Month: August 2023

The Day of the Lord, The Day of Christ, and the Great Day of the Wrath of the Lamb

On By TimIn Last Days, Revelation 06Leave a comment

I watched as He opened the sixth seal. And suddenly there was a great earthquake. The sun became black, like sackcloth made from goat hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when it is shaken by a strong wind. Then the heavens receded like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the commanding officers and the strong and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath has come. Who is able to withstand it?”

Revelation 6:12–17

The Bible is clear and precise. As the seals on the scroll are removed… We come to the sixth seal. As it opens, unmistakable apocalyptic events come to earth. Many of these events seem to line up with what the world is preparing for now. Something happens to the sun and moon that impels the rich and powerful into underground bunkers. They implore those bunkers to fall on them… Why?

They tell us. It’s is the great day of the wrath of the Lamb.

Alas! for that day is great, so that no one is like it; it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

Jeremiah 30:7

But is that great day the same as the Day of the Lord?

‘In the last days it shall be,’ says God, ‘that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below: blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Acts 2:17–21

That is Peter referencing the same thing… Sun into darkness and the moon turns to blood. This is the harbinger of the Day of the Lord.

Already we derive some facts…

  • The Day of the Lord is when the wrath of the Lamb is poured out.
  • The Day of the Lord is the time when Jesus comes.
  • It is not limited to a single 24-hour day.
  • Even unbelievers recognize it for what it is.

In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
I will gather all the nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment with them there regarding My people and My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land.
They have cast lots for My people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute; they have sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

Joel 3:1–3

It is a day distinctly Jewish in nature. It is the restoration of Israel. It is also a terrible time of judgment for unbelievers. Note that even the Holy Spirit drops a hint to the trafficking of children as part of the injustices.

Reading a bit further in Joel brings us to something unmistakable.

Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of the decision.
The sun and moon darken, and the stars withdraw their radiance.
The LORD roars from Zion, and sounds His voice from Jerusalem, and heaven and earth quake. But the LORD is a refuge for His people, and a stronghold for the children of Israel.

Joel 3:14–16

The Day of the Lord is the Day of wrath and the coming of the Lamb. That is unmistakable.

Concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you. For you know perfectly that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as others do. But let us be alert and sober.
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we should live together with Him. So comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Paul describes the Day of the Lord to the Thessalonians. It comes like a thief in the night. They say, peace and safety… These are not believers who are going to be surprised.

Paul then uses the idea of some escape from that day that these cannot do. The believers he is addressing are not in such peril. Why?

Because believers are not appointed to this time of wrath. That is, believers are removed as previously testified immediately before.

But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and arose again, so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be forever with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

This means the above happens as a way of escape BEFORE the day of the Lord. Now, examining the second epistle we can clearly understand what is said.

Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and concerning our gathering together unto Him, we ask you not to let your mind be quickly shaken or be troubled, neither in spirit nor by word, nor by letter coming as though from us, as if the day of Christ is already here.

2 Thessalonians 2:1–2

Paul uses the term “Day of Christ.” He is assuring his readers that it is not here. The “Day of Christ” is not the moment we are snatched away. That is spoken of as happening before the Day of Christ. Modern-day saints are snatched away before the wrath comes.

As we can see… The Day of the Lord, the Day of Christ, and the Day of the wrath of the Lamb… These are all the same period of time with different names.

If that is not enough to point to Who is taking vengeance… Let’s rewind back to Revelation 6.

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had held. They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers should be completed, who would be killed as they were.

Revelation 6:9–11

The ones who are asking for vengeance are the folks who have died for their testimony in the tribulation. They ask for their blood to be avenged.

Remember back in Numbers, where Moses instructed the Israelites to make sanctuary cities to protect from the avenger of blood?

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you are crossing over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall designate cities as your cities of refuge, so that a manslayer who unintentionally kills a person may flee there. The cities will be for you a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer does not die until he stands trial before the assembly. The cities which you designate shall be your six cities of refuge. You will give three cities across the Jordan, and three cities you will give in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge. For the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the foreign sojourner among them will be six cities. These will be for a refuge. Everyone that unintentionally kills any person may flee there.

Numbers 35:9–15

The Hebrew word for avenger is goel. It is the same word used in the book of Ruth for the redeemer… The Kinsman Redeemer. That’s Jesus.

Jesus is the Avenger of Blood and the Kinsman Redeemer.

Apostasia: What Does it Mean?

On By TimIn 2 Thessalonians 02, Apostasy, RaptureLeave a comment

Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and concerning our gathering together unto Him, we ask you not to let your mind be quickly shaken or be troubled, neither in spirit nor by word, nor by letter coming as though from us, as if the day of Christ is already here. Do not let anyone deceive you in any way. For that Day will not come unless a falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself as God.

2 Thessalonians 2:1–4

That falling away has always been taught that is an abandonment of faith. In our text, the words of faith are assumed to be there. They are not. In fact, some scholars think it’s better translated as a departure. But from what is not specified. Nevertheless, this leaving comes first… Then the man of sin is revealed.

A lot of people are confused by this already. They’ve always been taught that apostasy is falling away from faith or orthodoxy. That is what the word has come to mean in English. In our text above, it’s there is no object supplied to the word that means abandon.

Many will teach that the order of events established here are… First, there is a great abandonment of Christianity. Second comes the revealing of the antichrist.

Is that right?

Let’s take a deeper look at what Paul wrote.

Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? Now you know what restrains him that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already working. Only He who is now restraining him will do so until He is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth, and destroy with the brightness of His presence, even him, whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all deception of unrighteousness among those who perish, because they did not receive the love for the truth that they might be saved. Therefore God will send them a strong delusion, that they should believe the lie: that they all might be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 2:5–12

Paul elaborates on the timetable. I like to think that it is noting something important to understand, like Jesus saying, “Truly, truly.” It’s said twice. Pay attention.

The first thing that is important to note, Paul uses the word ‘He.’ It is a “He” that is to be removed. That is a pronoun pointing to a person. He has to be taken out of the way. Then the lawless one comes.

But… Who is that He?

It has to be God. Hod is the only one able to restrain this being.

How does God get taken out of the way?

It is God the Spirit working in the Body of Christ that must be removed. He is the One restraining evil, for now.

I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

God works in us until a certain point when the work is finished. It’s the day of Jesus Christ. That verse has hints to our text that will be covered in the next post. What is important is that the work of the Spirit is in believers and will be completed at some point.

So going back to this section, it is the Spirit working in believers that is first removed. The Spirit can’t be removed or taken away from believers. Now, the Scriptures tell us in Acts 2:38 that the Spirit is a gift to believers. The Scriptures also tell us in Romans 11:29 that God does not take back His gifts. So it must be that believers are removed with the Spirit!

The New Testament body of Christ leaves this Earth. It abandons the authority of earthly rulers and structures. The antichrist then comes with power and signs to deceive. God, in removing the influence of the Spirit at work in and through church saints takes out His influences on the planet. This results in a hardening of the hearts to those remaining. Then deception comes, without God’s help people succumb to the deception.

This doesn’t have good tidings for their future conversion. For those not saved, it’s not gonna be good.

Yet we give God thanks for the heads-up.

The end to all of this is Jesus redeeming the Earth. That is the Day of Christ, when He returns.

One thing I had not ever noticed before… Jesus slays the antichrist with the breath of His mouth. It’s an interesting and thought-provoking phrase. It’s very down to earth… Only nephesh (OT word that includes all creatures with blood) have the breath of the mouth. He is kinsman with all humans, but this the very thing that makes Him kin to all earth-dwellers, breathing. By that very breath the creation is set free, too.

For the eagerly expecting creation awaits eagerly the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation has been subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it, in the hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its servility to decay, into the glorious freedom of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers agony together until now.

Romans 8:19–22 (LEB)

Creation is ready for the freedom of the children of God that comes the very moment creation is freed. These are the ones that ride with Jesus as part of the armies of heaven. The children of God are direct creations of God (not procreation by human reproduction.) Church-age believers are new creations. Born of God, children of God. The ones who availed themselves of the right given by God to become children of God.