The Day of the Lord Pt. 2

Joel 1:15-20. It is a day of destruction from the Almighty (vs. 15); there is famine (vs. 17-18); fire has devoured all the pastures and trees (vs. 19); the rivers are dried up (vs. 20).

Joel 2: 1-11, 28-32. A trumpet is blown (vs.1); men tremble (vs.1); a day of darkness and gloominess (vs. 2); a day of clouds and thick darkness (vs.2); a huge group of powerful people, the like of which the world has never seen, arises (vs. 2); fire goes before them and follows after them. The land before they pass through is beautiful, but after they pass through is completely devastated and nobody will escape their destruction (vs. 3); the appearance of this “people” is similar to horses, but they run as if they were driven by charioteers (vs. 4); [this particular description shows up again in Revelation as we will see]; they create a great noise as many chariots or a roaring fire and leap as if from mountain tops (vs.5); they are in battle array (vs. 5); they will cause much pain to people (vs. 6); they will run like mighty men overcoming obstacles not breaking ranks as they do (vs. 7); they will not get in each other’s way, but will keep to their own path and are unable to be hurt. (vs. 8); they will have free run of the cities, will climb walls, will climb up on top of houses, and will enter them through the windows like a thief (vs.9); the earth will quake before these “people” (vs. 10); the heavens tremble (vs. 10); the sun is darkened (vs. 10, 31); the moon is darkened (vs. 10); the stars are darkened (vs. 10); the Lord thunders before the army He has sent (vs. 11); it is a dreadful day (vs. 11, 31); God’s spirit is poured out (vs. 28, 29); a day of prophecies, dreams, and visions (vs. 28); there will be wonders in the heavens and on the earth (vs. 30); there will be blood, fire, and pillars of smoke (vs. 30); the sun will be darkened (vs. 31); the moon will be turned to blood (vs. 31); these heavenly signs precede (or herald the arrival of) the Day of the Lord. (vs. 31); in Mount Zion in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance for the remnant that the Lord calls (to go there).

Joel 3:1-16. The nations will be brought down into the valley of Jehoshaphat where God will render judgment on them for what they have done to Israel. (vs. 1-12); God will reap the harvest and throw it in the press for pressing because their wickedness is great. (vs. 13) [We will run across this picture again in Revelation] Multitudes are in the “valley of decision” where God will judge the nations (vs. 14). The sun is darkened (vs. 15); the moon is darkened (vs. 15); the stars are darkened (vs. 15); the Lord will roar his voice (vs. 16); the heavens and earth shake (vs. 16);

Amos 5:18,20: It is a day of darkness and not light.

Amos 8:9-13. The sun will go down at noon, (this could indicate that it doesn’t merely go dark, but that the earth’s orbit has been altered) the earth will be darkened. (vs. 9), feasts will turn to mourning, songs into lamentations, people will wear sackcloth (a sign of mourning) and heads will become bald. (vs. 10), there will be a famine of God’s word. People will seek it but it won’t be found. They will faint for not being able to hear the truth. (vs. 11-13) (God’s word is outlawed in many countries, and in the end, may be outlawed in the entire world)

Obadiah 15 - 17. As the heathen have done to God’s people, it will be done to them. (vs. 15-16). Upon Mount Zion will be deliverance for God’s people. (vs. 17).

Zephaniah 1:1-18. God will consume all things from off the land - man and beast, birds, fish, and man. (vs. 1-6); There is silence before the Day of the Lord. (vs. 7); it is the day of the Lord’s sacrifice and He has bid guests come (the wedding feast in Revelation) (vs. 7); in that day of sacrifice, God will punish the people (vs. 8-11); God will search Jerusalem and punish those who live there who don’t believe (vs. 12-13); it is a day of wrath, trouble and distress (vs. 15); a day of darkness and gloominess, clouds and thick darkness (vs. 15); a day of trumpet and battle cry (vs. 16); a day of distress for men who will be as if blind, because of their sins, their blood will be poured out and flesh will become like dung (vs. 17); silver and gold can’t deliver people from God’s wrath (vs. 18); the whole land is consumed (vs. 18); a sudden end to all (or most) of the people on earth (vs. 18)

Zephaniah 2: 1-15. The Lord’s anger will come upon nations (vs. 2); those who seek the Lord‘s righteousness may be hidden in the day of the Lord‘s wrath (vs. 3); the Lord will destroy the sea coasts and shall give it to the remnant of the house of Judah. (vs. 4-7); Moab and Ammon will be as Sodom and Gomorrah, a perpetual desolation and the spoils shall be given to the remnant of God’s people and they will possess the people because of their pride and thinking they were better than God’s people (vs. 9-10); the Lord will create a famine for the gods of the heathen as all people will worship Him (vs. 11); He will slay the Ethiopians and will destroy Assyria. (vs. 12-13); animals will take over and dwell there (vs. 14); these previous verses refer to these nations, but there is a further reference that has a more spiritual application. The city that dwells carelessly thinking she is above everybody else and there is no other like her will become a desolation, a place for beasts to roam and live in. Everyone that passes by her will hiss at her and shake their head at her destruction. (vs. 15). Note the similarity between the descriptions regarding Babylon, Edom, Moab, Ammon, and Syria. It will be seen as we go through these prophecies that there are certain prophecies regarding a city, country, or sometimes it refers to a woman or whore, which are repeated over and over. In the short term prophecies it applies to the different countries mentioned, but as in so many prophecies there is a long term application, we will see that in the long term it applies to one place in particular, the Babylon of Revelation, which we shall learn about in time. While there are more verses describing her, we are presently just studying the verses that directly mention the Day of the Lord, so will leave the passages about Babylon for a later study.

Zech. 12:2-3. God will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the people around .(vs. 2) It will be a burdensome stone for all the people. Everyone that seeks to have it will be cut in pieces. All the people of the earth will be gathered against it. (vs. 3)

Zech. 12:8-10. The Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Those that are feeble will be as David, and the house of David like God with the angel of the Lord before them. (vs. 8). The Lord will destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (vs. 9). God will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication. They will look upon Christ whom they pierced and will mourn as they recognize who he is. They will be bitter about their error. (vs. 10).

Zech. 13:1-3 . There will be a fountain to cleanse the sins of the Jews in Jerusalem. (vs. 1). The Lord will cut off the idols and get rid of the prophets and unclean spirits in the land (vs. 2). False prophets will be killed by their own parents. (vs. 3)

Zech. 13:8-9. Two thirds of the inhabitants in the land(of Israel) will die. (vs. 8). One third of the people will be brought through the tribulation and Day of the Lord to be refined. Then they will call on the Lord, accept Christ and will be God’s people again. (vs. 9)

Zech. 14:1-9. God will gather all nations against Jerusalem for battle (vs.2) the city will be taken, the houses ransacked, the women raped, and half of the city become prisoners of war. The rest will remain. (vs.2) The Lord will fight the nations (vs.3) The Lord will stand on the Mount of Olives and it will split in two from east to west creating a great valley or divide between the northern and southern part of the mountain.(vs.4) And the remnant will flee through this valley while the Lord comes with the saints (this will be at Armeggedon at the very end as we will see in Revelation) (vs.5) It will be a day unlike any other for it won’t be either day or night, but at evening it will be light. (vs. 6-7). (We will see how this strange day might appear later) In that day, living waters will flow out from Jerusalem. Half toward the sea and half toward the hinder sea (presumably the Mediterranean and Dead Seas). It will flow all year. (vs.8) The Lord will be king and Lord over all the earth. (vs.9).

Zech. 14:12. The plague that the Lord will use to smite all the enemies that have come against Jerusalem is: their flesh will be consumed (melted away) from their bodies while they are still standing. They eyes will melt away in their eye sockets and their tongues in their mouths also. While I don’t believe this is one, this is a description of something of the magnitude of a nuclear bomb. I believe this is the Lord doing this, but it has the same effect as a bomb of that sort would. The description reminds me of the first Indiana Jones movie when they open the Ark of the Covenant. Perhaps this is where they got the idea for that scene.

Malachi 4:1-6. It is a day of burning (vs. 1); the arrogant are burned with fire (vs. 1); the righteous are released and rise (resurrection/rapture) with healing (vs. 2); the wicked are trampled (vs. 3); the prophet Elijah comes before the Day of the Lord (vs.5)

These are the main verses that specifically refer to the Day of the Lord in the Old Testament. There are numerous more that refer to this period of time, but not specifically by this particular name. I believe there is enough information in these and the New Testament scriptures that will help us to positively put this event in the correct place and order in the gospels and Revelation.