"The DAY of the LORD": What is it?

[Ron Gurley]

After the Rapture / Second Coming, we can ask Jesus what Peter meant BEFORE 2 Peter 3:7.

 

[Ron Gurley]

with the Lord one day is LIKE a thousand years, and a thousand years LIKE one day.

God is infinite and eternal.
1 "day" in His "mind" (SEE:Genesis) is NOT EQUAL to 1000 of Man's "years".

 

[Ron Gurley]

OT "the day of the LORD" points to an EVENT of JUDGMENT, and possible pouring out of wrath.

 

[BABerean2]

Paul in 1Thessalonians5 is associating wrath with the beginning of the Day of the Lord.

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.


Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

.

 

[Douggg]

with the Lord one day is LIKE a thousand years, and a thousand years LIKE one day.

God is infinite and eternal.
1 "day" in His "mind" (SEE:Genesis) is NOT EQUAL to 1000 of Man's "years".

Ron, a thousand of man's years is to the Lord but a Day. So in God's perspective, He is not slack in his promises.

 

[LastSeven]

Doug, I get this this whole 1000 years = 1 day thing if at first glance you see the scripture from whence this stems, but surely by now you've looked at the context of that passage. It doesn't mean what you think it means.

 

[Douggg]

Doug, I get this this whole 1000 years = 1 day thing if at first glance you see the scripture from whence this stems, but surely by now you've looked at the context of that passage. It doesn't mean what you think it means.

LastSeven, we have a thousand years in Revelation 20 of Satan being locked up in the bottomless pit.

So no terror from Satan during that time - which the messianic age takes place.

At the end of the thousand years Satan is loosed and deceives the world one last time leading to the attack on the camp of the saints. Which end in God's judgement by fire coming down from heave on them.

Then it says in Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

That's the destruction of heaven and earth that Peter was speaking of in 2Peter3 - at the end of the thousand years. The Day of the Lord begins like a thief - a thousand years earlier. But it doesn't end like a thief.

The destruction of heaven and earth is in the Day of the Lord, but is not at the beginning.

 

[parousia70]

According to Psalms 90:4, a 1000 years to the lord is like a watch in the night, and Yesterday.
Not very exact math here folks... anyone who claims to have an exact math answer to an ambiguous math equation is automatically suspect.

If anyone here can definitively tell me how long a "Watch in the night is" have at it.

I assert it is a period of 3-6 hours.

I do know for sure it is less than 24 hours.

So, do the math for us, young earth millennialists... If the Psalmist is correct in saying 1000 years to God = 3-6 earth Hours, then how does that fact affect your equation?

Do you just disregard that part of the scripture? should we redact it from our Bibles since it does not fit the presupposition?

 

[Davy]

If we have a young earth, 6,000 years, which I'm an adherent to, and a day is like 1,000 years and 1,000 years like a day, then the 7th day would be the day of the LORD. What does that mean? The whole 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom, starting with the Great Tribulation period + the Millennial Kingdom and then the destruction of the first earth and first heaven as read in in 2 Pet. 3:10.
The other six thousands years (days) were not His. When Jesus comes, He will take back the earth as we see in Rev. 11:15, "The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord ..." Also at that time (the 7th Trumpet), the rapture occurs. The dead are judged and the servants receive rewards (vs.18); the Temple in heaven is opened (vs. 19); the 7 bowls of wrath are released.
But this time forward, may be the day (1,000 years) of the Lord.
There are two judgments, one prior to the Millennial Kingdom and one at the end of it. They are both equally considered Judgment Day. 2 Pet.3:10 would occur at the end and many of the other verses you posted could equally be divided as well between both events. To think that the GT would not be the Day of the Lord would be a mistake, yet the earth isn't totally destroyed at that time. Is it one day? No. Is it 1260 days? No
Since this is not our day, which would imply 24 hours, in our time domain, we need to shift our perspective when it says the Day of the LORD, which is like 1,000 years. ???

The idea of a 7th thousand year period works, but the idea that the "day of the Lord" begins with the great tribulation does not work.

2 Peter 3:10
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
KJV

It's important to not just throw out doctrines of men from those you listen to when you have yet to thoroughly check them out for yourself in God's Word using common sense.

 

[LastSeven]

LastSeven, we have a thousand years in Revelation 20 of Satan being locked up in the bottomless pit.

So no terror from Satan during that time - which the messianic age takes place.

At the end of the thousand years Satan is loosed and deceives the world one last time leading to the attack on the camp of the saints. Which end in God's judgement by fire coming down from heave on them.

Then it says in Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

That's the destruction of heaven and earth that Peter was speaking of in 2Peter3 - at the end of the thousand years. The Day of the Lord begins like a thief - a thousand years earlier. But it doesn't end like a thief.

The destruction of heaven and earth is in the Day of the Lord, but is not at the beginning.

I see what you're saying Doug. You're saying because there is a thousand year period mentioned in Revelation just before it mentions heaven and earth passing away, and Peter also mentions a thousand years just before mentioning heaven and earth passing away, you figure that's the same thousand years. You figure that the thousand years Peter mentions is the same thousand years that Revelation mentions.

The problem with that logic is that Peter is clearly only using the thousand years as an analogy to the Lord's patience. He wasn't talking about a literal thousand years. Look at the passage again and look at these key words that I'm bolding.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

In other words, Peter is clearly making the point that some people are being impatient and think that a few years is a long time to wait, but the Lord doesn't think that's a long time at all. The Lord thinks even a thousand years (for example) is just a short time. That's the point he's making. Do you not see that?

Peter is not speaking of an actual time period in relation to the new heaven and earth. He's just saying that the Lord has a different concept of time than we do. And therefore we should not think that the Lord is slow in keeping his promise. That's all.

 

[parousia70]

Regardless of the assertions of many here, God knows how to tell time correctly and also knows how to communicate it's passing to Human beings in Human terms.

In spite of the beliefs of those folks, God is not ignorant of how many hours are in 1 earth day, How many Days in one earth year and how many earth years in one earth millennium.

 

[Douggg]

I see what you're saying Doug. You're saying because there is a thousand year period mentioned in Revelation just before it mentions heaven and earth passing away, and Peter also mentions a thousand years just before mentioning heaven and earth passing away, you figure that's the same thousand years. You figure that the thousand years Peter mentions is the same thousand years that Revelation mentions.

The problem with that logic is that Peter is clearly only using the thousand years as an analogy to the Lord's patience. He wasn't talking about a literal thousand years. Look at the passage again and look at these key words that I'm bolding.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

In other words, Peter is clearly making the point that some people are being impatient and think that a few years is a long time to wait, but the Lord doesn't think that's a long time at all. The Lord thinks even a thousand years (for example) is just a short time. That's the point he's making. Do you not see that?

Peter is not speaking of an actual time period in relation to the new heaven and earth. He's just saying that the Lord has a different concept of time than we do. And therefore we should not think that the Lord is slow in keeping his promise. That's all.

Hi Last Seven, I don't know if I would call it an analogy because there is a specific thousand years found in Revelation 20, and at the end, the heaven and earth have disappeared. But I would not argue over the point that it could be consider an analogy in part as well.

I do agree that Peter was making the point that God is not slack in His promises. That what man considers a long time, to God it is not long.

What I was actually commenting on that passages for was the ongoing difference of opinions being expressed for what is the Day of the Lord.

To me, there are different aspects, but when everything, including what Peter had to say, is taken into consideration - the length of the Day of the Lord seems to be a thousand years, with the first part of it being some tough times, as God will be taking away the dominion of Satan/his angels' invisible kingdom of mystery Babylon the great has over the world.

As it says in Ezekiel 28:19 - he will be a terror no more - because the Lord will have His Day.

 

[Ronald]

Common sense can't understand scripture.,spiritual discernment works better. If the day of the Lord is one day, then it can't be the Great Tribulation ( beginning or end if it) or 1000 years of peace thereafter. If could only be either the very last day of this present earth at,the end of the Millennial Kingdom or it is not one 24 hour day at all, it is an epoch of time for us and the Lords day. To us us it could be 1000 years, to Him, well, He is not confined to time, He dwells outside of it.

 

[Douggg]

To us us it could be 1000 years, to Him, well, He is not confined to time, He dwells outside of it.

That is basically what it boils down to.

In bible prophecy though, certain events trigger, and take place, during the "Day of Lord" - which God asserts His Will to make right creation run amuck in sin and wickedness.

 

[Davy]

Common sense can't understand scripture.,spiritual discernment works better. If the day of the Lord is one day, then it can't be the Great Tribulation ( beginning or end if it) or 1000 years of peace thereafter. If could only be either the very last day of this present earth at,the end of the Millennial Kingdom or it is not one 24 hour day at all, it is an epoch of time for us and the Lords day. To us us it could be 1000 years, to Him, well, He is not confined to time, He dwells outside of it.

Spiritual discernment and common sense go together. If The Holy Spirit tells you the Antichrist is coming on the 6th Seal, then you wouldn't know how to count the number of Seals without common sense.

 

[LastSeven]

These are the passages that I look to for discernment on the day of the Lord.

Revelation 21:23-25
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.

Twice the Bible tells us there will be no more night which means we know for sure that day will last forever.

Then you add to that the following.

John 6:39
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

John 6:54
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

There are other verses that talk about the last day, but there's no need to post them all. The fact is we know that there will be a last day.

So putting two and two together (last day + everlasting day) it's pretty clear that the last day is everlasting. What better day could there be, to be called the day of the Lord, than this?

 

[keras]

Do not confuse the forthcoming Day of the Lord's vengeance and wrath against the nations, with any later event.
The Day of the Lord’s blazing anger:

Isaiah 28:21 The Lord will arise as He did on Mt Perazim, [1 Chron. 14:11] and storm with rage as He did in the valley of Gibeon, [Joshua 10:9-15] to do what He must do, to perform a strange and alien task.

Isaiah 29:5 Suddenly, in an instant the horde of your enemies will crumble into dust, punishment will come from the Lord, with thunder, earthquakes, with storm and tempest and flames of devouring fire.

Isaiah 13:6-13 Cry out: for the Day of the Lord is at hand, it will come in a mighty destruction. Fear will grip everyone, men will lose courage at the coming disaster. That cruel Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath is coming to reduce all the earth to a desolation and to destroy the evil and godless people on it. It will be a Day of darkness, on the day that the Lord brings disaster onto the world and due punishment to the wicked. He will put an end to arrogance and will humble the pride of the ruthless. Humans will become as scarce as fine gold, on the Day that the heavens will be moved and the earth shaken from its place, at the wrath of the Lord, in the Day of His blazing anger.
Ref. REB, some verses abridged.

As Isaiah tells us: The Lord has in the past acted to destroy His enemies and now, once again, He will act in His creation. Isaiah 42:14 Long have I restrained Myself. Isaiah 59:18, Isaiah 63:1-6, Isaiah 64:1-2, Psalms 68:1-2, Jeremiah 12:14, Deuteronomy 32:26-43

1/ The Lord will arise, to perform a strange task – to punish His enemies; the attackers of Israel and to humble the godless. Isaiah 66:13-17

2/ Punishment will come from the Lord– not a nuclear war or anything instigated by man.

3/ Suddenly, in an instant – This is the event that ‘will come like a thief’.

4/.. earthquakes – Earthquakes will be caused by the microwave effect of the electromagnetic pulse in a Coronal Mass Ejection. An explosion of the suns surface. Deuteronomy 32:22, Isaiah 30:26a, Psalms 50:1-3, Malachi 4:1

5/ devouring fire – The fireball of the superheated cosmic particles of a CME. 2 Peter 3:7

6/ the Day of the Lord is at hand – This is the logical result of most of mankind’s rejection of God and His Laws.

7/ Fear will grip everyone – This sudden and shocking event will terrify all those people unaware of God’s plans. Ezekiel 7:17

8/ a mighty destruction, to reduce the earth to desolation – A worldwide disaster, but it will particularly affect the Middle East area. Zephaniah 1:14-18, Ezekiel 30:1-5

9/ a day of darkness – The approaching mass will obscure the sun and stars.

10/ Humans will become scarce – Millions will die from the initial strike and millions more from famine and the fighting afterward.

11/ the heavens move – the magnetosphere and the atmosphere will be severely affected.

12/ the earth will shake from its place – the hit from this CME may cause the earths orbit to speed up, thereby giving us a 360 day year, which is the prophetic year.

13/ His blazing anger – It is appropriate that the Lord will use the sun, our life sustainer, to judge mankind. A CME solar flare perfectly and literally fulfils all the prophesied effects, but it will quickly pass by, leaving the world to recover. A world that will never be the same again and the stage will be set for all the other prophesied things to happen before the Return of Jesus for His Millennium reign.

 

[Ronald]

Spiritual discernment and common sense go together. If The Holy Spirit tells you the Antichrist is coming on the 6th Seal, then you wouldn't know how to count the number of Seals without common sense.

You need to use another term. What is common sense really? According to you, atheists and all non- Christians don't have it, since they can't discern scripture. ??? People have five senses, that's common. But that's not what you are talking about. Awareness and consciousness of normal everyday things are common. The GT / Day of the Lord is not something people who are normally observant, knowledgeable and even considered wise including highly educated people, will discern. Those who would pride themselves with common sense will be lost. They will be deceived with a strong delusion.
Use a different phrase, nowhere in scripture does God necessitate "common sense".

 

[LastSeven]

Do not confuse the forthcoming Day of the Lord's vengeance and wrath against the nations, with any later event.
The Day of the Lord’s blazing anger:

Isaiah 28:21 The Lord will arise as He did on Mt Perazim, [1 Chron. 14:11] and storm with rage as He did in the valley of Gibeon, [Joshua 10:9-15] to do what He must do, to perform a strange and alien task.

Isaiah 29:5 Suddenly, in an instant the horde of your enemies will crumble into dust, punishment will come from the Lord, with thunder, earthquakes, with storm and tempest and flames of devouring fire.

Isaiah 13:6-13 Cry out: for the Day of the Lord is at hand, it will come in a mighty destruction. Fear will grip everyone, men will lose courage at the coming disaster. That cruel Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath is coming to reduce all the earth to a desolation and to destroy the evil and godless people on it. It will be a Day of darkness, on the day that the Lord brings disaster onto the world and due punishment to the wicked. He will put an end to arrogance and will humble the pride of the ruthless. Humans will become as scarce as fine gold, on the Day that the heavens will be moved and the earth shaken from its place, at the wrath of the Lord, in the Day of His blazing anger.
Ref. REB, some verses abridged.

As Isaiah tells us: The Lord has in the past acted to destroy His enemies and now, once again, He will act in His creation. Isaiah 42:14 Long have I restrained Myself. Isaiah 59:18, Isaiah 63:1-6, Isaiah 64:1-2, Psalms 68:1-2, Jeremiah 12:14, Deuteronomy 32:26-43

1/ The Lord will arise, to perform a strange task – to punish His enemies; the attackers of Israel and to humble the godless. Isaiah 66:13-17

2/ Punishment will come from the Lord– not a nuclear war or anything instigated by man.

3/ Suddenly, in an instant – This is the event that ‘will come like a thief’.

4/.. earthquakes – Earthquakes will be caused by the microwave effect of the electromagnetic pulse in a Coronal Mass Ejection. An explosion of the suns surface. Deuteronomy 32:22, Isaiah 30:26a, Psalms 50:1-3, Malachi 4:1

5/ devouring fire – The fireball of the superheated cosmic particles of a CME. 2 Peter 3:7

6/ the Day of the Lord is at hand – This is the logical result of most of mankind’s rejection of God and His Laws.

7/ Fear will grip everyone – This sudden and shocking event will terrify all those people unaware of God’s plans. Ezekiel 7:17

8/ a mighty destruction, to reduce the earth to desolation – A worldwide disaster, but it will particularly affect the Middle East area. Zephaniah 1:14-18, Ezekiel 30:1-5

9/ a day of darkness – The approaching mass will obscure the sun and stars.

10/ Humans will become scarce – Millions will die from the initial strike and millions more from famine and the fighting afterward.

11/ the heavens move – the magnetosphere and the atmosphere will be severely affected.

12/ the earth will shake from its place – the hit from this CME may cause the earths orbit to speed up, thereby giving us a 360 day year, which is the prophetic year.

13/ His blazing anger – It is appropriate that the Lord will use the sun, our life sustainer, to judge mankind. A CME solar flare perfectly and literally fulfils all the prophesied effects, but it will quickly pass by, leaving the world to recover. A world that will never be the same again and the stage will be set for all the other prophesied things to happen before the Return of Jesus for His Millennium reign.

So you think God's "punishment" is killing people on earth? Why would he do that only to resurrect everybody again shortly after?

 

[Ronald]

These are the passages that I look to for discernment on the day of the Lord.

Revelation 21:23-25
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.

Twice the Bible tells us there will be no more night which means we know for sure that day will last forever.

Then you add to that the following.

John 6:39
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

John 6:54
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

There are other verses that talk about the last day, but there's no need to post them all. The fact is we know that there will be a last day.

So putting two and two together (last day + everlasting day) it's pretty clear that the last day is everlasting. What better day could there be, to be called the day of the Lord, than this?

The first part is interesting and a good point. But this happens after the Millennial Kingdom, when God destroys the first earth and heaven and the New Jerusalem comes down. Then there will be no night.
During the Great Tribulation period and Millennial kingdom, we will still be in the first earth, and also have the sun and moon as well. Therefore, John 6:39 ,54 would not apply to this Day of the Lord (if your assessment is correct), since the FIRST RESURRECTION (Rapture) occurs during THE Great Tribulation.
Also "I will raise them up at the last day" cannot be one particular day, since there will be two resurrections. This is why the whole epoch of time could be considered the Day of the Lord. It encompasses all that is in the GT, Millennial Kingdom up to the New Jerusalem. That would be the end of time as we know it.