The concept of the
Day of the Lord is a time in which Yahweh intervenes powerfully and effectively
into the affairs of this world.1 The
Day of the Lord can include, but is not limited to warfare, cleansing, redemption
and theophany. The Day of the Lord means that something big has happened, is
happening, or is going to happen. Sometimes it takes revelation to see that
what has occurred is an act of God rather than the normal everyday
affairs of men. By this definition every act of our Lord Jesus Christ would be
considered The Day of the Lord, as well as His entire ministry.
These concepts in
Zechariah include punishing the enemies of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:1-9).
Zechariah prophecies the piercing of our Lord Jesus Christ who is of the house
of David (Zechariah 12:10). Zechariah 13:1-2 speaks of cleansing the house of
David and Jerusalem from Idolatry.
Joel uses five
references to The Day of the Lord that span the entire book.2 The
concept in Joel goes from The Day of the Lord being an attack against Israel to
Israel being rescued. First they will be punished, but the they will be
rescued. In Joel 2:31-32 The Day of the Lord means destruction, but there is a
promise to escape destruction with repentance.
The Day of the
Lord concept is much larger than any one prophet. Therefore, to understand the
concept of The Day of the Lord we must derive that concept from all of scripture.
The Day of the Lord is when God directly intervenes in the affairs of men. That
intervention can be either grace or wrath and may even be both at the same time.
The concept of The Day of the Lord would, therefore, include the theophany of
Yahweh appearing to Abraham in Genesis chapter 18 (grace) followed by the
destruction of Sodom in chapter 19 (wrath). Once you understand that The Day of
the Lord to be a time in which Yahweh intervenes powerfully and effectively
into the affairs of this world you will see it in all of scripture whether
declared as such or not.
1 J. D. Baker, “Day of the Lord” in Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets,
ed. Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012), 142.
2 J. D. Baker, “Day of the Lord” in Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets,
ed. Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012), 139.
