The Day of the Lord

The terrible event that God will bring to the earth to prepare the hearts of the citizens of the Davidic Kingdom, is that the Tribulation Period?

Yeah, it's called the Day of the Lord.

Haggai 2.22 says, I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.

And that's a promise the Lord made that this failed, flawed human government, it will come to an end one day.

Therefore, encourage each other with these words.

Now concerning the times and seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you for you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

While people are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman.

They will not escape.

But the second great anxiety is how do I know I'm going to be ready when the King comes back? If there's a day of judgment, if I'm the one left alive right now, how do I know I'm ready? What do I do about that? Remember, if you think of it, chapter 4 is kind of dealing with those who are asleep.

This is now dealing with those who are awake.

Okay? Okay? Now the title of this section is called The Day of the Lord.

Now the day of the Lord has its kind of belongings, its birthplace in the Old Testament.

Then he said, Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Now in chapter 5, Paul turns from the comfort of Christ's coming for believers to the seriousness of the day of the Lord.

And he writes, But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

Apparently, Paul had already taught them about these things.

Our responsibility is not to set dates.

Our responsibility is to be ready.

And Paul continues, For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

A thief does not normally send a notice saying, I'll be at your house tonight at 2 a.m.

But regardless of the date of the locust invasion with Joel, the importance of this book remains and translates to us today.

More than any other prophet, Joel emphasized the day of the Lord.

Although you and I do not live in a mostly agrarian society, and we don't get as concerned with pestilence problems, we should still be very concerned about the Lord's judgment.

In the book of Joel, God continues to reveal that the day of the Lord isn't just judgment.

It's also a day where God pours out blessing and his spirit.

As with most prophecies, there was a near fulfillment and a distant fulfillment.

This would have been from 597 to 587 BC, right before the Babylonians captured Judah.

Now, those who ascribe to this theory understand portions of Joel to fit best with the time that the Babylonians deported 10,000 Jews.

I will stretch out my hand upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, I will cut off the remnants of Baal from this place, the names of the idolatrous priests along with the Kohanim, those bowing down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those bowing down, swearing to the Lord and also swearing by Molech, those turning from following the Lord, not seeking the Lord or consulting Him.

Be silent before the Lord God, for the day of the Lord is at hand.

The Lord has prepared a sacrifice.

He has consecrated his guests.

On the day of the Lord's sacrifice, I will punish the princes, the king's sons, and all who dress in foreign attire.

In that day, I will punish all who skip over the threshold while filling their master's house with violence and deceit.

In that day, declares the Lord, there will be the sound of screaming from the fish gate, wailing from the second district, and a loud crash from the heights.

Howl, inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are destroyed.