Day of the Lord

The day of the Lord as a day of judgment

Of universal judgment

The wrath of God is His necessary, just, and righteous retribution against sin.

Tony Evans

Isaiah 24:21–22 NASB95

So it will happen in that day, That the Lord will punish the host of heaven on high, And the kings of the earth on earth. They will be gathered together Like prisoners in the dungeon, And will be confined in prison; And after many days they will be punished.

See also Zep 1:14–18

Of judgment on the nations

Is 13:9–11; Je 46:10

See also Job 20:28–29; Is 13:4–6 God’s judgment on Babylon

God’s judgment on Egypt:

Is 19:16–17; Eze 30:3–4

Is 27:1; Joe 3:12–14; Ob 15 God’s judgment on Edom; Zep 3:8; Ro 2:16; Re 6:15–17

Of judgment on faithless Israel

Amos 5:18–20 NASB95

Alas, you who are longing for the day of the Lord, For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be darkness and not light; As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him. Will not the day of the Lord be darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it?

See also Is 2:12; Joe 1:15; Joe 2:1–2; Mt 7:22–23; Jn 12:48; Ro 2:5

The day of the Lord as a day of hope

A day of restoration for God’s people

Jeremiah 30:7–8 NASB95

‘Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s distress, But he will be saved from it. ‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves.

See also Joe 2:23–28

God will gather his people

Is 11:11; Is 27:12–13; Mic 4:6–7; Mt 24:30–31

God will save his people

Zephaniah 3:14–20 NASB95

Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more. In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp. “The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. “I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts— They came from you, O Zion; The reproach of exile is a burden on them. “Behold, I am going to deal at that time With all your oppressors, I will save the lame And gather the outcast, And I will turn their shame into praise and renown In all the earth. “At that time I will bring you in, Even at the time when I gather you together; Indeed, I will give you renown and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” Says the Lord.

See also Is 4:5–6; Is 26:1; Joe 2:32; Joe 3:16–18; Ob 17; Zec 9:16–17

God will purify his people

Is 4:3–4; Zep 3:11–13; Zec 14:20–21; Mal 4:1–2

God will exalt his people

Ob 21; Mic 4:8; Mic 5:8–9; Re 22:5

God will complete his saving work

Php 1:6 The “day of Christ Jesus” is the NT equivalent to the “day of the Lord” which refers to Jesus Christ’s second coming.

See also Da 12:1–2; Jn 6:40; Jn 11:24; 1 Co 1:8; 2 Ti 1:12; 2 Ti 4:8

The siege and deliverance of Jerusalem on the day of the Lord

Nations will gather against Jerusalem

Eze 38:14–16; Zec 14:2; Lk 21:20; Re 20:8–9

The Lord will fight for Jerusalem

Eze 38:18–23; Zec 12:2–5; Zec 14:3–5; Zec 14:12–13

The establishment of God’s kingdom on the day of the Lord

God’s kingdom will be universal and everlasting

Zechariah 14:9 NASB95

And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.

See also Da 2:44; Da 7:13–14; Re 11:15

God will be the object of universal worship

Is 19:19–24; Zep 3:9–10; Zec 14:16

God’s rule will be centred on a restored Jerusalem

Is 2:2–4; Zec 2:10–12; Re 22:3

The fulfilment of Messianic hope on the day of the Lord

Isaiah 4:2 NASB95

In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel.

See also Is 11:10; Je 30:9; Ho 3:5; Am 9:11; Zec 9:9; Zec 12:10

Being prepared for the day of the Lord

The day will come unexpectedly

1 Thessalonians 5:2–3 NASB95

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

See also Mt 24:43–44; Mk 13:32; 2 Pe 3:10

The need to be ready for the day

1 Thessalonians 5:4–8 NASB95

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

See also Eze 13:5; Zep 2:1–3; Mal 4:5; 2 Pe 3:11–12

Signs heralding the day may be discerned

Mt 24:33; 2 Th 2:3

The day of the Lord will be accompanied by signs and great upheavals in nature

Acts 2:19–20 NASB95

‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above And signs on the earth below, Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. ‘The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.

See also Joe 2:30–31; Is 13:9–10; Joe 2:10; Lk 21:11; Lk 21:25–26

Historical events anticipate the day of the Lord

Disaster foreshadows final judgment

Is 5:29–30 Judah invaded by Assyria; Eze 30:10 Egypt defeated by Nebuchadnezzar; Joe 2:2–4 Israel devastated by a locust swarm; Am 5:27 Israel defeated and exiled by Assyria; Mt 24:21 Jerusalem destroyed by the Romans

Return from exile foreshadows final restoration

Is 11:12–14; Hag 2:23; Zec 3:8