The Day of the Lord

The section we will be studying: Joel 2:1-11

Joel 2:1–2 “Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations.”

When will the Tribulation come?

1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4-6 “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Everyone quotes this verse and stops here. Because that keeps you in a state of stagnation. You don’t need to do anything. Who cares, why talk about the 2nd coming of Jesus because “he will come like a thief in the night”

Please read the next verses…

“But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”

If that day surprises you like a thief than either you aren’t watching or you aren’t a child of the day.

Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”

You don’t wanna be caught with your pants down. Because well, that’s awkward and weird.

2 Peter 3:1–4 “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all,

Peter finds this so important he writes about it in both letters. And says know this first of all.

“that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.””

Don’t be a scoffer that doesn’t look for the coming of God.

Why do people get so upset when people say the Lord may come back very soon. Even in the next few years? “Following their own sinful desires”.

If you get triggered by something, maybe that’s an area for deliverance or self-reflection.

The rapture. The 2nd coming of Jesus is our blessed hope! It’s not a thing to be anxious and fearful of. It’s a thing to be excited and thankful for.

Titus 2:12–13 “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

Will the rapture happen in my lifetime?

2 Peter 3:8 “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

Hosea 6:2–3 “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.””

After two days he will revive us: 2 days = 2,000 years… revive us.

Revive = make alive, restore, repair, save, it’s revival.

ON the 3rd day he will raise us up to live before him = rapture

Jesus died around 32AD… 2,000 years later is 2032.

According to ancient Jewish calendars, around 2030 to 2075 will be 6,000 years since creation.

Again, the Lord uses this format of 6 days of work. 1 day of rest. And the Bible speaks of a 1,000 year millennium where we will reign with him on earth in peace.

The 2032 to 2075 date range follows the 6,000 years, or 6 days of work. and 1,000 years of rest, or 1 day of rest pattern.

Does that mean the Lord 100% will come back during this time frame? No. But it does mean we need to stay alert and see the urgency in our evangelism.

But again, how will the lord come to us? He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. The spring rain again, it’s the latter rain.

The Lord will come to us as the latter rain pours out on the earth. That 2nd pentecost. That 2nd outpouring of the Holy Spirit that’ll be more powerful than the first.

James 5:7 “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.”

Many of us say, why study these apocalyptic prophecies and books?

We don’t want to outright say “why study it” because that feels wrong to say since it’s in the Bible. But that’s the heart. That’s what we really feel.I want to directly address this question. Why study the apocalyptic prophecies and writings about Jesus’ 2nd coming?

Do you think it as a good idea for the Jew to study about Jesus’ 1st coming? The messiah!

The Bible says in Daniel 9:25–26 “Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing.

Daniel’s prophecy says 69 sevens - or 483 years.

He literally said know and understand that the messiah will come in 173,880 days. or April 6th, 32 AD.

And you know what, those who didn’t know and understand got caught with their pants down and didn’t know what to look for when the Messiah came. They didn’t know the scriptures.

If such a clear and direct command comes for Jesus’ 1st coming, why would this be any different for his 2nd coming?

Actually, the Bible speaks far more about Jesus 2nd coming than his 1st. Around 500% more to be exact.

Roughly 1 in 25 verses in the NT refer to Jesus’ 2nd coming.

5 Crowns we will throw at Jesus feet

1. The Imperishable Crown (or Incorruptible Crown)

Reference: 1 Corinthians 9:24–25

Description: For those who run the Christian race with self-discipline and perseverance.

2. The Crown of Rejoicing (Soul-Winner’s Crown)

Reference: 1 Thessalonians 2:19, Philippians 4:1

Description: For those engaging in evangelism and discipleship — seeing people in heaven because of your witness.

3. The Crown of Righteousness

Reference: 2 Timothy 4:7–8

Description: For those who love and long for Jesus’ appearing (His return).

Meaning: A reward for living in readiness, expectancy, and faithfulness while looking forward to His coming.

4. The Crown of Life

Reference: James 1:12, Revelation 2:10

Description: For those who endure trials, temptations, and persecution faithfully — even unto death.

5. The Crown of Glory (Shepherd’s Crown)

Reference: 1 Peter 5:2–4

Description: For faithful pastors, elders, and spiritual leaders who shepherd God’s flock well.

Guys, how much more should we study Jesus 2nd coming? It’s a new perspective on who he is! Let me give you a few reasons as to why studying Bible prophecy is so important:

We know what to expect

Bad things happening, wars in the M.E., etc. it’s all prophecied about

We know how to react

By seeing these events take place and seeing them written down in scripture, it;s an incredible apologetic or argument for the validity of scripture!

We have urgency

The Bible regularly commands us to keep oil in our lamps, always be looking, always be prepared.

We take the word of God serious

We look at the tribulation and we see God’s wrath is no joke. You know what, I don’t want you to burn in hell and

We deeply see the fullness of God’s character

Just, powerful, ruler, strong, wrath, righteous anger, protection

We have hope

Titus 2:13 “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

1 Thessalonians 4:18 “Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

The tribulation isn’t something to be fearful of. God directly calls the rapture of the church our blessed hope. And after speaking of the tribulation says to encourage one another with these words. I believe God that these events are encouraging for the Christ follower. Because God always protects his children during his judgement

God floods the earth in holy judgement & he rescues Moses and his family

God sends fire from heaven to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah but he sends a savior and rescues faithful Lot

God will judge the earth with fire during the tribulation but be encouraged because the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together (Harpazo/Raptura/Raptured) with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

I believe a pre-tribulational rapture. But regardless of what you believe. What you can’t deny is is that these words are to encourage and be your blessed hope.

Matthew 10:41 “The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.”

If you don’t respect a prophet you don’t receive the prophecies he has to deliver.

If you don’t respect or study end time prophecy, you won’t see the beauty of God, the beauty in the scriptures, and the excitement of the times we live in. We should have a love for Bible prophecy. It’s not conspiratorial or weird. It’s deeply profound. It’s deeply important. It’s deeply loving.