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My search for the post of BAB2berean on this subject came up empty. So the following is my reply.
THE DAY OF THE LORD
The Scriptures have much to say about “the day of the Lord,” but precisely what is the day of the Lord?
Generally speaking, of course, it refers to the time when the day of man, or “the times of the Gentiles,” will be brought to an end and “the Lord alone shall be exalted” (Isa. 2:11,17). But will it include more than the actual return and reign of Christ? Will it include the prophesied tribulation period, during which God will bring Gentile rule to an end? We believe it will.
One pastor who teaches that the Body of Christ will go through the tribulation and that its Rapture to be with Christ will follow the tribulation, writes:
“The day of the Lord follows the tribulation and it is the day of the Lord’s wrath upon those who `know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (II Thes. 1:8). It comes as `a thief in the night,’ which is not so with the tribulation.”
But this interpretation does not take into account all that is said in Scripture about the day of the Lord—and contradicts some of it.
When our Lord returns to earth in person, “in flaming fire taking vengeance” and “punishing” with “everlasting destruction,” He will evidently dispatch His enemies forthwith. There is no evidence that this will cover a protracted period of time. Paul, describing the arrival of the day of the Lord in I Thessalonians 5:1-3 says nothing about the personal return of Christ, but he does describe a protracted period of suffering and trouble. Read this statement carefully:
“The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, for when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
First, note that the phrase “thief in the night” is not used to describe suddenness, but unexpectedness. The thief plans his visit for the time when he will be least expected. This phrase is so used of our Lord’s return to earth in Matthew 24:43,44. But I Thessalonians 5:1-3 states that the “destruction” of “the day of the Lord” will also come as “a thief in the night.”
The Antichrist will have made a seven-year covenant with Israel and the world will enjoy three and a half years of “peace and safety.” Then, unexpectedly, he will break the covenant and defile the temple, plunging the nations into the most terrible time of trouble they have ever experienced (See Dan. 9:27; 12:1; Matt. 24:21).
Actually God will take over as the “great tribulation” breaks, letting the nations of the world bring their uncalled-for rebellion to a head.
Next, note the phrase, “as travail upon a woman with child.” When Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel “in the midst of the week”1 (Dan. 9:27), “destruction” will break out suddenly. This does not mean, however, that it will run its course in a moment. Rather, it will “come upon them” suddenly, and run its course “as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
The travail of a woman with child takes time. The birth pangs increase both in frequency and in intensity until the child is born.
This, we suggest, illustrates the “great tribulation” far more accurately than it does the actual return of Christ, for during the great tribulation the world’s troubles will indeed increase both in frequency and intensity “and they shall not escape.” This “destruction,” to take place during “the day of the Lord,” will overtake the world of the ungodly unexpectedly, just when they are congratulating themselves as having attained “Peace and safety” (I Thes. 5:3).
Now please think carefully. Will anyone be saying, “Peace and safety” at the close of the “great tribulation”? Will anyone rejoice in “Peace and safety” as the battle of Armageddon rages? How, then, can this passage about “the day of the Lord” refer only to the return of Christ after the tribulation?
But when we see that “the day of the Lord” begins with, rather than after the tribulation, all is in order.
As we know, the seven years of the tribulation will begin with the rider on the “white horse” (Rev. 6:1,2—evidently Antichrist cf. Rev. 19:11—the true Christ), who goes forth “conquering and to conquer.” Like Antiochus Epiphanes, he will “come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries” (Dan. 11:21). All will go well for him and he will bring to the world a kind of peace that will win him universal allegiance. “Peace and safety”! the world will exclaim.
But of the rider on the next horse we read: “and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth” (Rev. 6:4). Then follow war, famine and death (Vers. 3-8).
This “destruction” will come suddenly when, after three and a half years (“in the midst of the week”), Antichrist will betray Israel and break his seven-year covenant with them (Dan. 9:27), and will, like An-tiochus Epiphanes, desecrate the temple (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; Matt. 24:15; II Thes. 2:3,4).
There we have it! Our “post-tribulation” brethren say that “the day of the Lord follows the tribulation.” Paul, in I Thessalonians 5:1-3, makes it clear that the day of the Lord includes the tribulation. They have men in the closing, most terrible hours of the tribulation saying, “Peace and safety”! They have the Lord’s speedy judgment of the ungodly described by “travail upon a woman with child”!
No, the Rapture of the Body of Christ to be with Him will not follow the tribulation; it will precede it. Thus the Apostle Paul, after writing about the Rapture of the Body in I Thessalonians 4, continues in Chapter 5 with the word “But,” to show the disrelation of God’s prophesied “times and seasons” and “the day of the Lord,” from that blessed day for which every believer should be “looking,” “waiting” and “watching.”
“Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thes. 4:18), and “be not soon troubled” (II Thes. 2:2), for like the Thessalonian believers we are to “serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven…who hath delivered us from the wrath to come” (I Thes. 1:9,10
Source: https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/the-day-of-the-lord-what-is-it/
IIf you need more Scriptural verification, let me know and I'll be happy to provide it for you.
Quasar92
THE DAY OF THE LORD
The Scriptures have much to say about “the day of the Lord,” but precisely what is the day of the Lord?
Generally speaking, of course, it refers to the time when the day of man, or “the times of the Gentiles,” will be brought to an end and “the Lord alone shall be exalted” (Isa. 2:11,17). But will it include more than the actual return and reign of Christ? Will it include the prophesied tribulation period, during which God will bring Gentile rule to an end? We believe it will.
One pastor who teaches that the Body of Christ will go through the tribulation and that its Rapture to be with Christ will follow the tribulation, writes:
“The day of the Lord follows the tribulation and it is the day of the Lord’s wrath upon those who `know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (II Thes. 1:8). It comes as `a thief in the night,’ which is not so with the tribulation.”
But this interpretation does not take into account all that is said in Scripture about the day of the Lord—and contradicts some of it.
When our Lord returns to earth in person, “in flaming fire taking vengeance” and “punishing” with “everlasting destruction,” He will evidently dispatch His enemies forthwith. There is no evidence that this will cover a protracted period of time. Paul, describing the arrival of the day of the Lord in I Thessalonians 5:1-3 says nothing about the personal return of Christ, but he does describe a protracted period of suffering and trouble. Read this statement carefully:
“The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, for when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
First, note that the phrase “thief in the night” is not used to describe suddenness, but unexpectedness. The thief plans his visit for the time when he will be least expected. This phrase is so used of our Lord’s return to earth in Matthew 24:43,44. But I Thessalonians 5:1-3 states that the “destruction” of “the day of the Lord” will also come as “a thief in the night.”
The Antichrist will have made a seven-year covenant with Israel and the world will enjoy three and a half years of “peace and safety.” Then, unexpectedly, he will break the covenant and defile the temple, plunging the nations into the most terrible time of trouble they have ever experienced (See Dan. 9:27; 12:1; Matt. 24:21).
Actually God will take over as the “great tribulation” breaks, letting the nations of the world bring their uncalled-for rebellion to a head.
Next, note the phrase, “as travail upon a woman with child.” When Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel “in the midst of the week”1 (Dan. 9:27), “destruction” will break out suddenly. This does not mean, however, that it will run its course in a moment. Rather, it will “come upon them” suddenly, and run its course “as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
The travail of a woman with child takes time. The birth pangs increase both in frequency and in intensity until the child is born.
This, we suggest, illustrates the “great tribulation” far more accurately than it does the actual return of Christ, for during the great tribulation the world’s troubles will indeed increase both in frequency and intensity “and they shall not escape.” This “destruction,” to take place during “the day of the Lord,” will overtake the world of the ungodly unexpectedly, just when they are congratulating themselves as having attained “Peace and safety” (I Thes. 5:3).
Now please think carefully. Will anyone be saying, “Peace and safety” at the close of the “great tribulation”? Will anyone rejoice in “Peace and safety” as the battle of Armageddon rages? How, then, can this passage about “the day of the Lord” refer only to the return of Christ after the tribulation?
But when we see that “the day of the Lord” begins with, rather than after the tribulation, all is in order.
As we know, the seven years of the tribulation will begin with the rider on the “white horse” (Rev. 6:1,2—evidently Antichrist cf. Rev. 19:11—the true Christ), who goes forth “conquering and to conquer.” Like Antiochus Epiphanes, he will “come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries” (Dan. 11:21). All will go well for him and he will bring to the world a kind of peace that will win him universal allegiance. “Peace and safety”! the world will exclaim.
But of the rider on the next horse we read: “and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth” (Rev. 6:4). Then follow war, famine and death (Vers. 3-8).
This “destruction” will come suddenly when, after three and a half years (“in the midst of the week”), Antichrist will betray Israel and break his seven-year covenant with them (Dan. 9:27), and will, like An-tiochus Epiphanes, desecrate the temple (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; Matt. 24:15; II Thes. 2:3,4).
There we have it! Our “post-tribulation” brethren say that “the day of the Lord follows the tribulation.” Paul, in I Thessalonians 5:1-3, makes it clear that the day of the Lord includes the tribulation. They have men in the closing, most terrible hours of the tribulation saying, “Peace and safety”! They have the Lord’s speedy judgment of the ungodly described by “travail upon a woman with child”!
No, the Rapture of the Body of Christ to be with Him will not follow the tribulation; it will precede it. Thus the Apostle Paul, after writing about the Rapture of the Body in I Thessalonians 4, continues in Chapter 5 with the word “But,” to show the disrelation of God’s prophesied “times and seasons” and “the day of the Lord,” from that blessed day for which every believer should be “looking,” “waiting” and “watching.”
“Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thes. 4:18), and “be not soon troubled” (II Thes. 2:2), for like the Thessalonian believers we are to “serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven…who hath delivered us from the wrath to come” (I Thes. 1:9,10
Source: https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/the-day-of-the-lord-what-is-it/
IIf you need more Scriptural verification, let me know and I'll be happy to provide it for you.
Quasar92