There are scores of prophetic passages that provide descriptions of a time of divine judgment when God will purge the earth of all evil and rid the world of sin. Nearly every prophetic book touches upon this event to some degree. Below are just a sampling from among many that explain this period called 'The Day of The Lord.'

As we have discussed previously, there is an ongoing spiritual battle going on around us. It is a battle of darkness against the light. The population of the earth is under the influence of spiritual darkness. The children of God have been set free being called out of darkness into the light of God's Son, the Messiah, Jesus. Those who are 'Redeemed' have access to the power of the Grace of God acting on their behalf by which they may know the truth and walk in newness of life.

Our spiritual battle is one that occurs in the invisible realm. Among the human ranks there are powerful and influential people who are consciously or unconsciously serving Satan. There aims in life focus on the pursuit of pleasure, treasure and power. It has been this way since Adam's fall and Nimrod's tower. We don't have to look very far to find evil. Shockingly, there are many in this world who are willing to sell their souls to Satan for fame and power.

God is not ignoring the rebellious and evil doers who flaunt their lawlessness. Human decadence expresses itself in degradation, violence, murders and the like. God has ordained a time that he will deal with all the proud and depraved. This time of judgment has been described by the prophets of God for thousands of years. This period is called by various names; 'That day' the 'Day of Wrath,' 'The Day of Judgment,' the great and The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

Selected O. T. Descriptions of The Day of the Lord
There are dozens of passages that use the term or a similar description

Isaiah 2:11-The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 13:6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: 8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. 9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

JOEL 3: 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

New Testament References To The Day of The Lord

1THESSALONIANS 5:2 '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, and they will not escape.  1Th 5:4  But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.' 

2 Peter 3:7: 'The world that now is awaits destruction by fire.'
Despite all the clamor about climate change and its political ramifications, despite the good intentions of the Sierra Club, it appears that man can not alter God's destined course of nature, nor the things foreseen through the eyes of prophecy. Forget the endangered species list, the sad fact is that most all species will face extinction including the human race.

When will the day of the Lord Occur?
For those of us who believe in a future kingdom following the return of Jesus to earth. Most hold that judgment will culminate the 'Great Tribulation.' Jesus will return with hosts of his angels. The saints will follow. The powers of the Antichrist and his followers will be destroyed. His appearing will be as the lightning. 'For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the son of man be.' (Matt. 24:27)

Will Jesus literally wield a sword and destroy multiple thousands?
Yes. The familiar, gentle Jesus holding a lamb will become the Lord of Sabaoth, the general of the armies of heaven. He will be wearing a garment dripping with blood. (Isaiah 63:2,3) The world's population will have made their choice to choose darkness and the lie. (Revelation 19:13-15) The sword that he wields is the word from his mouth. 'The wrath of the Lamb'
Rev_6:16  and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

The Second Coming

The Second Coming is Not the Same as the 'Appearing' of Christ.

Jesus' appearing (apocolupsis) is the event known as the 'Rapture.' It is an event that comes without warning as a 'thief in the night.'(1 Thess. 5:2) The 'second coming' will follow a time that is thoroughly delineated by time and events within the 7 year tribulation chronology. In the second coming Jesus sets his feet upon the Mount of Olives and the region splits in two. (Zechariah 14:4) Jesus intervenes to fight for Israel. At His coming he will judge and destroy the evil and establish the kingdom. In the second coming the host of blood-bought believers come with Jesus on horses clothed in white.

This information from Gotquestions.org gives insight into the difference between the rapture and second coming events.

Why is it important to keep the rapture and the second coming distinct?

1) If the rapture and the second coming are the same event, believers will have to go through the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10).

2) If the rapture and the second coming are the same event, the return of Christ is not imminent'”there are many things which must occur before He can return
(Matthew 24:4-30).

3) In describing the tribulation period, Revelation chapters 6'“19 nowhere mentions the church. During the tribulation'”also called 'the time of trouble for Jacob'
(Jeremiah 30:7)'”God will again turn His primary attention to Israel (Romans 11:17-31).

The rapture and second coming are similar but separate events. Both involve Jesus returning. Both are end-times events. However, it is crucially important to recognize the differences. In summary, the rapture is the return of Christ in the clouds to remove all believers from the earth before the time of God's wrath. The second coming is the return of Christ to the earth to bring the tribulation to an end and to defeat the Antichrist and his evil world empire.

Surviving The Final Days of The Tribulation.

The tribulation is broken into two 3 ½ year parts. The last 3 ½ is the period of 'great tribulation.' The rule of Antichrist over the world will characterize the first 3 ½ years. The Antichrist will present himself with supernatural wisdom and charisma. He will be seen as the savior of a planet in chaos that results from a world-wide crisis of destruction. This destruction may be man-made or a natural calamity or a combination of both.

Believers will have escaped (removed by God) just before this calamity. (See the typology of the angels removing Lot from Sodom in Genesis 19:20) Those left behind will witness amazing 'lying signs and wonders.' 'If it were possible even the elect would be deceived.' (Matt. 24:24) It will be explained why the 'Christians' were removed. There will be a disclosure of beings who will present themselves as space brothers from another world. They will claim they were the seed source of human race that the earth is now ready to go forward in its glorious evolution to universal wisdom and harmony. Most people who are left behind who have not previously heard of God's plan will likely be deceived and believe a lie. They will be promised a Utopian paradise and pay the price by losing their souls.

There will be a new universal religion. Some of its manifestation is already beginning to manifest. There will be a one-world economic system, A universal I D (implant) will be required for all to buy and sell and to have necessities to survive.

The mid point of the 7 year will see the abomination of desolation (Matt. 24:15) in the rebuilt temple In Jerusalem. The Antichrist will declare that he is God and must be worshiped. The final 3 ½ years describe God's wrath upon the Antichrist and his followers, those who have taken the mark. The day of the Lord concludes with the earth and its population nearly destroyed by a growing onslaught of natural cataclysms followed by the second coming of the Messiah in power and in great glory.

Index to all Charles Pinkney Christian Titles

Resources: Understanding Home Fellowships

Frank Viola Interviews a typical church-goer
(Discussion of Open Church)

Revised title - 12-20-2024