Dies Irae

Dies Irae - the Day of Wrath: [ Based on Zephaniah 1:14-18 Lyrics abridged]

The day of wrath, the day of wrath, that day

Will break up the world into ash
Will break up the world into ash
As testified by David and the Sybil
The day of wrath, the day of wrath, the day of wrath

How much trembling there will be
When the judge comes
And strictly examines all things

Dies Irae’ (literally, Day of Wrath) is a medieval Latin poem, and one of the most famous melodies of the Gregorian Chant. In its original form, it’s a four-note melody describing Judgment Day, the prophesied day when humanity will be Judged and punished by God on His Day of fiery wrath.

But what does it all mean?
To give you a hint, choral composer Bob Chilcott, who conducted the Requiem at the Royal Albert Hall, told the Guardian at the time: “It’s about judgment, about the end of the world,” he says. “If you believe what it says, then we’re all stuffed.”

Fortunately we believe the Bible and although over 100 Bible prophesies are about this forthcoming terrible Day, we are assured of the Lord’s protection through it and the world will continue on, as it did after Noah’s Flood.

The sad part is that many Christians are unaware of it, what triggers it, what the Lord will use and the events after that literal day is over.

Destruction is decreed upon the whole Land:

Isaiah 3:1-7 The Lord is about to strip Judah of every prop and support. All of their leaders, generals, counselors and prophesiers. I shall appoint inexperienced people to positions of authority. Oppression and arrogance will stalk the Land. Isaiah 22:3
Watch for some kind of disaster to strike Israel’s leaders. Micah 5:1b
Losing Netanyahu seems likely now.


Isaiah 3:8-9 Judah is brought low, for in word and deed, they defy the Lord. The look on their faces testifies against them. Like Sodom, they parade their sins. Woe betide them, they have earned the disaster that will strike them. Isa.22:4, Jer.17:1
Tel Aviv: the ‘Gay capital of the world’.


Isaiah 3:10-11 Happy are the righteous. All goes well with them. Isaiah 26:7 Woe to the wicked, disaster is upon them. Isaiah 26:10, Hebrews 10:26-31

Isaiah 3:12 My people, those who guide you are leading you astray. Jeremiah 23:1-2, 2 Timothy 5:3-4
The Lord stands up to judge His people. He opens the indictment against the elders and leaders; it is you who have ruined My vineyard. You have crushed My people and oppressed the poor. Jeremiah 50:6


Isaiah 3:16-26 You women of Zion; I will take away your finery, instead of coifed hair, you will be bald. Isaiah 32:9-11 Your men will fall by the sword, as in battle. Judah’s defenses are stripped bare, all support removed. Isaiah 22:8 On that Day, seven women will ask one man for help and support.


Isaiah 4:2 On that Day, the plant that the Lord has grown will become glorious in it’s beauty and the Land will be fruitful, the pride of the survivors in the Land.
In other translations “plant’ is rendered ‘Branch’ and assumed to refer to Jesus, but the “plant’’, nurtured by the Lord is the Christian peoples. Jesus is the tree trunk, we are the branches.


Isaiah 4:3-6 Those who remain in Jerusalem, whose survival was decreed, will be called holy. Isaiah 29:4, Zechariah 13:7-9 When the Lord washes away the filth of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgement burning like fire, He will create a cloud by day and a flame by night over Mt Zion, to be a covering for shade and shelter.
This will be the same as the Lord did for ancient Israel, not as a visible Presence. 1 Corinthians 10:4


Isaiah 10:19 The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One, a flame, that in a single day will burn up and consume His enemies. Zechariah 3:9, Isaiah 17:12-14
The forests and pastures will suddenly be destroyed, only a few trees will remain.
The great and terrible Day of the Lord’s fiery wrath; the Sixth Seal disaster.


Isaiah 10:23 On that Day, the remnant of Israel, the survivors of Jacob [all 12 tribes] will set their allegiance solely on the Lord. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob, will return to God, their strength. Israel, though you are as the sands of the sea – only a remnant will return. Isaiah 14:1-2 The Lord will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole Land. Ezekiel 7:5-14, Isaiah 34:5, Zephaniah 1:1-18


‘Judah is brought low ‘, only a holy remnant saved. Romans 9:27
Then all the faithful Christians; the Israelites of God will go to live in all of the holy Land. Isaiah 35:1-10, Ezekiel 34:11-16.
Isaiah tells of events soon to happen, the coming Day of the Lord’s destruction in the Mid East.

A ‘single Day’ of a fire judgement, a seemingly natural occurrence of a huge solar flare. Then; His people: faithful Christians from every tribe, race, nation and language, will go on a second Exodus to live in the holy Land, before the Return of Jesus. Psalms 107, Isaiah 66:18b-21

The Earth will Burn: 2 Peter 3:7, Isaiah 66:15-16, Zeph. 3:8, Isaiah 33:10-12
In ancient times, God promised to Noah that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. Genesis 9:11 But we see in Deuteronomy 32:34-35 & 22, God has kept in His storehouse a judgement of fire prepared and ready for His Day of vengeance.

As we are once again ‘as in the days of Noah’, this terrible and devastating Day of fires, storms and earthquakes will soon strike the world, it will be the next prophesied event that will commence all that must happen, leading up to the Return of Jesus for His Millennial reign.

Psalms 46:1-11 The Lord is our refuge and stronghold, He will help us in trouble, so we are not afraid when the earth is shaking and the mountains move; when the waves of the sea roar and the earth is quaking before the Lords majesty. Nations are in an uproar and kingdoms fall when the Lord thunders; the earth burns.

Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolation He has brought on the earth. He makes wars to cease throughout the world, He breaks the bow, snaps the spear and burns the chariots in the fire.

There is a river whose flow brings joy to the city of God, the holy Place of the Most High. The Lord is within her, she will not be overthrown and at the break of Day, He will come to her aid.

Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations and revered throughout the world. The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our Rock.


This describes how the Lord will judge and punish the nations and ‘the desolation He will bring to the earth’. He will destroy all weapons of war and military forces will be neutralized or wiped out, but the Lord promises ‘to be a refuge’ to His people, when at the ‘break of day, the sea roars, the earth quakes and burns’. It is His great Day of vengeance and wrath, a massive explosion of the suns surface that will bring about all the vividly described effects. We are warned to be prepared for that terrible Day, but our only true protection will be our faith and trust in the Lord. Isaiah 30:15 & 18

Isaiah 9:18-19 The ungodly will be set ablaze, as a fire that consumes briars and thorns. It sets the forests on fire and all is wrapped in a pall of smoke.

The land is scorched by the fury of the Lord and the people will be fuel for the fire. Ezekiel 21:1-7, Ezekiel 30:1-5, Romans 1:18, Hebrews 10:27

Psalms 50:3-5 The Lord is coming and will not remain silent. A consuming fire runs ahead of Him and all around a great storm rages. He calls to the heavens above and the earth below, that He may judge His people.

Gather to Me, My loyal servants, those who have made a Covenant with Me by sacrifice. 1 Peter 3:17
Ref: REB, NIV. Some verses abridged.


This is not the Return of Jesus in His glory, that cannot happen until the Anti-Christ is revealed. 2 Thess. 2:3 It will be the Lord’s judgement and punishment of the nations, Psalms 110:5-6, Habakkuk 3:12, and all the world will be affected. It will be triggered by an attack on the State of Israel by an Islamic confederation. Psalms 83

The Lord’s people will be judged, Jeremiah 46:27-28, 1 Peter 4:17 and those who are His ‘loyal servants’, will be protected. Zechariah 9:15-16, Joel 3:16, Psalms 37:9, Zephaniah 2:3, 2 Thess.1:6-10