Examining The Scripture XCIX: The Day of The Lord

In Isaiah 2:6-22 we come upon the phrase "Day of The Lord" and it is repeated three times. We should review the meaning of this phrase as we will see it multiple times in the books of the prophets before we finish reading and reviewing the Old Testament.

The following references are referring specifically to the “Day of the Lord” or a reckoning for all sinners. Verse 11, 12 & 17 to some extent all restate the same thing: “The proud look of man will be abased and the loftiness of man will be humbled, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day”. In the context of this chapter this statement is foreboding. Man has become haughty and arrogant to the point that they will need to be humbled by none other than God Himself. Instead of mans grandstanding and self-aggrandizement there will only be one exalted: The Lord. When the Lord comes people will try to hide like animals (moles, bats) and flee into (v. 10, 19-21) “hide in the dust”,“caves of the rocks”, “holes of the ground”, because of their fear and terror of the LORD. There will be no escape when He comes because man cannot escape an omnipresent God…even in punishment in Hell because there resides a form of God’s wrath. No former vestiges of mans sin will continue to exist, idols will vanish [probably because the rodents and bats will carry them off because man will cast them aside (v. 20)].

To my knowledge the “Day of The Lord” is mentioned 19 times in the Bible, 3 of which in Isaiah Chapter 2 alone. Some of the others: Isaiah 13:6 & 9; Ezekiel, Joel: Multiple; Amos, Obadiah, most of the Minor Prophets have at least one quote in their books, in the New Testament specifically mentioned in passages from Revelation 6:17; 16:14. As with many prophecies of the Old Testament prophets they are or appear to be dualistic in their intent not just pointing to the immediate future but also to the long term future.

What I am not going to do here is go into a big speech about eschatological (last things) prophecy. What I will say is that the statements about "The Day of the Lord" conveys an air of expectancy. A day of judgment is coming, you cannot avoid it. This statement comes off as a warning of impending judgment and punishment due for sin committed. What it really is besides this is an exhortation to live a godly life (this goes for the Book of Revelation too). Too many people treat the return of God to judge in the Day of The Lord and Revelation's impending judgment as fodder for sensationalism and predictions. These claims of knowing the time and date are unbiblical. Personally, speculating on a date or time that the Lord clearly stated that only the Father knows is foolhardy and quite frankly, flirts with apostasy since adding to or taking away anything from scripture is apostasy. Some of the claims I've heard are worthy of a tabloid magazine. The warnings of the Day of the Lord in reality are basically trying to get believers to realize that they should live their loves like tomorrow the Lord will return. It is the exact fact that no man knows of His return that they should be prepared...they should not be making predictions and publishing books for profit containing the speculated dates or the Lord's return. We know the seasons by the changing of the leaves...

Lesson From A Fig Tree

"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[b]is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." Matthew 24:32-34

The Day and Hour Not Known

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. ~Matthew 24:36-44

Verse 37 tells us that things will be as they were in the days of Noah as there will be sin everywhere constantly or as Genesis 6:5

"Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5

Yes, there is more in Scripture about it but I am not going to go into it here and now. Yes, it is important but not more important than having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It will suffice to say that if you accept Jesus and live as a Christian humbly and with a repentant heart, you will have nothing to worry about if He does return in your lifetime. Be like Noah and you will be one of the saved not one of the perishing because you are not going to know the hour when Jesus returns anyway. This is the whole idea of pending judgment to begin with. It is more a deterrent from evil than it is a threat. Christ will return. So what are we to do? Stand in abject fear reading the papers looking for signs of the end? NO! We are to live properly so that if that day comes in our lifetimes we are prepared to meet our Maker and have Him say to us, “Well done true and faithful servant!” For those that can’t seem to do this, well I guess they will stand in abject fear waiting for the end to come.

Martin, John., John Walvoord. "Isaiah." Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 1038-1039. Print.