Day of the Lord

The day of the Lord as a day of judgment

Of universal judgment

Isaiah 24:21–22 KJV 1900

And it shall come to pass in that day, That the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, And the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, And shall be shut up in the prison, And after many days shall they be visited.

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 KJV 1900

Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; Or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and 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 KJV 1900

Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; But he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, That I will break his yoke from off thy neck, And will burst thy bonds, And strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:

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 KJV 1900

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; Be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: The king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: Thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: And to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, To whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: And I will save her that halteth, And gather her that was driven out; And I will get them praise and fame In every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: For I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, When I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith 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 KJV 1900

And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: In that day shall there be one Lord, and his name 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 KJV 1900

In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely For them that are escaped 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 KJV 1900

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 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.

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 KJV 1900

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 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.

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 KJV 1900

And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord 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