Day of the Lord

"For the Day of the Lord will come like a thief" 2 Pe. 3:10

From the Old Testament prophets to the New Testament apostles, the prophecy of “the Day of the Lord” is consistently referred to as “a day of darkness and gloom” (Joel 2, Zeph.1,Amos 5, etc.). This is because “the Day of the Lord” is a specific reference to the time of judgment at the end of this age. Daniel described that day as “a time of Tribulation”.  Jesus called it a day of “great Tribulation”, further defining it as a time when the wrath of God will be poured out on an unbelieving world. That day represents the final day of judgment when the righteous have been by the Rapture delivered from this coming punishment.

            However, the prophecy of “the Day of the Lord” is much like Jesus’ parables, for both the parables and this prophecy of “the Day of the Lord” can be described as being “Polysemous”. Polysemous means ‘having multiple meanings’. Although Jesus at times provided His disciples with interpretations of His parables, it is also true that within those parables are other lessons that are equally biblical, thus making them “Polysemous”. This is because His words are “living and active”.  Jesus also described His words as “spirit”, revealing a nature that is not bound by any single natural understanding. This is also true with the prophecy about “the Day of the Lord”. Its principal intent is to refer to that last day of judgement that will come upon the entire world. However, there is also an understanding regarding “the Day of the Lord” that applies to each soul individually. 

            One of the great truths of the New Covenant is that the Lord deals with each soul individually. In the Old Testament God often dealt with Israel as a nation. They were called into being as a nation, they were delivered from captivity as a nation, they were held accountable for their rebellion as a nation, and they were given the promise of Messiah as a nation.  Under the New Covenant, where salvation is experienced by entering into a personal relationship with Jesus, the scriptures shift their emphasis to the personal accountability of each individual believer. In the parable of the talents, the master returns and confronts each servant individually to get an account of their stewardship (Mt. 25). Jesus said “my sheep know my voice”, again recognizing the personal interaction expected of His children (Jn. 10). He said to those who would invite Him in, that “He would come in and eat with that person…” (Rev.3). To those who are merely religious, meaning they are without that personal relationship with Him, Jesus says “depart from me I never knew you” (Mt.7). This means each soul makes a personal decision to believe in Jesus, to live a life that daily serves Him, and will one Day give a personal accounting of all they have done in this life regarding their faith in Him.  

Every soul will have their own “Day of the Lord”. Scripture says that each soul has “a day appointed to die, and then the judgment” (He. 9:27).  For each and every soul, that day will come when they stand face to face with God. For some it will come “sooner rather than later”.  The Bible records the life of numerous people who came face to face with their “Day of the Lord” much “sooner” than they had anticipated. Nadab and Abihu, Korah,Dathan, Ananias and Saphira, and Herod, all experienced sudden death as the Lord took their lives while simultaneously judging them for their sins.  The day that each of them died was their own “Day of the Lord”. On that day they were held accountable.     

Although all mankind will individually face their own final “Day of the Lord”, a day of judgment after they die, the believer in Jesus Christ will experience a different kind of “Day of the Lord” than the wicked. For the believer, that day is a day that is longed for and anticipated. It is a day of joy and celebration when they will receive the reward for their life of faith. There is no fear in the heart of the faithful believer regarding that day, be it near or far away. This is what is meant by the scripture “oh death, where is your sting, Oh grave, where is your victory” (1 Co.15). There is only a confident assurance that it will be a day of joy and celebration and not sorrow and mourning as the wicked must anticipate.

            All of us have a day appointed in which we will be held accountable for “what we have done in this life, good or bad” (2 Co.5).  That day is a soul’s own personal day of accounting. It is a day to be longed for and anticipated by the sincere believer, but a day to fear and dread for those who have not given their lives to the purpose of God’s kingdom. To that wayward soul, the Lord, through His Word and through His Spirit today trumpets the message of “return to me” while there is still time!  For as Ezekiel has declared “the Lord takes no pleasure in the death (or punishment) of the wicked, but that they would turn from their ways so that they might live”.  

      How much time have you given to preparing for your own “Day of the Lord”?