The twofold nature of the day of the Lord is that it is both great in power for the redeemed and terrible in judgment for those who persist in rebellion. These are two dimensions of God’s leadership in the day of the Lord as He manifests His greatness of blessing and the terribleness of judgment.
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Three “Days of the Lord” in the Book of Joel. We see three “days of the Lord” in the book of Joel. First, in Joel 1, we see the agricultural crisis (Joel 1:15). Second, in Joel 2, we see the Babylonian military invasion of Israel (Joel 2:1, 11).
(Joel 3:14) 1. The primary theme of the book of Joel is the “day of the Lord,” which is mentioned four times (Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14). 2. The Day of the Lord is a significant timing indicator in understanding the structure of the book of Revelationand the timeline of end-time activity.
The dual nature of the Day of the Lord is further illumined by its purposes. The writing prophets describe the Day of the Lord as coming so that people might turn from idols (Isa 2:18, 20) and turn to Yahweh (Joel 2:12-14).
The Day of the Lord constitutes a repeated event that will find ultimate eschatological fulfillment in the future. However, the diversity found in chronology is held together by the common characteristics that each Day of the Lord possesses.
Answer. The phrase “day of the Lord” usually identifies events that take place at the end of history ( Isaiah 7:18-25) and is often closely associated with the phrase “that day.”. One key to understanding these phrases is to note that they always identify a span of time during which God personally intervenes in history, directly or indirectly, ...
The final outcome of the day of the Lord will be that “the arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day” ( Isaiah 2:17 ). The ultimate or final fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the day of the Lord will come at the end of history when God, with wondrous power, ...
Some scholars believe that the day of the Lord will be a longer period of time than a single day—a period of time when Christ will reign throughout the world before He cleanses heaven and earth in preparation for the eternal state of all mankind.
Definition. The phrase “the day of the LORD [Yahweh]” refers both to the ultimate time when Yahweh will punish and restore the whole world through Christ’s first and second comings and to the periodic pen-ultimate days that clarify and anticipate it. Unrepentant sinners should fear the day of the Lord, but those forgiven ...
The Old Testament portrays the day of the Lord as punishment through overlapping images of cataclysm, war, and sacrifice; it highlights the day as renewal by emphasizing how God’s presence will rest on his people in the midst of a messianic Davidic reign. The New Testament then identifies Christ Jesus as the one who fulfills the ultimate day of the Lord, inaugurating it in his death and resurrection and consummating it at his second coming. For the elect, Jesus’s death signals the satisfaction of God’s wrath against sin, and his resurrection marks the start of the new creation. For non-believers, however, the day of the Lord’s wrath is still future, and it will come with cataclysm, war, and sacrifice, as the warrior God will enter into space and time to punish his enemy and to reconstitute right order, wherein he is exalted over all.
The phrase “the day of Yahweh” and its abbreviated parallels (e.g., “the/that day”) refer both to the ultimate time when Yahweh will punish and restore/re-create the whole world and to the periodic pen-ultimate days that clarify and anticipate it. In this context, therefore, “day” refers more to an event in time rather than an extent of time.
3:8) and of his appearance before Israel at Mount Sinai to establish the old covenant ( Exod. 19:16 ), the biblical authors often associate Yahweh’s day of wrath with darkness, wind, earthquake, and clouds.
The destructive elements of Yahweh’s day are directly due to his just wrath against covenant rebellion. “The LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up––and it shall be brought low” ( Isa. 2:12; cf. 13:9; Mal. 4:1 [3:19]). There will be no help for the rebel in that day ( Isa. 10:3–4; 24:5–6; 33:14; Joel 2:11 ).
Conquest. The darkness of the day of the Lord may at times refer not to storm but to the sensory experience of dying as a victim of divine war. On Yahweh’s day, the lights of life indeed go out for the enemies of God.
All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over you, and put darkness on your land, declares the LORD God” ( Ezek. 32:7–8; cf. Joel 2:2, 10, 31; 3:15; Amos 8:9; Zeph. 1:15 ). When God enters our space and time, the natural forces react; storms awaken and ground quakes. Such depictions of Yahweh’s day should cause hearts to tremble.
The Nature of the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is clearly characterized by a pouring out of divine wrath on God’s enemies ( Joel 2:1-2; Amos 5:18-20; Zech 1:14-15 ). Imagery of natural disaster, devastating military conquest, and supernatural calamity is connected to Day of the Lord references. 2.
In sum, an accurate presentation of the Day of the Lord requires us to recognize that the day has two sides to its nature. Sometimes one side is prominent, sometimes the other. This should not come as a surprise to those who know the nature of the God who is behind the nature of the day.
Edward Glenny has identified three helpful guidelines for grounding typological interpretation in a careful handling of scripture: First, the type must be grounded in scripture and possess a solid historical foundation. Second, there must be a discernable pattern between the texts under consideration.
Obadiah expands the individual references to peoples and announces that the Day of the Lord will bring corporate judgment to all of the nations (15). Isaiah broadens the scope of judgment even further, describing calamity that will fall upon the entire earth on the consummate Day of the Lord (13:10-13). This increasing scope suggests that judgment ...
By virtue of its diversity the Day of the Lord is not properly viewed as a one-time event, and technical force should be assigned to the phrase with caution. 5 Nevertheless, even when one recognizes multiple referents for the phrase, distinguishing a given referent’s precise timing remains difficult.
Determining the fulfillment of past references to the Day of the Lord is a relatively easy task. Future references to the Day of the Lord are not difficult to locate. However, determining whether those referents point toward an imminent or eschatological event from the vantagepoint of the writer is another matter.
First, without question, the day of the Lord is a day of God's vindication. In the battle between evil and God, it is God who is victorious and vindicated .
The preview of the day of the Lord, as in the destruction of Babylon or at the time of the Christ-event, including the day of Pentecost, already shows evidence of God's extraordinary work and power, so that the day of the Lord at the end of history is quite beyond human description.
Isaiah describes a massive leveling; whatever is lofty will be brought low ( 2:12-17 ). A frequent metaphor is war. Isaiah invokes the war model to characterize the day of the Lord — "The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war" ( 13:4 ). With war comes fear and cruelty.
The catastrophe of the fall of Jerusalem in 587 b.c. was described as a "day of the Lord" ( Lam 2:21 ). Isaiah says that the day of the Lord will involve the fall of Babylon. God's agency will be recognized, for he will "make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place" ( Isa 13:13 ).
The day of the Lord also affects the natural order. The plague of locusts in Joel whether a pointer to the day of the Lord or itself a "day of the Lord" brings unproductive conditions for trees and vines and jeopardizes the survival of animals ( Joel 1:12 Joel 1:18 ).
Expression, often in the context of future events, which refers to the time when God will intervene decisively for judgment and/or salvation. Variously formulated as the "day of the Lord" ( Amos 5:18 ), the "day of our Lord Jesus Christ" ( 1 Col 1:8 ; cf. 2 Col 1:14 ), the "day of God" ( 2 Peter 3:12 ; Rev 16:14 ), or "the last day (s), " the expression highlights the unmistakable appearance of God. God will make visible his rule of righteousness by calling for an accounting by the nations as well as individuals, dispensing punishment for some and ushering in salvation for others.
Bible Dictionaries /. Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology /. Day of the Lord, God, Christ, the. Day of Judgment. Deacon, Deaconess. Day of the Lord, God, Christ, the. Expression, often in the context of future events, which refers to the time when God will intervene decisively for judgment and/or salvation.
The phrase, “The Day of the Lord” refers to a special day or a period of time when God’s purposes for the world will be fulfilled. Some scholars even believe the day of the Lord will be longer than a period of time — a period when the Lord will reign throughout the world before He cleanses heaven and earth in preparation for the eternal state ...
The outcome of The Day of the Lord will be what Isaiah 2:17 describes. The Day of the Lord will be the fulfillment of all concerning prophecies, which describe the end of history, when the Lord, with wondrous power, will punish evil and fulfill all His promises.
Elijah would be the messenger to prepare the way of the Lord ( Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3-5 ). Following Elijah’s ministry immediately, the Lord would come to His Temple, to a repentant people, and would refine them in glory so they would serve Him all of their days ( Malachi 3:1-4 ).
Scripture is clear that The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night ( Zephaniah 1:14-15; 2 Thessalonians 2:2 ). Christians should be watchful and ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus at all times.
The Old Testament handles The Day of the Lord with a sense of imminence, nearness, and expectation. Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come! ( Isaiah 13:6 ). For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations ( Ezekiel 30:3 ).
The Prophets often spoke of the day of the visitation of the Lord, which they saw as a day of great comfort and rejoicing, and other times as a day of great distress and judgment. At the birth of the Lord Jesus, fully God and fully man, He came to earth on a death sentence.
We should not be surprised then that the Israelites, lacking faith, looked around and asked what they did in Malachi 3:13-14. Malachi, a man of faith, saw the real problem was not that God was unfaithful to His promises, but that Israel was unfaithful to the covenant of the Lord.
He had already mention that the day of the Lord would come as devastation from the Lord ( Joel 1:15 ). It would have shocked the Israelites to this that there was oncoming threat facing them yet it comes from God Himself. Not from powerful enemies. Not from other nations. From the Creator of heaven and earth.
There are 2 ways to understand the army that is described on this day of the Lord. Firstly, you can imagine actual armies invading a land. The second way is in light of what it may have been like to witness thousands of swarms of locusts invading their fields.
In the first chapter of the book of Joel, the prophet called the Israelites to awake and lament about their present circumstance. In the last post, I shared that Joel was hinting at a deeper loss. The people had been unfaithful to God and this needed utmost attention. In Joel 2:1-11, the prophet turns the attention of his audience to ...
He calls people to awake to the true state of their spiritual slumber ( Joel 1) thereby offering clarity. He gives a chilling yet brutally honest warning of what lies ahead if they persist in sin ( Joel 2:1-11 ) thereby giving them a chance to do something.
The day of the Lord is already at hand, yet they don’t know when exactly it will be. In their recent collective memory, they had watched as innumerable swarms of locusts invaded their land, covering their skies and destroying all plant life. Back then they had been rendered powerless.
At first glance, Joel appears to be a prophet of doom and His God an author of destruction. Yet at closer examination we see more.
The twofold nature of the day of the Lord is that it is both great in power for the redeemed and terrible in judgment for those who persist in rebellion. These are two dimensions of God’s leadership in the day of the Lord as He manifests His greatness of blessing and the terribleness of judgment.
(Joel 2:31) For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. (Joel 3:14) 1. The primary theme of the book of Joel is the “day of the Lord, ” which is mentioned four times (Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14). 2.
He goes on to tell them the calamity will get worse (Joel 2:1-9) because the Lord wants His people to turn to Him. The crisis would surely continue and even increase until God’s desired effect took place. The second day of the Lord that Joel prophesied was the Babylonian invasion of Israel (Joel 2:1-9).
The broad Day of the Lord continues for approximately 1,000 years, beginning with the Great Tribulation and continues until the end of the millennial kingdom. The analogy of a natural day is helpful as it begins in the night, followed by the midnight hours of darkness before the morning light finally dawns.
The Two-Dimensional Day of the Lord – Narrow and Broad. The end-of-the-age Day of the Lord is both a one-time event when Jesus enters Jerusalem to be crowned King, and a series of events starting with the Great Tribulation and extending for the 1,000 years of the millennial kingdom.
After describing the great national crisis—the absence of wine and oil, the ruined grain, the withered land, the despondency of the people—Joel proclaims a horrifying thing; He tells the people that God was the author of the desolations (Joel 1:15).
These 3 “days” are all associated with a catastrophe that affected Israel. The first “day of the Lord” involved an agricultural crisis caused by a locust plague (Joel 1:4-12), accompanied by a drought (Joel 1:16-20) and raging fires (Joel 1:19–20). The second was a military crisis.