Is The Day of the Lord Near?
The prophets all spoke of the day of the Lord. However, they all spoke of a time that was future to their day. Is the day of the Lord near to us?
Peter records that they did not prophesy for their time, but for a future generation. Abraham, who likewise saw the day of the Lord, (John 8:56),
saw it afar off (Heb. 11:13).
On the other hand, some in the New Testament saw the day of the Lord as having occurred as early as the mid-first century. (2 Thess 2:1).
Why is there such a wide span of time related to the day of the Lord? How can this time span as early as the first century to as long as some time in our future?
Such uncertainty creates endless speculations both about the veracity of end time prophecy and the time in which the event would occur.
Understanding the Day of the Lord
How can we come to any degree of sanity or certainty in our understanding? It’s not difficult. It simply takes a little thought, careful reading of the text, and clear thinking.
As we delve into the subject, let’s get a few of the intellectual and textual obstacles before us.
First, it is said that know one knows the day or the hour of the Lord’s return. So isn’t the attempt to know when it happens an exercise in futility?
Secondly, the Lord’s coming is said to be like a thief in the night. Thieves are not in the habit of pre-announcing their arrival, for fear that the owner may be waiting to surprise them.
There are six indicators of the Lord’s return that help us to identify the time without violating either of the requirements above. They answer the question of is the day of the Lord near?
Once these are understood, the mystery about the time of the “”day of the Lord vanishes. The following indicators help to pinpoint the time with a reasonable degree of certainty.
Signs Pointing to the Day of the Lord
- The coming of Elijah the prophet.Malachi announced that Elijah would appear before the coming of the day of the Lord,
(Malachi 4:5, 6)The New Testament records that Elijah isJohn the Baptist. Luke 1:16, 17; Matt. 11:11,17:11–13. This is a first century event. - The coming of the Holy Spirit.Joel prophesied that the Holy Spirit would be poured out in the last days before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Peter affirms that 50 days after Jesus was crucified, the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost of A.D. 30 as precursor to the end.
- “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pourout of My Spirit on all flesh. . . The sun shall be turned in to darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. . . (Acts 2:16–20).
- The world-wide preaching of the gospel. Another sign that the day of the Lord was at hand in the apostles day was the world-
wide spread of the gospel.“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”The apostles affirmed the gospel was in fact preached to all the world in their day before Jerusalem fell. (Rom. 1:5; 10:18, 16:26, Col. 1:5, 6, 23).
Those who object to the gospel going to all the world in the first century, fail to recognize that “all the world” used in context referred to the Roman empire, per Luke 2:1, 2).
- The abomination of desolation.Daniel predicted the abomination of desolation, i.e. the profaning of the temple in Jerusalem before the time of the end.Jesus announces Daniel’s prophecy relates to the subject of the destruction of Jerusalem.“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of By Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Mt. 24:15)What is significant here is that this Luke ties this same prophecy to the day of the Lord, Luke 17:30, 31).“Even so will it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his good are in the house, let him not come down to take them away…In chapter 21, Luke connects all points in connection with the Roman invasion and desolation of Jerusalem, (Luke 21:20–22).
- The great apostasy.In response to the Thessalonicans’ “trigger happy” enthusiasm, in believing that Christ had come as early as 50 A.D., Paul had to curb their zeal.However, it is significant, that these believers did not see the Lord’s coming as a planet ending event. They recognized that life would continue on earth as usual. Nor did they anticipate Rapture. Yet, Paul had to give them some physical signs
so they weren’t misled. (2 Thess 2:1, 2).“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first…” (2 Thess. 2:3)
The apostasy or falling away is well documented in the New Testament from Galatians, 2 Timothy, Hebrews, 2 Peter, Jude and Revelation.
- The coming of the lawless one, i.e. man of sin.The last sign was the coming of the man of sin, i.e. the lawless one, (2 Thess 2:3).
Paul says the mystery of lawlessness was already at work in his day.Obviously, the Thessalonicans knew by former conversations to whom Paul referred. “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I I told you these things?And you now what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. (2 Thess 2:5–7) Thus, until they observed the revelation of the apostasy and destruction of the man of sin, they could not conclude that Christ came.
Day of the Lord Clearly Marked for First Century Fulfillment
With all of these signs occurring in the first century, it should be clear why Christ taught the day of the Lord would occur within his generation, (Matt. 24:34).
This also shows why the apostles all taught the day of the Lord was at hand, or imminent in their time, (Rom. 13:11, 12; 1 Cor. 10:11; Gal. 5:5; Phil. 4:5; Hebrews 10:25, 37, James 5:7, 8, 1 Peter 4:5–7, 13, Revelation 1:1–3; 22:6–10).
But now we come to the last question of the day and hour being unknown and coming as a thief in the night.
Very simply, Jesus predicted the “generation” not the day and the hour. There is no contradiction. You can know the generation or “general” time in which an event occurs without knowing the day an hour.
For example, let’s say that your children promised to visit you next year. They have not chose a date booked their flights or made any travel arrangements.
If that’s all the information they gave you, would you know the day and hour they would arrive? No. You’d only know a general time, i.e. that they are coming the next year.
In like manner, Jesus spoke of coming within his generation. Yet, he did not specify the day and hour. Thus, the disciples could know the general time and follow the signs being revealed in their generation.
Lastly, Jesus’ promise to come as a thief was directed not to believers, but to unbelievers. It is the unbelievers who did not recognize the signs.
Why? It’s because they did not believe in him as their Messiah and king. In each of the passages that mention his coming as a thief, he always applies that language to the unbelievers.
When the Lord spoke of his coming as a thief, he referred to the event in Noah’s day, saying that the people continued their every day norms and did not know until the flood came overtaking them.
Likewise, it would be the same when Jesus returned upon that generation, Matt. 24:37–39. Paul says the day of the Lord would not overtake Christians as a thief, but those in darkness. In Revelation, Jesus said, he would come as a thief to those who would not watch. (Rev. 3:3, 16:15).
For more studies on the day of the Lord and Jesus’ first century return, order your copy of The Re-Examination by the author.
Anyone who thinks that the “day of the Lord” happened in 70 AD is sadly mistaken and is setting themselves up for deception.
Jesus made it clear in his Olivette discourse that the event in 70AD (described by Luke) is different from the Abomination of Desolation that is still future (Matthew 24 & 25) but seemingly within a few years from now.
If it all happened in 70 AD there is nothing to watch for now. This causes an induced apathy that the god of this world wants for Christians.
This author should have declared himself to be amillennial or a preterist, up front.
Jack, it’s always wise to be cautious in pointing the finger. You state that we are sadly mistaken and are setting ourselves up for deception. Doesn’t that work both ways? Could it be that those who claim Christ’s coming is yet future and extended beyond 70AD could just as easily be mistaken and deceived?. You’ve suggested that the coming described by Luke in 70 AD differs from that in Matthew 24-25, which you suggest is “seemingly” within a few years from now. How do you make such determination? Where’s your proof? How many times have we heard it before that the return of the Lord is just a few short years away? Didn’t Hal Lindsey predict that within 40 years of Israel becoming a state, the end would occur? That would have been 1988. The same was true of Edgar Whisenant’s 88 Reasons Why the Rapture would occur in 1988, which did not happen, so he changed to 1989. Most recently were Harold Camping’s failed predictions. What proof can you give us that you are not also deceived? (I say this kindly). Can you be any more precise than by saying “seemingly within a few years from now?” How long is that? Is it longer than the 40 years from 1948 to 1988? Shorter, etc?
Now, to respond to your claim that Matthew 24 and Luke are different, consider the following: Both events are said to occur within that existing generation, Matt. 24:34 and Luke 21:32. Both events were addressed to the contemporary audience of Christ, i.e. to Peter, James John and Andrew particularly and referenced their generation. Both chapters discuss the temple, i.e. the “holy place” in Matthew 24:15 equals “Jerusalem” where the temple was situated in Luke 21:22).
Both speak of the coming of the Lord, with warnings to flee the city at the approach of the enemy (Rome). Both speak of of the coming of the Son of Man in his kingdom, (Luke 21:31, Matt. 24:30, 25:1-10. 31; 16:28). Both relate the events of the mourning of the tribes of Israel at the destruction of their city (Matt. 24:30; Luke 21-27).
“If it all happened in 70AD there is nothing to watch for now. This causes an induced apathy that the god of this world wants for Christians.” To the contrary. That statement is a direct contradiction of the word of God. Reduced to its most simple form, here is what it says. If God fulfills his word, the world has nothing. Let me say upfront, that it is true that those who understand Jesus has returned are not looking for him to pop out of the sky on a cloud. We are not looking for the world to burn up or for a literal thousand years reign on a literal throne in Jerusalem. We are not looking for the kind of cataclysmic destruction of the universe spoken of in futurist “scare-me-to-death” prophecies which never come true.
The fact of the matter is that it was Dispensationalism and the failure of futurist prophecies that have induced the apathy of which you speak. So many people have turned off from Christianity because they believe the prophecies of Christ are a farce. What they are really turned off about is the number of false prophecies purported to be true that always fail as described above.
Next, it is a documented fact that the writings of Dispensationalists lead to apathy. “The national media, e.g. US News & World Report, appears to favor the premillennial view of Christianity. In doing so, they tell Christians that resistance to the “New World Order” is “usesless, for it is prophesied in Scripture:” U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 19, 1994, quoted in Death of the Church Victorious by Ovid Need, Jr, p. 259. He goes on to report that Millennialism helped Communism to prosper, and benefited Marxism, stating that America’s 1933 recognition of the Communist USSR government would never have happened if the Moody Monthly had not said that the Second Coming would solve the problem.
The truth of the matter is, God’s word says non-fulfillment creates apathy. Isn’t that precisely what the Scoffers were saying in 2 Peter 3? Where is the promise of His coming? They were apathetic because they “thought” the promise was delayed, that it wouldn’t be fulfilled in their lifetime, i.e. their generation as Jesus had promised. They reasoned that a promise which was delayed by more then 35 years was too long to wait, so apathy set in and they began to mock the apostles. “Where is the promise of his coming?” Yet, you argue for an even longer delay of almost 2000 years! So, if 35 to 38 years could create apathy on the part of Jews in the first century, HOW MUCH APATHY would almost two centuries create today?
Finally, the Bible says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes it is a tree of life.” (Prov. 13:19). Non-fulfillment makes the heart sick, i.e. creates apathy. Thus we totally disagree with your assessment. Fulfillment empowers you and gives hope that God always does as he promises, in the time he promises. On the other hand, when the desire (promise) is fulfilled, God says it is not apathy, but a “tree of life.” So, you decide which do you want, apathy from non-fulfillment, or a “tree of life” because God kept his word. I’ve made my decision.
I agree brother William…how so many can deny the Words in Scripture and overlook the 1st century Believers standing in front of Christ, pridefully putting themselves in the 1st century Believer’s place.
My question is reference 1 COR 11:23-26.
If apostle Paul taught, “FOR AS OFTEN AS YOU EAT THIS BREAD AND DRINK THE CUP YOU PROCLAIM CHRIST’S DEATH UNTIL HE COMES.”
Since Christ came in 70 AD, should there be no Communion during Church Service to commemorate Christ’s death since He has died, Resurrected, Risen, Ascended, and He returned in 70 AD? Is it not disrespectful to partake in Communion during the Service since we shouldn’t commemorate Christ’s death but rather His Life…He is Alive and sits at the right Hand of the Father, and He Lives in us? I thought only the RCC celebrated Communion every week, but do all modern day Churches do the same, and is this what we should be doing? Thank you brother…GOD Bless.
Louise, I am studying this very subject at the present and also conversing with others about it. I will post an update if and when I reach a solid conclusion. Thanks for raising the issue.
Excellent article! Very concise and understandable. It’s hard to get away from the time statements in the Bible. I’m amazed that I didn’t see these points 30 years ago. Dispensationalism never made sense back then – now I know why. Keep up the good work Bro. William – and have a happy New Year.
yep i’ve been studying this since i came across ” spirit of prophecy” about 40 years ago. it got me “kicked out” of a certain bible college at the time. i don’t regret accidentally finding that book all those years ago. i appreciate you all doing a fantastic job of showing folks what the bible means
Michael, thanks. Glad to know you are still holding to these truths. We know exactly what you went through.