLICITY of those above Scriptures about Christ's future "thousand years" reign with His elect??

What's simple is that Peter says nothing about a 1000 year reign of Christ after His 2nd coming in this passage in Peter. You have to add that information in, to what Peter is talking about to make it mean what you want it to mean. Peter's subject is the 2nd coming and the burning of heaven and earth and looking for a new heaven and a new earth. If there even was a literal 1000 year reign of Christ on earth, wouldn't Peter say that we would be looking for that too? But he doesn't even mention it.

You could just as easily relate Peter's words to Psalm 90:4:

"For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it passes."

Is Moses speaking of the 1000 year reign of Christ here too, just like you say Peter was?

Of course not. So why would you say Peter is referring to that, when there's no evidence that that is true?

 

[Brakelite]

@dwight92070 and @EclipseEventSigns
I think a medium position between your posts is closer to the truth. Yes eclipse, the millennium is a 1000 year long Sabbath, but it isn't for mankind, it's for the earth itself. Not once had man allowed the earth itself to rest, even though the law required it. Some individuals have done of course, but the earth is now dying, is old, worn out, and in need of rest. The millennium will be a rest for the planet. Christ will one day rule the planet in person from His throne in the new Jerusalem. But the new Jerusalem doesn't descend out of heaven until the end of the millennium. In the meantime, the wicked will be in their graves on earth, and the redeemed will be taken to heaven when Jesus comes, and return when at the end of the millennium Christ will create a new heaven and a new earth.
Dwight, you offered some real heavy passages, and there are many more, which describe the earth during and after the second coming. It will be uninhabitable. It will be a ruin. Isaiah described the planet as being tossed to and fro in such a massive earthquake the whole planet is shaken, possibly out of alignment. The plagues will affect every corner of the globe. Some will be incredibly destructive. Every city and man made edifice will be totalled. The amount of destruction and ruin will be indescribable... Pollution, likely nuclear fallout, catastrophic damage as far as the eye can see. Corpses everywhere, rotting on the ground. Not just people, but all the animals, birds, fish, insects. Carcases , burnt, dismembered, damaged from the hail stones, war, earthquakes, natural catastrophes and man made. Uninhabitable. The idea that the redeemed inherit such a place is ridiculous. It will be a desolate graveyard and be the home of demons and the Devil. Bound by circumstances and unable to tempt the nations any more because they no longer exist.

 

[DavP]

Why would Apostle Paul point to the "day of Christ" being in the future? What time was Paul pointing to?

Phil 1:10
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
KJV

Phil 2:16
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
KJV

2 Thess 2:2-3
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
KJV

It is clear by the above context of how Apostle Paul used that "day of Christ" phrase, that he was pointing to a future time to come.

Was Paul pointing to just a single day when Jesus returns? No.

1 Cor 5:3-5
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
KJV

Apostle Paul wrote the above to the Corinthians because there was a member in the congregation that was having sexual intercourse with his own mother. So Paul told them to put that sinner away out of the Church, for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in "the day of the Lord Jesus".

That is not pointing to just the one day of Jesus' future return. It is pointing to Christ's future "thousand years" reign of Revelation 20, which is also included as "the day of the Lord" in God's Word.

Joel 3:17-18
17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
KJV

In that day? What 'day'? The "day of the Lord". That is what that Joel 3 passage is about. If that "day of the Lord" is ONLY about a single day when Jesus returns, then how is it that "mountains shall drop new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim"? That's an awful lot of events happening on just a 'single' day of Christ's return.

The "day of the Lord" only being about a single day is just men's silly speculations 'outside' of God's Word. The "day of the Lord" is about the future "thousand years" reign by Christ and His elect, here on earth, with the Millennial sanctuary of Ezekiel 40 thru 47 established in the holy land, and with God's River flowing from that future sanctuary to feed other waters, like that, "and shall water the valley of Shittim" above! Revelation 22 mentions that River of the Waters of Life, and the Tree of Life, which per Ezekiel 47 involve many trees on either side of God's River that will never run out of fruit, and the leaves are for the healing of the nations.

God's Word as written is truly wonderful for what all He reveals, that is, to those who actually read and heed it. Those who don't read and heed His Word are just play actors, sent by the devil to deceive you if you listen to them.

 

[mikesw]

To speak of judgment of nations in Joel 3, a person must be remember that the text refers to interaction of nations that surround Jerusalem and have oppressed them;
Joel 3:11–12 (ESV)

11Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O LORD.
12Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

If somehow this text is expected to have some broader range of judgment on nations, that will require a sound argument. It also must be argued how the Judah/Jerusalem context fits into some global situation when Joel is written to address their sins and idolatry. Do they have to repeat the behavior from the first century that had led to the destruction of their city and way of worship? Do they have to repeat their sins and idolatry to be judged again? Also, it has to be explained how Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection failed to be able to correct the sins of Jacob, as was prophesied as the purpose for Christ to sacrifice himself.
An important task would be to identify texts that are linked with nations around Jerusalem and reject (or explain) how judgment on Jerusalem and those surrounding nations are applied to a concept of a global devastation.

 

[mikesw]

My point on the previous post is mostly about improving interpretation of scriptures. Maybe most people will be happy finding verses with the desired search terms. The deeper study is to understand the context and message of the passages used in support of broad theories. If you find that a deep study of the passage supports the initial observation, that is find. If you find a different context and message from common views, then the passage should at least remain a question about its meaning until someone either confirms or rejects your finding.