The Day of the Lord: Part 2

In our last post, we began our study of the Day of the Lord using the darkening of the sun and moon as a 'time marker' to help guide us to WHEN this day will be in relation to the Tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon, etc.

We saw that the Lord Jesus, Joel, and John refer to this celestial sign (the sun and moon being darkened) in relationship to other end-time events.

This sign is AFTER the gathering of armies to Armageddon (Joel 3:14-15), AFTER the revelation of the man of sin (Matt. 24:15, 29), AFTER the Tribulation (Matt. 24:29), AFTER the opening of the sixth seal, but BEFORE the day of the LORD!

The Scriptures are quite clear - the day of the Lord is AFTER the Tribulation.

And, therefore, it does not include the Tribulation (as is commonly taught by those who believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture).

Another Reason

Here's another reason why the day of the Lord does NOT include the Tribulation. Isaiah 2:11, 17 make this exclusive statement,

"and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.”

Since the Antichrist will be worshiped as God during the last half of the Tribulation, the day of the Lord and the Tribulation cannot overlap.

Another Reason

Three times the phrase “the day of the LORD cometh” is used in the Old Testament (Isa. 13:9, Joel 2:1, Zech. 14:1). In each case, the text begins immediately to describe the battle of Armageddon.

In all three cases, the arrival (“cometh”) of the day of the Lord brings the battle of Armageddon.

Twice in the New Testament, it is said that the day of the Lord “cometh” as a thief in the night (I Thess. 5:2 and II Peter 3:10). Both times, the immediate destruction of the wicked occurs.

If the day of the Lord brings the battle of Armageddon/the destruction of the wicked, and this destruction comes AFTER the Tribulation, then the day of the Lord also comes AFTER the Tribulation.

Another Reason

This one is grammatical.

As already mentioned, Joel 3:9-17 describes the gathering of the armies of the world around Jerusalem in preparation for the battle of Armageddon.

After the armies are gathered, but before the cosmic signs, Joel wrote that the coming of the day of the Lord is “near” (Joel 3:14).

The Hebrew word for “near” means at hand, or next (in sequence).

Another Reason

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:” (Mal. 4:5)

Elijah is one of the two witnesses of Rev. 11. He and Moses prophecy for a period of 3 1/2 years (Rev. 3:11, they prophesy for 1,260 days ÷ 360 days per prophetic year = 3 1/2 years).

The day of the LORD cannot begin until after the two witnesses arrive on the scene.

Not to mention, since their 3 1/2 years run roughly parallel to the 3 1/2 years of the Antichrist's reign, then the day of the Lord cannot begin until after the Antichrist's reign begins.

The point is this:

The Rapture is part of the day of the Lord (II Thess. 2, Matt. 24). If the day of the Lord is after the Tribulation, then...

the Rapture is also after the Tribulation.

(to be cont.)

The Day of the LORD: Part 1

One of the MOST talked about subjects of the entire Bible, and one of the LEAST talked about subjects from today's pulpits, is the Day of the Lord.

Why is that? I really believe that the heresy of the pre-Tribulation Rapture, while 'easy' to grasp by the new Christian, so muddies up the truth that it hinders a deeper understanding of the Bible.

Let's take a look at what the Bible says.


When Does the Day of the Lord Begin?

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.” (Joel 2:31)

That’s pretty simple. This great two-part celestial sign comes BEFORE the day of the Lord.

Now, let's take a look at another verse that tells us more about this celestial sign.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,…And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,…” (Matt. 24:29)

Putting these two verses together, we logically arrive at:

The celestial sign that comes BEFORE the day of the Lord comes AFTER the Tribulation. Therefore, the day of the Lord is AFTER the Tribulation.

Let me say it again. If the celestial sign is after the Tribulation, AND the day of the Lord is after the celestial sign, THEN the day of the Lord is AFTER the Tribulation.

The day of the Lord does NOT include the Tribulation. It is NOT part of the Tribulation. The Tribulation is NOT part of it.

It comes AFTER the Tribulation.

The Sixth Seal

Let's narrow this down even more! In the Revelation, the sun is darkened after the sixth seal is opened.

“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;” (Rev. 6:12)

Note a few verses later in Rev. 6:16-7,

“And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

The great day of the wrath of the Lamb is AFTER the Tribulation of those days, and AFTER the celestial sign which comes AFTER the sixth seal. This is the day of the Lord.

It is a single DAY.

The Day of the Lord is AFTER the Tribulation

This may seem redundant, but since the day of the Lord is after the Tribulation, then it is also after the Antichrist is revealed. (See Matt. 24: 15 and II Thess. 2:3)

And it comes after the great falling away. (II Thess. 2:3)

Armageddon

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.” (Joel 3:14-5)

The valley of decision is also known as the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2, 12) and the valley of Megiddon (Zech. 12:11).

This is a reference to the “battle of that great day of God Almighty…And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” (Rev. 16:14, 16)

When the nations are gathered to Armageddon, THEN the day of the Lord will be near. Not yet, but near!

Notice that when the nations are gathered to Armageddon, the darkening of the sun and moon is still future! They "shall" be darkened. Why? Because the day of the Lord is not yet, but soon, and it won't come until after the celestial sign.

The Sixth Vial

The battle of Armageddon mentioned in Revelation 16 occurs AFTER “the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates.” (Rev. 16:12)

Therefore the day of the Lord is not 'near' until AFTER the sixth angel pours out his vial and dries up the river Euphrates.

Summary Thus Far

The day of the Lord is AFTER:

1. The Antichrist has been revealed
   
2. The apostasy of II Thess. 2
   
3. The Tribulation of those days
   
4. The sixth seal is opened
   
5. The sun and moon darkened
   
6. The sixth vial is poured out
7. The river Euphrates has dried up
   
8. The nations have been gathered to Armageddon

Again, I have to ask, is this what YOU've been taught? This is the simple, plain understanding of the Scriptures when placed beside each other.

The Rapture is AT the Revelation.

Which is at the Day of the Lord.

(To be continued.)