Study - The Day of the Lord

 

What is the Day of the Lord? Is it only for Israel? Will the church go through the Tribulation period? Why are Christian groups able to comfort one another with the teaching of the “Day of the Lord’? 

The answer is, for Israel (And all those who have not accepted Christ, Israel and Gentiles), is the 7 year Tribulation Period, designed to bring Israel back to God, fulfilling God’s Covenant promise to Abraham forever.  God also saves a multitude of Gentiles then (Revelation. 7:9-10)

The answer is, of course for the True Church, the Rapture.  The word “Rapture” is not in the Bible, however.  This concept is expressed with the term “caught up” or  harpazo in Greek, We  get our term from the Latin raptus. The term actually depicts the event that occurs when born-again people (Of all Races, (Jew and Gentile) rise to meet Christ in the clouds, and immediately receive glorified bodies. This is the beginning of the Day of the Lord. Christians can be comforted by knowing we will be with the Lord for ever escaping the “wrath of the Almighty” (Revelation 3:10) or the Tribulation period.  Christians also receive the promises given to Abraham (Galatians 3:6-15).  This of course will be fulfilled after the Tribulation or in the Kingdom.

 

I. The Day of the Lord

 

A. It is known as Destruction from the Almighty

 

Isaiah 13:6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

 

B. The Events of the 2nd Advent of Christ are Included

 

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.

Zechariah 14:2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Zechariah 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

Zechariah 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

 

C. The Day of the Lord is a Day of Judgment

 

Isaiah 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

D. The Day of the Lord is a Day of wrath

 

Zephaniah 1:14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

 

 

Zephaniah 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

Zephaniah 1:16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

Zephaniah 1:17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

 

E. The Day of the Lord includes the Tribulation age

 

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

Acts 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

 

F. The Day of the Lord includes the Rapture through the Millennium

 

II Peter 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

 

G. The Day of the Lord meaning the rapture comes as a “thief in the night”

 

I Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

 

H. The Rapture happens right after the Antichrist is revealed (unveiled)

 

II Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, {unto him: or, around him}

II Thessalonians 2:2 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.

II Thessalonians 2:3 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;

 

The only way the Rapture could come as a thief in the night is if it is before the Tribulation Period

 

 

 

 

 

II. Wrath to Come

 

A. John asked the Pharisees about the wrath to come?

 

Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Matthew 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Matthew 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Matthew 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Matthew 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

 

B. Christ delivers us from the wrath to come

 

I Thessalonians 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

I Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

I Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

 

C. This brings us back to Paul’s sermon just before he wrote I Thessalonians

 

Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Acts 17:32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.


D. To what are we appointed if not Wrath?

I Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

 

E. By what means do we escape the wrath?

 

I Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

I Thessalonians 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

I Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. {prevent: or, come before, or, anticipate, or, precede}

I Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

I Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

I Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. {comfort: or, exhort}

 

E. Why should we comfort or exhort one another with this knowledge?

I Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

I Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

I Thessalonians 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

I Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

I Thessalonians 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

I Thessalonians 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

I Thessalonians 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

I Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

I Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

I Thessalonians 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

I Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. {comfort: or, exhort}


G. It is the wrath of the Lamb – The Great Tribulation

 

Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Revelation 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

 

H. What is the Day of Christ?

 

II Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, {unto him: or, around him}

II Thessalonians 2:2 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.

II Thessalonians 2:3 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;

II Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

 

I. The “Catching up” or rapture was one of the Mysteries revealed by the Apostles

 

I Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

I Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

I Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

I Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

I Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

I Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

I Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.


III. The Beginning of the Day of the Lord Is In Two Stages

 

A. 1st Stage - He will not touch down but stop in the Air

 

1. All born again believers will be caught up to Him

 

I Thessalonians 4:13 ¶ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

I Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

I Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

I Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

I Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

I Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

2. They will stand before the ‘bema’ or Judgment Seat of Christ – Rewards

 

II Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

I Corinthians 3:11 ¶ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

I Corinthians 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

I Corinthians 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

I Corinthians 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

 

3. Then the Church will be married to Christ

 

II Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

 

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

Ephesians 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

 

B. 2nd He Will Touch Down And We’ll Be With Him As He Does.

 

1. Then will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

 

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Revelation 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Revelation 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

 

2. Then He will come with the saints (the Church) to Judge the Nations

Matthew 25:31- 46

 

3. Then He will set up His Millennial Kingdom.  This will be the "Second Stage" of His Coming, and will be visible.

 

4. Between these 2 Stages there will be at least 7 Years -  The last week of Daniel's Seventy Weeks (Daniel chapter 9.) 

 

IV. This is our Hope - To be delivered from the Wrath to come:

 

I Thessalonians 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

I Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

I Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

 

 

B. The same Hope is seen in Revelation

 

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

 

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

 

C. But are not we “delivered from wrath when we accept Christ as Savior?”

 

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Romans 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Romans 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

 

D. In the meantime, we can have the down-payment of our inheritance

 

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

 

Note: The Church or churches are not mentioned by name in Revelation through the Tribulation, Revelation 3:22 – 22:16 when narrative switches to John’s time.
 

Main Two Events of Christ’s Second Coming Separated By 7 Years

Titus 2:13 - blessed hope, and glorious appearing

II Thessalonians 2:1 – Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Gathering together unto Him

Christ’s Coming for the Church, the Rapture

Christ’s Coming to the World

(1) Christ Himself will descend from His Father’s house and we will meet Christ in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 John 14:1-3)

(1) At His second coming to earth, Christ Places His Feet on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4, Rest of the Chapter).

(2) His coming is as a thief. Only believers of the church will see him (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

(2) Every eye shall see Him, it is open, public, and obvious to the world (Revelation 5:16; Matthew 24:30).

(3) Believers are taken off the earth and unbelievers remain to go into the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians. 4:13-17; John 14:3).

(3) Unbelievers are taken and believers are left to go into the millennium (Matthew 24:37-39; Revelation 19:17-21).

(4) Christ comes for His saints and they are translated and meet Him in the clouds                 (1 Thessalonians 4:17 John 4:1-3)

(4) Christ comes with His saints in white robes (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; Revelation. 19:4-10).

(5) It is imminent, not preceded by any specific signs (Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Romans 13:11-14; 1 John 2:28).

(5) It is preceded by specific signs included in the Tribulation (Matthew 24).

(6) Christ comes as our Deliverer from the wrath to come. No Tribulation for believers (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:9-10; Revelation 3:10).

(6) Christ comes as Judge. The world is judged (Matthew 25:31-32, 46; Rev. 6-19; Matthew 3:11-12; Joel. 2:1-11; 3:1-17; Jude 15.

(7) It is a source of comfort to believers (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:9; Revelation 3:10).

(7) It is a source of fear to man (Revelation 6:15-17; 9-11).

(8) There are no recorded changes in nature mentioned in connection with the rapture.

(8) Many changes in nature recorded (Revelation 6; Isaiah 35).

(9) It is a mystery, a truth hidden in the Old Testament (1 Corinthians 15:51).

(9) It is the subject of extended prophecy in the Old Testament (Look Zech.12-14;Isa. 2)

(10) No reference or dealing with Satan. Instead, his activity increases (1 Thessalonians. 4:13-18 with 2 Thessalonians 2:1).

(10) Satan is bound for 1,000 years (Revelation. 20:1-3).

(11) At the rapture the Mount of Olives seems to be unchanged.

(11) At His return, the Mount of Olives is split and forms a valley (Zechariah 14:4-5).

(12) At the rapture we have the bema rewards or  the Judgement Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; II Corinthians 5:10)

(12) At Christ’s return and the marriage Supper (Those previously the church have been already rewarded) (Rev. 19:11-21, 4:4).

(13) At the rapture believers receive a glorified body (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)

(13) Saved in the Tribulation go into the millennium with mortal bodies (Isa. 65:20-25)

 

 

 

The Day of the Lord – In Two Stages

  Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

 

First Stage             Second Stage

 

Judgment Seat of Christ

Marriage           Supper of the Lamb

 

Rapture

of the

Church

Judgment Begins

Abomination of

Desolation

Second Advent with the Wife

 

Marriage Supper

 

Fulfillment of the Covenant to Abraham

 

All of Christ’s are heirs to Abraham’s Promise

 

Church Age

7 year Tribulation

Millennium

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joel 2:1 ¶  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;

Joel2:2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

Joel 2:3 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.