Reference: Day of the Lord
Hastings
The day in which Jehovah was expected to punish sinful Hebrews and the enemies of Israel, and to establish at least the righteous remnant of His people in political supremacy. The Hebrews believed implicitly that their God Jehovah was certain to defeat all rivals. Before Amos this view had not reached a definite eschatology, and probably involved only a general expectation of the triumph of Israel and Israel's God. With Amos, however, the conception of punishment became less ethnic and more moral. The sins of Israel itself deserved punishment, and Amos declared that the luxury of the nation, with all its economic oppression, had grown hateful to Jehovah, and unless abandoned would bring fearful punishment (Am 2:6-8; 3:9-15; 5:10-13; 6:4-8). The righteousness of Jehovah demanded that the sins of His people as well as those of the heathen should be punished. After Amos the thought of an awful day of Divine punishment was extended from Israel to a world of sinners. According to Zephaniah (Am 1:2-15; 2:4-15), punishment was now to come upon all wicked persons, both Jews and Gentiles, because of wrong. So, too, the unknown prophet who wrote under the name of Malachi. Ezekiel (Eze 30:2 f., Eze 34:12; 39:8 f.), however, reverted to the same national thought of a 'day of battle,' in which Jehovah would conquer all Israel's foes; and to some extent this same national idea is represented by Joel (Joe 2:18-27). With the later prophets there is to be seen an element of reconstruction as well as punishment in Jehovah's action. Sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles, are to be punished, but a pious remnant is to be saved, the beginnings of a new Israel.
It is clear that this conception of a great Day of Jehovah underlies much of the Messianic expectation of apocryphal literature. The establishment of a remnant of a pious Israel was the germ of the hope of the Messianic kingdom; and the Day of Jehovah itself became the Day of Judgment, which figures so largely in both Jewish and Christian Messianism. It fact, it is not too much to say that the eschatology of Judaism is really a development of the implications of the prophetic teaching as to the Day of Jehovah.
Shailer Mathews.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for my sheep and will deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day.
Jehovah was zealous for his land, and had pity on his people. Jehovah answered his people: Behold, I will send you grain, new wine and oil. You will be satisfied with it. I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. read more. I will remove the northern army far from you. I will drive it into a land barren and desolate. Its advance troops into the eastern sea and its rearguard into the western sea. It has done great things so its stench shall arise and its foul smell shall come up. Do not fear, O land, be glad and rejoice. Jehovah has done great things. Do not be afraid you beasts of the field. The pastures of the wilderness have turned green. The tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad you children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God! For he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes it to rain, the early rain and the latter rain, in the first month. The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. I will make up to you the years that the locust has eaten, my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of Jehovah your God. He has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame. You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Jehovah your God! There is none else and my people shall never be put to shame.
He said: Jehovah (YHWH) roars from Zion! He utters his voice from Jerusalem! The pastures of the shepherds mourn for lack of water. The top of Carmel withers. I will not hold back punishment, said Jehovah, For the many transgressions of Damascus. This is because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron. read more. I will send fire to the house of Hazael and it will devour the palaces of Ben-hadad. I will destroy the lock (bar) at the gate of Damascus, and annihilate the inhabitant from the valley of Aven. He who holds the scepter (imperial authority) from the house of Eden and the people of Syria will go into captivity to Kir, said Jehovah. Jehovah said: I will not withdraw punishment from Gaza for they transgressed many times. They captured all the people and delivered them to Edom. I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza. It will devour the palaces there. I will destroy the inhabitant of Ashdod. I will kill the king of Ashkelon (who holds the scepter). I will direct my power against Ekron. The remnant of the Philistines will perish, said the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. Jehovah continued: For the many transgressions of Tyre I will not withdraw punishment! They captured all the people and delivered them to Edom. They did not remember the brotherly covenant. I will send fire on the walls of Tyre. It will devour the palaces. Jehovah declared: For three and four transgressions of Edom, I will not withdraw punishment. He pursued his brother with the sword. He showed no compassion but was driven with anger and eternal wrath. I will send a fire upon Teman, and it will devour the palaces of Bozrah. Jehovah also said: For the many transgressions of the children of Ammon I will not withdraw the punishment. They have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead, that they may enlarge their border. I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah and devour its palaces. The battle cry in the day of battle will be heard and a storm in the day of the windstorm. Their king and his princes will go into captivity, said Jehovah.
Jehovah continued: I will not withdraw punishment for the many transgressions of Judah. For they have rejected the Law of Jehovah! They have not kept his statutes. Their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked. I will send fire upon Judah and it will devour the fortified buildings of Jerusalem. read more. Jehovah said: I will not withdraw punishment for (three sins of Israel, even for four) the many transgressions of Israel! They sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes.
Jehovah said: I will not withdraw punishment for (three sins of Israel, even for four) the many transgressions of Israel! They sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes. They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of lowly (meek) persons. They reject the humble! A man and his father have sexual relations with the same maiden, to profane my holy name.
They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of lowly (meek) persons. They reject the humble! A man and his father have sexual relations with the same maiden, to profane my holy name. They lie down beside every altar on clothes taken from indebtedness. In the house of their God they drink the wine they have confiscated.
They lie down beside every altar on clothes taken from indebtedness. In the house of their God they drink the wine they have confiscated. Before them I destroyed the Amorite. His height was like the height of the cedars. He was strong like the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath! read more. I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I led you forty years in the desert wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. I ordained some of your sons for prophets and some of your young men for Nazirites (dedicated ones). Is this true, O you children of Israel?: said Jehovah. But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying: 'Do Not Prophesy!' Consider this, I will weigh you down just as a wagon is weighed down when it is full of grain. Flight will perish from the swift! The strong will not increase his strength. The mighty will not save himself. The archer will not stand. The swift of foot will not save himself. The horseman will not deliver himself.
Publish it in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt. Proclaim and assemble on the mountains of Samaria, and observe the great trouble and oppression there. Those who store up violence and robbery in their dwellings do not know how to do what is right, declared Jehovah. read more. The Lord Jehovah spoke these words: An adversary will surround the land. He will defeat and tear down your defenses. He will plunder your dwellings. Jehovah said: As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so the children of Israel will be rescued. They sit in Samaria on the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed. Hear and testify against the house of Jacob, said the Lord Jehovah, the God of Hosts. The day that I punish Israel because of her sins I will also punish those at the altars of Bethel! The horns of the altar will be cut off, and fall to the ground. I will strike (destroy) the winter house and the summer house. The houses of ivory will perish, and the great houses will come to an end, said Jehovah.
You hate the one who reproves in the gate, and abhor him who speaks the truth (with integrity). You impose unfair rent on the poor and defraud a tribute of grain from them. You haave built houses of hewn stone yet you will not live in them. You planted pleasant vineyards, but you will not drink the wine from them. read more. I know you have many transgressions and your sins are great. You afflict the righteous. You take bribes. You refuse to help the needy at the gate. The prudent will keep silent for it is an evil time.
You lie on beds of ivory, and stretch on couches. You eat the the best lambs out of the flock and the fattest calves out of the stall. You sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David you improvise on musical instruments. read more. You drink wine in bowls, and anoint yourselves with the finest oils. But you are not grieved because of the affliction of Joseph. Therefore you will be captured with the first that go captive. Your feasting and lounging will pass away. The Lord Jehovah has sworn by himself. Jehovah, the God of Hosts declares: I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.
Morish
This cannot be separated from Messiah's day. It is often characterised by judgement: "A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness . . . . the day of the Lord is great and very terrible." Joe 2:2,11,31; Mal 4:1. "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night; for when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them." 1Th 5:2-3. "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." 2Pe 3:10. This scene is followed by 'THE DAY OF GOD' in 2Pe 3:12, which ushers in the new heavens and the new earth.
It is important to keep the 'day' quite distinct from the coming of the Lord to fetch His saints; for many have misapplied the term, and it has been constantly asserted that the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written to show the saints that it was wrong to be expecting the return of the Lord; whereas the fact is they thought the day of the Lord had come (though the First Epistle keeps the two things quite distinct: compare 1Th 4:13-18 with 1Th 5:1-4), and this could not come until Antichrist was revealed. There will be judgements before the millennium, and there will be judgements after the millennium, so that we may regard the Day of the Lord as extending through the millennium: it will be 'the Lord's' day in contrast to 'man's' day.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
It is a day of darkness and gloom! It is a day of clouds and thick darkness! The dawn spreads upon the mountains. This great and mighty people have never seen anything like this. Nor will it be like this again even to the years of many generations.
Jehovah speaks before his army. His camp is very great! He is strong that executes his word. The Day of Jehovah is great and very terrible! Who can endure it?
The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible (awesome) Day of Jehovah comes!
Jehovah of Hosts proclaims: The day is coming when all arrogant and evil people will burn like stubble. On that day they will burn up and there will be nothing left of them, either root or bough.
I do not want you to be ignorant brothers, concerning those who are asleep (in death). You do not need to sorrow like others who have no hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. read more. We tell you this by God's Word, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who are asleep. For the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first. We that are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so will we ever be with the Lord. Comfort one another with these words.
You have no need that I write to you about the times and dates, brothers. For you know perfectly that the Day of Jehovah will come like a thief in the night. (Zephaniah 1:14)
For you know perfectly that the Day of Jehovah will come like a thief in the night. (Zephaniah 1:14) When they say, Peace and security! then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They will not escape.
When they say, Peace and security! then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They will not escape. You do not live in the dark. That day should not overtake you by surprise as a thief would.
The day of Jehovah will come as a thief. The heavens will pass away with a great noise. The elements shall be dissolved with intense heat. And the earth and the works in it will be burned up (destroyed). (Joel 2:31) (Zephaniah 1:14)
Look for and earnestly desire the coming presence of the Day of Jehovah. (Zephaniah 1:14) The heavens being on fire will be dissolved (destroyed), and the elements will melt with intense heat!