How Long Is The "Day Of The Lord"?
There is a popular belief relating to the time that will end the "Day of the Lord". The following is a representative example of this understanding written by a respected minister.
"The day of the Lord will continue until He turns the reins of His Kingdom and the subjection of all things to the Father"
The end, the very end of things, would be after the "lake of fire. This is when Jesus will deliver all that He was ruling over to the Father.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
Why would there be this popular belief that states that the Day of the Lord will continue until the time when the "saved" will begin their eternal life . The principle reason for this understanding is that those who hold to this belief think that Rev. 20:15 immediately precedes Rev. 21:1 and that 2Peter 3:10 adds information to the picture presented by Rev 21:1.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2Pe 3:10 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.
Parts 1 and 2 outlines the error of thinking that the day of the Lord will continue until the very end of the plan of God outlined in the Bible. But is it possible to Biblically acquire the knowledge of the length of time of the "Day of the Lord"? There is evidence that one may discern a beginning and an ending for that period of time from the Bible.
First we need a little knowledge of the Greek word "day" G2250 in the term "Day of the Lord"
G2250 hay-mer'-ah Feminine (with G5610 implied) of a derivative of ἧμαι hēmai (to sit; akin to the base of G1476) meaning tame, figuratively a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context): - age, + alway, (mid-) day (by day, [-ly]), + for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.
As the context reveals it is "a period" (of time) between the beginning and ending of the day of the Lord.
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Secondly, the nature relating to the Day of the Lord has been made available to us. They were well defined in the paper titled "2 Peter 3:8-14". It may be helpful to offer them again.
There are 24 times that the term is used in the Old Testament and 5 times in the New Testament. Two N. T. verses refer to the day of the Lord coming as a "thief in the night". Another N. T. verse, 2 Corinthians 1:14, says that "you are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus" Every single one of the other 26 verses deal with the end time fierceness of the wrath of God. Every single one of them. The following are the descriptions used by those 26 verses. Proud, brought low, destruction, wrath, fierce anger, lay desolate, vengeance, recompenses, none escape, enemy consumed, battle, cloudy day, alarm, tremble, darkness, terrible, valley of judgment, upon all heathen, not light, sacrifice, cry bitterly, punish, fire, riddance, spoil divided, dreadful day, notable day, destruction of the flesh, and finely --- may be hid.
It is apparent that the day of the Lord will come after a time when least expected (thief in the night). The death of the "two witnesses" would be such a time.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
It is not long after this making merry and feeling of well being that the following occurs.
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.
The collective events of the day of the Lord have been generally deemed, by the writers of the Bible, as "the wrath of God". There are several verses that speak of the wrath to come.
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
But of most significance there are verses that reveal the apparent beginning of this wrath and its end. It is important to understand that the "tribulations" spoken of in the Book of Revelations never refers to the wrath of God. The following shows us the beginning of the wrath of God which would be also the beginning of the day of the Lord.
Rev 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled upG5055 the wrath of God.
Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
There are four very important elements to take notice here. The sea of glass is in heaven (the third heaven), the seven plagues (vials or bowls) haven’t been administered yet, the seven last plagues (bowls) are filled up (G5055 may also mean " execute or perform" the wrath) and those who had gotten victory over the beast (saints, the firstfruits) were in attendance of the pouring out the bowls.
Rev 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials (bowls) full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials (bowls) of the wrath of God upon the earth.
It should mentioned that the wrath of God is never associated with the lake of fire. The unrighteous have been judged to be cast into the lake of fire.
Rev_20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Next is the end of God's wrath which can be also reckoned as the end of the "day of the Lord". The wrath of God is never spoken of again in the Bible after the events culminating in Revelation 19:15.
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Rev 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. (this is speaking of Babylon the great)
Rev 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
The evidence relating to the day of the Lord and the wrath of God shows us that they are united in purpose. They begin at the pouring out of the bowls of wrath and end with Jesus returning to make war and be the King of kings.