What Is the Day of the Lord?

　　As the end times clock keeps ticking, we move closer to what the Bible calls the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is a day filled with dichotomies. For some, it represents a day of terror. Yet most who will be subject to this terror are unaware it is coming. For others, it represents a day of hope, and this should be a hope we long to see. Ultimately this day will be when God fulfills his will in the earth. This will be a great day for some, leading to exhilaration. It will be a terrible day for others, leading to mourning.

　　

Where Does the Bible Talk about the Day of the Lord?

The first mention of the Day of the Lord occurs in the book of Isaiah.

　　“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.” (Isaiah 2:12)

　　According to the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, as you progress through the books of the prophets in the Old Testament, you see this phrase, “Day of the Lord,” repeated more than two dozen times. It most commonly appears in the books of Isaiah, Joel, and Zephaniah. Another term for the Day of the Lord is “that day.” Anchor Yale states this term appears close to 200 times and is found in the prophets, Lamentations, and even the Psalms. As the end times clock keeps ticking, we move closer to what the Bible calls the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is a day filled with dichotomies. For some, it represents a day of terror. Yet most who will be subject to this terror are unaware it is coming. For others, it represents a day of hope, and this should be a hope we long to see. Ultimately this day will be when God fulfills his will in the earth. This will be a great day for some, leading to exhilaration. It will be a terrible day for others, leading to mourning.

　　The Day of the Lord was not limited to the Old Testament prophets. In the New Testament, you will discover references to this term, also referred to as the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the writings of Paul (Col. 1:8; Col. 5:5; 1 Thes. 5:2) and Peter (2 Pet. 3:10-13). Jesus even talks about that day, warning us we don’t know when this day will happen because the day and hour are unknown except to God the Father.

　　

What Will Happen on the Day of the Lord?

When you think about this day, there are three ways to describe it.

　　1. It will be a day of reckoning. Isaiah references this day as a time when all things will be brought into account.

　　“The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” (Isaiah 2:11)

　　On this day, it will be clear who is really in control. Jesus will demonstrate once and for all that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In Philippians 2, Paul says every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. On the Day of the Lord, even those who have stood in opposition will recognize his Lordship. At this moment of reckoning, all humanity will account for their sins. For enemies of Christ, this is a fearful day; Christ is not coming as a lamb but as a lion. He is not coming to be their savior but their judge.

　　2. It will be a day of restoration. This day will also be when Jesus restores order. Since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, sin has shaped the earth. The effects of sin have ravaged our world for thousands of years, but that effect stops on this day. Jesus will restore order and establish his authority in the earth.

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　　3. It will be a day of rejoicing. As I said earlier, this day will present a dichotomy. This day will be fearful for some and for others, a day of rejoicing. This will be a triumphant day for those who have longed for the savior’s appearing and for Jesus to return and establish his kingdom in the earth. We will celebrate our king’s glory and victory, making this a glorious day.

　　

Is the Day of the Lord the Same as Jesus’ Second Coming?

The Day of the Lord is associated with Jesus’ second coming, which you can read more about here. There are different interpretations of how the events surrounding this day will occur. Some believe Christ will return, establish his kingdom, and judge the men on the earth all at once. Others see this playing out over a period where Christ returns and establishes his kingdom on the earth, but the actual day of the Lord happens much later when final judgment is pronounced and there is a new heaven and new earth. The key is both views are centered around one event, the second coming of Jesus Christ. Whether the day of the Lord happens in a moment or over a period, the return of Jesus is the catalyst setting everything in motion.

　　

Do We Know When the Day of the Lord Will Happen?

In the end times calendar, there are two key events people refer to: the rapture of the church and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Many Christians debate where these events land on the prophetic calendar. The vital thing is not figuring out when these events will happen but knowing they will. The Bible is clear no one knows when this day will happen (Mk. 13:32). We can be sure that Jesus will return and there will be a day of the Lord. We just don’t know when. Yes, there are signs we can point to about the second coming of Jesus, but these signs don’t tell us exact dates. They remind us to make sure we are ready for whenever this day happens.

　　

How to Prepare for the Day of the Lord

If you know something is going to happen, how do you prepare for it? When a storm is coming, people ensure they have all the necessities and are ready when the storm arrives. We know the Day of the Lord is coming, and our preparation should be no different. Consider what the writer of Hebrews tells us.

　　“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

　　Let me leave you with three things to do as you prepare of the Day of the Lord.

　　Hold onto the hope. We have a living hope both for now and the life to come. Jesus may come in our lifetime. Whether he comes now, later, or much later, hold onto the hope of this promise because the one who made it is faithful and will keep it.

　　Motivate. Let’s keep motivating each other to love and do good works. We must live right. Our responsibility until Jesus comes is to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Think of all the open doors this could create for us to share the gospel and help others escape this day of reckoning.

　　Encourage. We need to recognize it is not easy to hold onto hope or continue in love and good works. For this reason, we need to keep encouraging each other. Since we know this day is coming, let’s not lose sight of the mission or dismiss the reality that Jesus will return. Hopefully, this will keep our hearts and minds eternally focused, and we won’t lose heart as we see the day drawing near.