Bible Rebel

Editors note: the guest article appearing here does not necessarily reflect the views of Bible Rebel editors or other guest authors and contributors. Bible Rebel seeks to present a wide range of ideas and viewpoints in order to fulfill our mission to provide resources for “Curious Fearless Faith”.

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In Part I, we asked: Is America’s zeal for war fueled by a misguided interpretation of prophecy? The answer is hidden in “The Day of the Lord,” the most abused of all Old Testament prophecy.

The Day of the Lord

Throughout biblical history, no event held more significance for the ancient Children of Israel than “The Day of the Lord.” This phrase, along with its companion phrases, “The Lord’s Day” and “in that Day,” appear over 200 times in scripture. Twenty prophets describe it in detail, including Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zephaniah, and Zechariah—the writers of the five prophecies we began examining in Part I of this series. Jesus illustrated “that Day” in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, and John wrote an entire book about it—the Book of Revelation (see Rev. 1:10).

“The Day of the Lord” refers to the future Tribulation and the Messiah’s return with his armies to reclaim the earth. During this time, Christ will resurrect the righteous of Israel (and others justified by faith), known as the “Remnant” of Israel. He returns to fight for the restoration of their lands, culminating in the establishment of a new, heavenly Jerusalem.

For these faithful individuals, this will be a day of reward and reunification, encompassing all believing Children of Israel throughout history—not just those within modern Israel’s borders at any given time.

The Great Incentive

This day serves as recompense for those who sacrificed to protect the Christ-line, the lineage leading to the Messiah. They were entrusted with this hope from the Patriarchs: Abraham’s hope was clear: “For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10, NIV).

The Bible does not mention Abraham or his descendants awaiting a man-made political state in 1948.

Throughout the Old Testament, when the Children of Israel strayed, God sent prophets to remind them of their great hope: the coming Messiah who, with them, would reclaim their lands. Similar to us today, the Lord’s coming was their great Hope.

Each time the unfaithful Children of Israel lost their lands and carried into captivity, God provided prophetic words reminding them of His eternal promise to return these lands to the Remnant after the First Resurrection

For the faith-filled Children of Israel, the Day of the Lord remained their enduring hope.

Alarmingly, many of these 200 scriptures today are being misused to “document” the formation of the State of Israel in 1948. In reality, they refer to a future time.

If the scripture is to be our sole arbiter of truth, God will restore these lands to Abraham and his believing children only once: at Christ’s return.

The Day of the Lord -or- 1948?

As readers, how can we distinguish if a prophet is speaking of The Day of the Lord or some other event?

The key is in the context.

The Day of the Lord is characterized by unparalleled, cataclysmic events and cosmic disturbances that set it apart from any other earthly occurrence.

When studying a prophecy, check for these telltale events in its surrounding chapters:

Key Events Associated with the Day of the Lord

1. The Rapture: Many Christians believe that the Day of the Lord will commence with believers being “Gathered Together” with Christ in the air, an event commonly known as “the Rapture” (2 Thessalonians 2:1). This is distinct from Christ’s physical return to earth in Revelation 19.

2. Revealing of the Antichrist: Following the Rapture, the Antichrist will be revealed, positioning himself in the Jerusalem Temple and proclaiming himself as God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Global tyranny and executions will ensue.

3. Global Turmoil: This period will be marked by significant tribulation, including wars, diseases, and cosmic disturbances.

4. Christ’s Second Coming: Jesus will return bodily to earth, leading to the Battle of Armageddon, where forces opposing God will be defeated. This event will also usher in the resurrection of the faithful (Revelation 19:11–21).

5. Millennial Kingdom: Christ will establish a thousand-year reign on Earth, often referred to as the Millennial Kingdom, characterized by peace and righteousness (Revelation 20:1–6).

6. Final Rebellion and Judgment: After the Millennium, there will be a final military uprising against God, which He will swiftly defeat. This will lead to the final judgment and the establishment of a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 20:7–21:1).

These events are often introduced in prophetic literature with the phrase “in that day,” signaling their significance.

By carefully examining the context and specific descriptions within prophetic passages, readers can discern whether a prophet is referring to The Day of the Lord or another event.

It is important to note that none of these cataclysmic events occurred in 1948 or at any time since. Scripture indicates that the true gathering and spiritual transformation of Israel will happen after the First Resurrection, which follows Christ’s return to earth.

Reexamining Prophecies

In the third and final segment of this series, we will re-look at these five commonly quoted prophecies in light of The Day of the Lord. By examining these scriptures in their surrounding contexts, each individual reader will discern for himself or herself if these prophecies refer to the events of 1948, or instead to the future Day of the Lord.