"The day of the Lord" In the OT and NT

C Mc

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by* being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed. 11 Because* all these things are being destroyed" (2 Peter 3:10–13)

1. This phrase, "The day of the Lord", is it a figure of speech?
2. What does it mean in the OT?
3. What does it mean in the NT?
4. The phrase, "The day of the Lord", is it a day or an event?
5. Is it single or multiple "day of the Lord"?
6. "The day of the Lord" is it good news for believers or sinners (rebellious)?
7. "The day of the Lord" is it past or future?
8. "The day of the Lord" is it "a day", a time of "doom" or day of "gladness"?

How readeth thou? CM

C Mc

The Day of the Lord in the Old Testament is:

1. "A day of punishment" (Isa 10:3).
2. A day of the "wrath of the Lord" (Ezek 7:19)
3. "A great day of the Lord" (Zeph 1:14)
4. "The day of judgment" (Isa 26:21; Amos 5:18-21).
5. "The day of gathering" (Isa 11:10-16; 27:13; 56:6-8).

In the New Testament Paul picked up this theme for eschatological use and applied it to the event of Jesus Parousia. It is significant to realize that the Day of the Lord in the Old Testament is not a date but an event (See Murray).

The prophets used the phrase "the Day of Yahweh". The term appears only in prophetic texts:

• Isa 2:12; 13:6,9; 22:5; 34:8
• Jer 46:10
• Ezek 7:19; 13:5; 30:3
• Joel 1:15; 2:1,11; 2:31; 3:14
• Zeph 1:7,14-18
• Obad 1:15
• Zech 14:1
• Mal 4:5

It was regarded as a day of calamity for sinful Israelites as well as for Israel's enemies. Generally, the concept of the Day of the Lord in the Old Testament is dark and foreboding. One scholar sees all of the 11 Day of Yahweh texts are in the context of prophetic doom events.

Six of them are against Judah/Israel

• Amos 5:18-22
• Isa 2:12
• Zeph 1:7-2:3
• Ezek 13:1-6
• Joel 1-2
• Mal 3:13-24

Five are against foreign nations:

1. Babylon (Isa 13:2-16)
2. Egypt (Ezek 30:1-9)
3. Edom (Obad 15-21)
4. All nations in general (Joel 3-4; Zech 14:1-21)

One of the characteristics of the Day of the Lord is that the heavenly bodies are darkened when the time for final judgment comes upon the nations. e.g. Isa 13:8-16; Joel 2:1-12,28-32; 3:1-21; Zech 14:1- 21; Amos 5:18-19.

This truth is good in helping one to understand prophecy. Truth found truth shared. CM

Source:

• -- Beasley-Murray, Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Grand Rapids, MI: W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1986., p. 11