The Day of the Lord

[Alan]

“The Day of the Lord”

The day of the Lord, as prophesied by the Old Testament prophets, starts at Revelation 6:1 and continues until Revelation 22:1 as revealed by John the apostle.

During ‘the day of the Lord,’ God will fulfill all of the unfulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament prophets. Acts 3:19-23, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed among the people.”

The prophesies of the Old Testament prophets revolve around the Lord Jesus. Revelation 19:10, “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The context of the phrase “the day of the Lord,” or “in that day,” or “And in that day,” or, “in the last times.” in the prophets of the Old Testament determines whether or not it was a prophecy for the Jews in that time period or for the “end times” as depicted in Revelation 6:1-22:1

In the book of Revelation we can clearly see that the 7 Seals, the 7 Trumpets, the 3 Woes, the 7 Thunders, and the 7 vials run concurrently. The “Day of the Lord” is the fulling of the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets concerning these events occurring in the 7 year Tribulation period and ending in Revelation 21:1

Some examples of the unfulfilled prophecies of the “Day of the Lord” written in the Old Testament book of Isaiah the prophet.

1. Isaiah 2:1-5, “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.”

This prophecy will be fulfilled during the 1,000 Year reign of Christ Revelation 20:3-6

2. Isaiah 2:10-22, “the day of the Lord” verse 12.

This prophecy will be fulfilled during the 7-Year Tribulation Period in Revelation 6:1-19:21

3. Isaiah 4:1-6, “And in that day” in verse 1 and 2 is the day of the Lord.

This prophecy will be fulfilled during the 1,000 Year reign of Christ as revealed by John in Revelation 20:3-6

4. Isaiah 11:6-16, “And in that day” in verse 10 and 11 is the day of the Lord.

This prophecy will be fulfilled during the 1,000 Year reign of Christ in Revelation 20:3-6

5. Isaiah 13:6-16, “day of the Lord” verse 6 and 9.

Isaiah 13:6-8, “Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed at one another; there faces shall be as flames.”

Pastor Steven Anderson and the Day of the LORD in Isaiah 13:9-11

In his commentary on Revelation Chapter 6, Pastor Steven Anderson will quote from Isaiah 13:6-8 but he totally ignores the continuation of the prophecy of the day of the Lord as prophesied in Isaiah 13:9-11, “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkness in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and I will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”

The prophecy of 13:9, “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners out of it ...” is an apt description of the terrors upon the entire world as the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Seals in Revelation 6:3-9 and concluding with the opening of the Sixth Seal in Revelation 6:12

The prophecy of Isaiah 13:10 is fulfilled in Revelation 8:12. Revelation 8:12, “And the forth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it and the night likewise.”

Therefore, Anderson is mistaken and cannot ‘rightly divide the scriptures.’ Isaiah 13:9-11 is a condensation of the wrath, and terror, of God on the entire world in the opening of the 6 Seals in Revelation Chapter 6.It is my opinion that Pastor Anderson is deliberate in his omission of Isaiah 13:9-11 in order to deceive his listeners.

6 . Isaiah 14:1-3, “in that day” in verse 3 is the day of the Lord.

This prophecy will be fulfilled during the 1,000 Year reign of Christ Revelation 20:3-6 Isaiah 19:16-25, “in that day” in verse 16, 18, 19, 23 and 25 is the day of the Lord.

This prophecy will be fulfilled during the 1,000 Year reign of Christ in Revelation 20:3-6

7. Isaiah 34:1-3

Isaiah 34:8, “For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.”

This prophecy will be fulfilled during the 7-Year Tribulation Period in Revelation 6:1-19:21

Isaiah 34:4 will be fulfilled after the Great White Throne of Judgment as recorded in Revelation 21:1

“And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.” Isaiah 34:4

 

• 2 Peter 3:10-13, “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. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein he heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

  • Isaiah 65:7, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

• • • This prophecy will be fulfilled in Revelation 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.”

Anderson and Revelation 21:1, “The Day of the Lord’

The apostle Peter clearly, and unmistakably, said, “But the day of the Lord ...”The apostle clearly quoted Isaiah the prophet from Isaiah 65:17. Therefore, the creation of the “new heavens and the new earth” is an intricate part of “the day of Lord.”

In his audio, and text copy, of his commentary on Revelation 21 pastor Steven Anderson after quoting 2 Peter 2:10-13 states, “So the Bible tells us that because we know that everything on this earth is going to be dissolved, and that there is eventually going to be a new heaven and a new earth, that should affect the way that we live our life. I mean, what manner of persons ought we to be, if we know that everything around us is going to be burned up.”ⁱ Pastor Anderson does not make one comment on when the apostle Peter said, “… the day of the Lord ...”

Furthermore, even though the apostle John is clearly quoting the prophet Isaiah, Anderson will not acknowledge the prophecy of Isaiah 65:17. In my estimation, Anderson omits all of this vital, and doctrinal information, on purpose in order to deceive his listeners on the vitally important doctrine of “the day of the Lord.”

• • • Therefore, “the day of the Lord,” is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets starting at the beginning of the 7 year Tribulation Period, Revelation 6:1 to Revelation 21:1

      Pastor Steven Anderson and the Prophecies fulfilling “The Day of the Lord”

Pastor Anderson does not believe that the unfulfilled prophecies, previously quoted, represent “the day of the Lord.” Anderson teaches that only “one day,” the opening of the sixth seal, Revelation 6:12-17, is the complete fulfillment of “the day of the Lord.” Anderson states, “Now, I believe that the day of the Lord is a LITERAL DAY. I’m not saying that it’s an hour period, I’m saying that it’s a day on the calendar as it were.”ⁱⁱ

Pastor Anderson is wrong. The ‘day of the Lord’ is the time frame from Revelation 6:1-21:1

• Also, according to Pastor Anderson, Revelation 6:12 is ‘the day of the Lord’ when the rapture of the church takes place. Anderson states, “Now, according to Matthew 24:29, when the sun and moon are darkened, Christ comes in the clouds and we are gathered together unto him. So is this a good day for us, or a bad day for us? It's a great day. But if you're not saved, is this a good day when you are left behind to face the wrath of Almighty God? It's a terrible day, it's a horrible day.”ⁱⁱⁱ

Again, based on his incorrect interpretation of Matthew 24:29, Anderson teaches that the rapture occurs in Revelation 6:12-17 and that “one day” is, “the day of the Lord.”

Conclusion. The “day of the Lord’ is the fulfilling of the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets that occurs as described by John the Apostle in Revelation 6:1-21:1

i Anderson, Steven Revelation 21 copied on April 6, 2019 <http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/revelation_21.html>

ii Anderson, Steven Revelation 6 copied on April 30, 2019 <http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/revelation_6.html>

iii Anderson, Steven Revelation 6 copied on April 30, 2019 <http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/revelation_6.html>

Edited June 1, 2019 by Alan
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[John Young]

29 minutes ago, Alan said:

In the book of Revelation we can clearly see that the 7 Seals, the 7 Trumpets, the 3 Woes, the 7 Thunders, and the 7 vials run concurrently.

By "concurrently", Do you mean progressively in order, all at once, or like the first seal happening with the first trumpet, and first vial, etc?

Edited May 8, 2019 by John Young

[Alan]

Concurrently: 1. To agree. 2. To act together. 3. To occur at the same time.

Progressively in order, with some intermingling. I do not think the first seal occurs at the time of the first trumpet etc.. I think we need to bear in mind that there are numerous disasters occurring, and intermingling, with the other disasters. 

For example.

Revelation 6:7, the fourth seal, death stalks the world.

Revelation 8:9 the second angel sounds and the great mountain falls into the sea and causes a huge amount of loss of life.

Revelation 9:18 due to the large army of two hundred thousand, and the other two plagues, over one third of the population of the world dies.

Revelation 16:8 the fourth angel, with the fourth vial, causes the sun to scorch men with fire.

All the above examples seem to occur concurrently and cause great death, terror, and world-wide destruction. Are all the same? No. Do all produce the same result: death and terror? Yes, so they somewhat agree with the results are taken into consideration. Are they progressive. Yes and no.

So, I cannot see how each trumpet, seal, vial, woe, is caused to happen at the same time but the results are the same: death on a world-wide scale, terror, and the wrath of God on all of the earth. So, I think concurrently is the best word to use.

 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2019 by Alan
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[Eric Stahl]

Ownership of earth will be taken by God through war in heaven spoken of in Revelation 12. this happens at the middle of the tribulation.

 

Revelation 11:3-7,15

3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

 

14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

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.

Edited May 8, 2019 by Eric Stahl

[John Young]

22 hours ago, Alan said:

Progressively in order, with some intermingling.

That makes sense. I see the events starting in progressive order with the the results of each continuing into the next. The Basic order of events being in four sections, at the end of which is a return for and a judgement. The 7 Churches he admonishes Holy Ghost Filled Saints and prepares them for His inseminate return for them and Judgement in Chapter 4. The 7 Seals is the events preparing the way for His Glory to return and cleanse the Israelite Temple and seal the 144,000 in chapter 7. The 7 Trumpet events are there to prepare the World for the return of the Lamb in Chapter 14 to set up his Earthly Kingdom. Then the 7 vials judging the Wore and preparing for the return of the Word of God and Jerusalem in Chapter 19/21.

Edited May 9, 2019 by John Young

[Alan]

Eric and John Young,

Thank you for your comments and participation.

The scenes in heaven that the apostle John sees in Revelation 11:1-19 and in 7:1-17 and 8:1-7 (the Seven Seals), are both wonderful studies in themselves. 

In my Clarence Larkin thread, "The Book of Revelation," I had mentioned, very briefly, both of these chapters. here is the link to the Clarence Larkin Study:

Brethren,

I would encourage all of you to study the book, "The Book of Revelation," by Clarence Larkin. The material contained therein is priceless in the study of the book of Revelation. The graphs are expertly made, loyal to the scriptures,  the notes on the individual Seals, Trumpets, Vials, Woes, "The Times of the Gentiles," the restoration of the nation of Israel, the literal Millennium, are not surpassed by any other commentary that I know of.

Also, I am in the process of making the next lesson for, "The Day of the Lord." The lesson will be on the prophecy of Zephaniah 1:14-18.

May the Lord bless all of you.

Alan

 

[Alan]

Zephaniah 1:14-18, “The Day of the LORD- A Time of Wrath”

The prophet Zephaniah prophesied, “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.” Zephaniah 1:14-18

The prophet Zephaniah further stated, “Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” Zephaniah 3:8

None, may I repeat none, of the prophecies of Zephaniah quoted above has taken place either literally, spiritually, allegorically, since Zephaniah penned these prophecies. All of these prophecies are still future and will commence at the opening of the First Seal in Revelation 6:1 and continue, concurrently, as the Seventh Seal is opened in Revelation 8:1. The continuation of the wrath of God in included in the 7 Trumpets, the 7 Thunders, the 7 Vials and the 3 woes.

Therefore, as previously stated, according to the prophets of the Old Testament, “the day of the Lord,” besides the complete 7 years in the Tribulation Period, includes the gathering of the Jews as spoken by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:29-31.

Introduction - The Old Testament Prophets

God gave us the prophets, and the nation of Israel, as an example to clearly show us how He brings His wrath upon men. 1 Corinthians 10:6 & 11, “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. … Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

Hosea 12:10, “I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.” God speaks through the prophets. If a person is going to learn the correct, and I emphasize the word correct, interpretation of the book of Revelation than it is of a necessity for that individual to learn the ministry, the visions, the similitudes, the dreams of the prophets of the Old Testament.

I will give three examples.

First example. In order to know the correct interpretation of Revelation 12:1-6, the woman clothed with the sun, we must go to the dreams of Joseph in Genesis 37:1-11.

Second Example. In order to know the correct interpretation of Revelation 6:1-12, the Seven Seals, and determine whether or not it is ‘the wrath of God’ and the ‘day of the Lord’ one must go to the prophets. In conjunction with Zephaniah, in this study we will look at Ezekiel and Isaiah.

Third Example. In the Six Seals we see the wrath of God poured out upon the entire world in order to punish the world in the following four judgments: The Sword – Revelation 6:1-4, Famine – Revelation 6:5-6, Pestilence, and the beasts of the earth – Revelation 6:7-8. God used all four of these judgments, clearly stated as His “wrath” on the Jews as in Revelation 6:1-8 as recorded in Jeremiah 15:1-4; 16:1-4 and 32:36-37 and Ezekiel 5:12-17 and 7:15

Zephaniah 1:14-18 and the & 7-Year Tribulation Period

“That day is a day of wrath...” The prophet Zephaniah clearly prophesies that the day of the Lord will be a day of wrath. All of the proceeding prophecies in Zephaniah 1:14-18 are clearly seen in the 6 Seals as recorded in Revelation 6 and in the opening of the Seventh Seal in Revelation 8:1 and following.

The prophet Jeremiah gave us an example of the “great wrath” of God upon the Jews and as an example to us what God is going to do on a world-wide scale in Revelation 6. “And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.” Jeremiah 32:36-37

The “great wrath” of God on the nations of the world will commence at the First Seal as recorded in Revelation 6:1-4

Zephaniah further prophesied, “… a day of trouble and distress ...” All of the 6 Seals; the Seventh Seal includes the 7 Trumpets, the 7 Thunders, the 7 Vials, and the three woes, are, “a day of trouble and distress” upon the whole earth. The Lord Jesus emphasized the prophecy of Zephaniah when Zephaniah said, “a day of trouble and distress. “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” Luke 21:26

Zephaniah further prophesied, “… a day of wasteness and desolation ...” All of the 6 Seals, including the Seventh Seal that includes the 7 Trumpets, the 7 Thunders, the 7 Vials, and the three woes, are, “a day of trouble and distress” upon the whole earth.

Zephaniah further prophesied, “… and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness ...”

This coincides with the prophecy of Isaiah 9:19, “Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel to the fire: no man shall spare his brother.” The wrath of darkness and the killing of one’s own family members will be on a world-wide scale in the Second Seal, the Red Horse. Isaiah and Zephaniah clearly state that this is “wrath” from the Lord.

Isaiah is also clear in Isaiah 13:6-13, that I previously brought out, the wrath of the day of the Lord is to “punish the world.” Included in Isaiah’s prophecy is, “For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.” Isaiah 13:10

The Second Seal coincides, and concurrently, with the Fourth Angel sounding the Fourth Trumpet in Revelation 8:12, “And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.” Therefore this is conclusive evidence that the 7 Seals and the 7 Trumpets are both a part of the wrath of God, both are a part of the ‘day of the Lord’ and both are in fulfillment of the prophet Zephaniah in Zephaniah 1:14-18

The Second Seal also coincides with the Fifth angel pouring out the Fifth Vial upon the kingdom of the Beast in Revelation 16:10, “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues with pain.” 

So, the Second Seal is part of, and runs concurrently of, the ‘vials of the wrath of God upon the earth’ Revelation 16:1

Therefore, the ‘gloominess, a day of clouds, and thick darkness,’ on a world-wide scale is a part of the wrath of God that will take place in the Second Seal, the Fourth Trumpet, and the Fifth Vial.

Zephaniah further prophesied, “A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.” This is a clear prophesy of the First Seal, the Second Seal, and one of the Thunder Judgments; not revealed according to Revelation 10:3-4. The sounding of the trumpet as prophesied by Zephaniah is clearly a sound of war; the anti-Christ, by warfare, starts his conquest of the entire world.

Revelation 6:1-4 states, “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”

So, the prophesy of Zephaniah, concerning the ‘wrath of God,’ starts at the First Seal in Revelation 6:1 and continues throughout the entire 7 years. According to the Lord Jesus, the wrath of God is so intense that unless God shortened the days, in order to save the ‘elect’ sons the Jacob, the Jewish race, than the entire human race would be destroyed by the end of the Seals, the Trumpets, the Thunders, the Vials, and the woes. “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elects sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:22

The Lord Jesus plainly stated that all of the prophecies of the prophets, Zephaniah as this lesson’s example, will be fulfilled. “For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” Luke 21:22

Pastor Anderson Disbelief of the prophecy of Zephaniah, Isaiah & Ezekiel

Concerning the first Four Seals, Pastor Anderson is in denial that they have anything to do with the wrath of God. Anderson states, “So that shows that the events of the first four seals are NOT THE WRATH of God. And obviously the fifth seal is not the wrath of God, it's Christians being killed for the cause of Christ, that's not God doing that.”ⁱ

Anderson is in error. According to the prophet Zephaniah, and by example Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the first Five Seals are the wrath of God poured out on the entire world. The saints in Revelation 6 are saints in the Tribulation Period and not saints in the Body of Christ: Christians.

Concerning the world-wide destruction within the first 4 Seals in Revelation 6:1-8, Anderson states, “And by the way, I believe that all of these things are man-made, they’re clearly not the wrath of God, and I’ve proved that in other sermons. These are engineered in order to put the antichrist in power because it takes a crisis in order to put a world government like that in power, and the crisis is created with those first four seals.”ⁱⁱ

Anderson offers no substantial scriptural proof that the seal judgments are not the wrath of God. The proof that Anderson offers, “in other sermons,” that the Seal Judgments are “man-made” and “engineered in order to put the antichrist is power” are messages against the United States, messages against the Jewish race, and numerous ‘conspiracy theories.’

Conclusion

According to the prophet Zephaniah, and the examples of the prophet Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, the 6 Seals, and the other concurrent judgments, are all part of the wrath of God, upon the entire world, as described in the 7-Year Tribulation period. The wrath of God, as prophesied by Zephaniah, is plainly evident in Revelation 6. It is only due to the mercy of God for His chosen people, the sons of Jacob, the Jewish race, that the entire world is not killed.

i Anderson, Steven Revelation 6 copied on April 30, 2019 <http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/revelation_6.html>

ii Anderson, Steven Revelation 12 copied on May 13, 2019 <http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/revelation_12.html>

Edited May 16, 2019 by Alan
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[John Young]

2 hours ago, Alan said:

Concerning the first Four Seals, Pastor Anderson is in denial that they have anything to do with the wrath of God.

To say nothing of the fact that it is literally Christ, God the Son, who took the Book out of God the Father's hand and is opening each of the seals. Also, the fact that much of the Judgement God sent against Israel in their disobedience appeared "man made" but was clearly claimed to be by His determinant will that could be changed. Such as in Ezekiel 21, letting them know the King of Babylon at the crossroads was his doing and what they did next would determine which road God would send him down.

Edited May 16, 2019 by John Young

[Alan]

1 hour ago, John Young said:

To say nothing of the fact that it is literally Christ, God the Son, who took the Book out of God the Father's hand and is opening each of the seals. Also, the fact that much of the Judgement God sent against Israel in their disobedience appeared "man made" but was clearly claimed to be by His determinant will that could be changed. Such as in Ezekiel 21, letting them know the King of Babylon at the crossroads was his doing and what they did next would determine which road God would send him down.

Thank you for your fine addition to this study.

1. Psalm 75:8, "For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink the." All of the wicked shall drink of the dregs of the mixture of the seals of wrath, punishment, and judgment. Revelation 17:2 & 19:2

2. In the entire chapter of Ezekiel 21 we have God directing the King of Babylon to do His will in punishing the nation of Israel for their,  idolatry, unbelief, hypocrisy, and other transgressions. And, as in their day, so it is in our age, false teachers including Anderson, cannot see that it is the wrath of God on the entire earth during the entire 7-Year Tribulation Period. Ezekiel 21 is a study in itself.

[Eric Stahl]

The day of the Lord is very very very near because Israel the nation not desired is gathered.

Zephaniah 1:14-15,2:1-3

14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

2:1-3

1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you.

3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

Edited May 18, 2019 by Eric Stahl

[Alan]

Eric,

That you for pointing out to us more closely Zephaniah 1:14a and 2:1-3.

Zephaniah 2:1, "Gather yourselves together, ye, gather together, O nation not desired." has been true since the day Zephaniah penned these words.

1. The nations surrounding Israel, to this day, despise, or as Zephaniah wrote, "not desired,"  the nation of Israel.

2. Even in the state of Israel, the "Palestinian" movement despise, or, "do not desire," the Jews and are trying hard to wrest the country away from them.

3. The Muslims throughout the world, despise, or, "do not desire," the nation of Israel: the Jews.

4. The Catholics, the Reformed churches, and numerous other religious bodies, openly despise, or do not "desire," the Jews and the nation of Israel.

5. Sad to say, the "new IFB" movement, "does not desire", or despise, the nation of Israel, the Jews, in our age.

Yes, the prophecy of Zephaniah is true to this day.

Alan

[Alan]

Brethren,

I am starting the next lesson of this this study of, "The Day of the Lord," in the book of Zephaniah.

In our next lesson, Zephaniah 3:8 will be our starting point, and the main emphasis will be in 3:9-20. We will look at specific prophecies of "the day of the Lord" that Zephaniah clearly enumerate  that will occur, "in the day" (3:11 & 16) and "at that time" (verse 3:19 & 20). 

Alan

[Alan]

Zephaniah 3:9-20, “The Day of the Lord – A Time of Joy”

Introduction

In my previous lessons on “the day of the Lord” we have seen that, according to Acts 3:19-23, that during the “day of the Lord all of the unfulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament prophets will be fulfilled.

And, that the beginning of “the day of the Lord” occurs at the coming of Christ for the saints in the Body of Christ, the rapture, which immediately initiates the 7-Year Tribulation Period in Revelation 6:1 and concludes at the creation of the New heaven and the New Earth as recorded in Revelation 21:1

In my previous lesson on Zephaniah 1:14-18, we have seen that, as most people accept, that “the day of Lord is a time of wrath.” This time of wrath begins in Revelation 6:1 and ends at the coming of Christ with His saints as revealed in three different perspectives in the book of Revelation: Revelation 6:12-17; 14:14-20 and 19:11-21

Therefore, since the “day of the Lord” begins in Revelation 6:1 and ends in Revelation 21:1, the day of the Lord includes: A Time of Wrath, A Time of Joy, and a Time of Rejuvenation. All of these aspects of “the day of the Lord” are evidenced in the Old Testament prophets and will be fulfilled as recorded.

Zephaniah 3:8, The Indignation of God upon the Nations

Zephaniah 3:8 says, “Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” The prophet Zephaniah is continuing his prophecy of, “the day of LORD” when God pours out His wrath upon the nations, the kingdoms, of the earth. In Zephaniah 3:8 we see the fulfillment of the wrath of God upon the whole earth and we can grasp a clear picture of the fulfillment of Joel 3:9-17 and the destruction of the nations of the world at the battle of Armageddon as described by John the apostle in Revelation 19:11-21

Terminology of the Day of the Lord in Isaiah and Zephaniah

From start to finish, the book of Isaiah is full of prophecies concerning, “the day of the LORD” as a time of the wrath of God and the restoration of the nation of Israel, Revelation 20:4-6, being referenced as:

1. “the last days” Isaiah 2:1-5

2. “in that day” Isaiah 4:1-6

3. “at that day,” Isaiah 12:1-6

6. “it” in Isaiah 13:6

7. “it” Isaiah 13:14

Therefore, when the context of the passage is “the day of the LORD” the prophet Isaiah and Zephaniah refers to that day as: “the last days” or “in that day” or “at that day” or “it.”

Zephaniah 3:9-20 and Revelation 20:1-6

Immediately after the events of Revelation 19:11-21 John the apostle tells us of two events that are both literal, occur in quick succession, and have the same time frame of 1,000 years:

(1) In Revelation 20:1-3 Satan is bound in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. By way of a preview, Zephaniah refers to this incident, by a description of the events and not by name, in Zephaniah 3:15.

(2) In Revelation 20:4-6 the Lord Jesus, as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, reigns for 1,000 years on the earth. Again, by way of preview of this study, Zephaniah refers to this incident, by a description of the events, and not entirely by full title also in Zephaniah 3:15

Zephaniah 3:9-20 is a description of the 1,000 year reign of Christ on the earth and is a continuation of “the day of the LORD” as depicted by Zephaniah by his reference by name: “For then” and “In that day.” Furthermore, and by a detailed description of the events that occur only at that time frame. As one considers the prophecies of Zephaniah 3:8-20, in the context of Zephaniah 1:14-18, it is crystal clear that the detailed events therein have not occurred to the nation of Israel after the Babylonian Captivity to this day.

Furthermore, the prophecies in Zephaniah 3:9-20 are not symbolic, allegorical, nor have they been transferred to the saints in the church as taught by the Reformed, or Covenant, theologian in the doctrine of “Replacement Theology.”

Zephaniah continues his prophesy concerning, “the day of the LORD” in Zephaniah 3:9-20, “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, let not thine hands be slack. The LORD they God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.”

Verse 9-10 says, “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. ” After the battle of Armageddon as described in verse 8, the prophet states that, “For then” is a reference to the time period of the 1,000 year reign of Christ immediately preceding the battle of Armageddon. “The Day of the LORD” is still continuing.

 

The prophet Zephaniah, as with Ezekiel Chapter 40-48 and Zechariah 14:1-21, that in the Millennial Temple the worshipers will offer offerings. Zechariah 14:1 states, “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.” The dividing of the spoils among the nations of the world during the 1,000 Millennial reign of Christ is considered “the day of the Lord” as with the rest of the context of Zechariah 14:2-21

 

Verse 11says, “In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.” In the context of the book of Zephaniah, the prophet Zephaniah, as with the prophet Isaiah, is prophesying concerning, “the day of the LORD.”

 

Since the days of Zephaniah, to our age, the vast majority of Jews have transgressed against God. In the days of Christ, the Jews transgressed against God, in the days of grace the Jews have transgressed against God. Therefore, “in the day” cannot be referring to any other context in the book of Zephaniah, or historically to this day, but clearly refers to a future time.

 

“ … because of my holy mountain.” Since the days of the prophet Zephaniah, there has not been a “holy mountain,” either literally or spiritually, to this age.

 

2 Peter 3:10-13 the apostle Peter clearly states that one of the aspects of the “day of the Lord” will be the creating of the new heavens and the new earth. “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. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein he heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

The Apostle Peter quoted Isaiah 65:17, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

 

In Isaiah 65:17-25 we have a running discourse of “the day of the LORD” and the many literal blessings described within “the day of the LORD.” In verse 25 we read, “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They [ the wild animals,the wolf, lion, and the serpent, just previously listed ] shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.” Since the days of Zephaniah, the wild animals of Israel have hurt people in all of the nation of Israel and there is no “holy mountain.”

 

Pastor Steven Anderson’s Error & Deception

 

In his study on, “The Day of the Lord,” Pastor Anderson states, “"The Day of the Lord" is an important phrase in the Bible referring to the coming day when God will begin to pour out his wrath upon this earth. Whether in the Old or New Testament, scriptures dealing with the Day of the Lord are very consistent and upon comparison paint a very clear picture of this coming day of God's wrath.”ⁱ

 

This is an erroneous statement. Pastor Anderson’s statement, According to the apostle Peter, the events in Isaiah 65:17 clearly are fulfilled in Revelation 21:1. Furthermore, the events as depicted in Isaiah 65:18-25, God is not pouring out any wrath at all but it is a time of joy and rejoicing. So, for pastor Anderson to say, “Whether in the Old or New Testament, scriptures dealing with the Day of the Lord are very consistent and upon comparison paint a very clear picture of this coming day of God's wrath.” is just not true and deceptive.

 

Therefore, in the context of “the day of the LORD” in Isaiah 65:17-25, the prophecy of Zephaniah 3:11 is clearly fulfilled in “the day of LORD.”

 

Verse 12-13 says, “ I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”

 

Since Zephaniah spoke these words, the Jews have not trusted in the name of the LORD but in their own ways and have been deceitful in using the name of God and His word. The Jewish race have not trusted in the name of Christ. In fact, they consider the Lord Jesus a false prophet. Also, since the days that Zephaniah penned these words the nation of Israel has had no peace, safety and have feared for their lives continually.

 

“The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity” is a direct reference to Romans 11:25-28 when the remnant of Israel, the physical sons of Jacob, are saved as a nation. The apostle Paul clearly states, “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” Besides other passages in the Old Testament, Romans 11:25-28 is the fulfillment of Zephaniah 3:13

 

Verse 14 says, “Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.” Again, among the descriptions the prophet Isaiah gives concerning the nation of Israel in “the day of the LORD” as described in Isaiah 65:17-25, is these words, “But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.” Isaiah 65:18-19.

Since Zephaniah penned these words, Israel, Jerusalem, and Jews world-wide, have had nothing but national heartache, weeping, and no national joy.

Therefore, “the day of the LORD” will be a time of joy and rejoicing both by the remnant of the sons of Jacob, and by God Himself as prophesied by Zephaniah and Isaiah.

Verse 15 says, “The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.” Zephaniah 3:15

Since the day that Zephaniah penned these words, due their transgressions, God has judged, harshly, the sons of Jacob, the Jews, and scattered them throughout the world, a spiritual captivity, and the nations, and religions, of the world, to this day, despise the Jew. Why? God is judging them.

Starting from Adam, and continuing to this day, Satan is the enemy of all people. Satan is a particular enemy against the Jewish race. As it is obvious throughout the Old Testament, Satan tried to destroy the line of the Messiah.

Immediately after the battle of Armageddon as depicted in Revelation 19:11-21, Satan, the enemy of all mankind, and particular the Jews, is bound in the bottom pit for 1,000 years. Revelation 20:1-3, “And when I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”

“… the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.”

Immediately after the events of Zephaniah 3:8, the Lord Jesus will be the King of Israel. The kingship of the Lord Jesus, over the whole world, in Israel, at Jerusalem, will be literal. In Zechariah 14:1-21, during the “day of the LORD,” Zechariah prophecies, “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day [ a direct reference to the day of the LORD from Zechariah 14:1 ] shall thee be one LORD, and his name one.” Zechariah 14:9. The Lord Jesus prophesied of this time in Matthew 19:28-30

Therefore, the events of Zephaniah 3:15 occur during “the day of the LORD.”

Verse 16-17 says, “In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, let not thine hands be slack. The LORD they God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

“in that day” is a direct reference to the “the day of the LORD” and the 1,000 Year Reign of Christ as King in Jerusalem. The day of the Lord, according to the prophet Zephaniah, will be a time of rejoicing and joy.

“… he [ God ] will rest in his love...” God loves the sons of Jacob, the Jewish race.

Verse 18-19 says, “ I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.”

In Zephaniah 3:18-19 the phrase “… at that time ...” occurs twice. The context is clearly “the day of LORD’ as prophesied in Zephaniah 3:9-20 and 1:14-18, and coincides with the same time frame as when the prophet Isaiah uses the phrase “at that time.”

This gathering of the Jews, the elect of God, as Zephaniah says, “at that time” is fulfilled in Matthew 24:29-31, “after the tribulation.” Matthew 24:29-31, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” The events of Zephaniah 3:9-20 will occur, “after the tribulation.”

Conclusion

Clearly, the prophecies of the the LORD being King in Israel, nor the rest of Zephaniah 3:9-20 has not been fulfilled. The prophecies of Zephaniah 3:9-20 will be fulfilled during the Millennial reign of Christ as King in Israel as revealed by John the Apostle in Revelation 20:1-6.

Therefore, as previously stated, according to the prophets of the Old Testament, “the day of the Lord,” besides the complete 7 years in the Tribulation Period, includes the “gathering of the Jews as spoken by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:29-31, the 1000 Year reign of Christ in Israel as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, and will be a time of joy and rejoicing.

 

i Anderson, Steven ‘The Day of the Lord,’ Copied on May 27, 2019.

<http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/day.html>

Edited June 1, 2019 by Alan
reference

[Alan]

Brethren,

I am in the process of writing the next lesson, 2 Peter 3:3-15 and Revelation 21:1, "The Day of the Lord - a Time of Creation."

It is my prayer, and sincere desire, that  it may be a blessing to all of you.

Alan

[Alan]

2 Peter 3:3-15, “The Day of the Lord – A Time of Creation”

2 Peter 3:3-6, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. ”

The apostle Peter previously stated in 2 Peter 2:5, “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.”

In Genesis 6:17 we read these words, “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.” God is going to destroy, to cause to perish, all of the living creatures that are on the earth, or under, heaven. The corruption of the dead human race, and animal kingdom, were left to rot on the face of the earth. Neither the earth, nor the heavens, were dissolved in Noah’s flood.

In Genesis 7:19-23 we can know exactly what was destroyed, or perished, in Noah’s flood, “And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”

It is very obvious that only the earth, and the living things on the earth, and the fowls, perished, or were destroyed. The heavens above; the atmosphere above the earth and the the starry heavens, were not destroyed, or perished, or dissolved.

Also, by way of context, the apostle Peter is referring to the flood of Noah as recorded in Genesis 7:6-24. The apostle Peter is not referring to an antediluvian flood that occurred between Genesis 1:1 and 2 that is often referred to as the, “Gap Theory.”

2 Peter 3:7, “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire, against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

The apostle Peter adds further information on what is going to perish in the fire in the end times; “But the heavens and the earth ...” The heavens and the earth are going to perish by fire. The judgment that the apostle Peter is referring to is clearly the “Great White Throne of Judgment” as recorded in Revelation 20:11-15

2 Peter 3:8-9, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

The apostle Peter is very clear, ‘one day with the Lord’ can mean an indeterminate period of time and not just ‘one 24 hour day.’ The context of the word ‘day’ determines whether or not a 24 hour period, or an indeterminate period of time, is warranted for a correct interpretation of the passage. Therefore, ‘the day of the Lord’ can easily be a less than a thousand years, a thousand years, or more than a thousand years.

In previous passages already studied, from the Old Testament, and the New Testament, it has been clearly proven that ‘the day of Lord’ is both a time of wrath and a time of joy. In this lesson, we will clearly see that ‘the day of the Lord’ extends to the creation of the New Heaven and the New Earth. Therefore, ‘the day of the Lord’ is an indeterminate number of years: a ‘period of time’ determined by the context of the passage to be accomplished exactly how God planned His Day.

The truth that ‘a thousand years’ is as ‘a day’ with the Lord was also an Old Testament truth from the time of Moses. Psalm 90:4, considered as, “A Prayer of Moses the man of God,” states, “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” Psalm 90:4

2 Peter 3:10-12, “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. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”

“The Day of the Lord” when the ‘heavens shall pass away,’ and be ‘burned up’ and ‘dissolved’ has not come yet nor does it come during the events during the 7-Year Tribulation Period, nor does it occur before, or during, or after the 1,000 Year of Christ on the earth, nor does it occur during that short time, Revelation 20:7-10, when Satan is left out of the bottomless pit.

Pastor Steven Anderson and ‘The Day of Lord’ and Revelation 8:7

Revelation 8:7 states, “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.”

Anderson teaches that the rapture is depicted in Revelation 6:12, the Sixth Seal, and in Revelation 8:3-4, the sounding of the first angel with the first trumpet. Anderson teaches that the ‘wrath of God’ begins as depicted twice in the book of Revelation: First in Revelation 6:13 and a second time in 8:7. Anderson teaches that Revelation 8:7, when the first angel sounds the first trumpet and a third of the trees are burned up with all of the grass, is, at the end of the seven years, “the day of the Lord,” and the fulfillment of 2 Peter 3:10-13.

Anderson has previously stated, “Now, I believe that the day of the Lord is a LITERAL DAY. I’m not saying that it’s an hour period, I’m saying that it’s a day on the calendar as it were. I mean it’s an actual day, I don’t think it represents a longer period of time. I believe that the day of the Lord is a specific day.”ⁱ According to Anderson, “the day of the Lord” is literal day; a 24-hour period of time and not a longer period of time.

Also, according to Pastor Anderson, Revelation 6:12 is ‘the day of the Lord’ when the rapture of the church takes place. Anderson states, “Now, according to Matthew 24:29, when the sun and moon are darkened, Christ comes in the clouds and we are gathered together unto him. So is this a good day for us, or a bad day for us? It's a great day. But if you're not saved, is this a good day when you are left behind to face the wrath of Almighty God? It's a terrible day, it's a horrible day.”ⁱⁱ

Also, in his comments on Revelation 8:7, Anderson states, “Okay, well, if you go to the end of the seven years, you don’t see this kind of fire being rained from heaven. And look, in 2 Peter 3:10-13, when the Bible talks about the day of the Lord, being characterized by by the heavens being ON FIRE, and the elements melting with fervent heat, that fits better with the seventh seal and first trumpet than anything else in the book of Revelation that [sic] pre-millennial. And so right there, its very clear to see that a post-trib, pre-wrath view, is the obvious view when you read scripture. So that’s the first trumpet, fire coming down from heaven.”ⁱⁱⁱ

Anderson is mistaken and erroneously teaches that the “day of the Lord,’ as used by the apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:10-13, occurs in a ‘one 24 hour day,’ and is fulfilled as depicted in Revelation 6:12, the opening of the Sixth Seal, and 8:7, the sounding of the first trumpet by the first angel.

According to the apostle Peter, in the context of 2 Peter 3:10-13, when “the day of the Lord” occurs the heavens and the earth vanish away. So, let us see what occurs after Anderson’s “day of the Lord in Revelation 8:7.

Anderson is in error because after the sounding of the first trumpet by the first angel, Revelation 8:7, the following separate judgments, in separate time frames, take place:

(1) The second angel sounds his trumpet, 8:8-9, and a great mountain is cast in the seas and great destruction occurs. But nothing is dissolved.

(2) Then the third angel angel sounds his trumpet, 8:10-11, and further great destruction occurs. There is an obvious length of time beyond one 24 hour day in this destruction.

(3) Then the fourth angel sounds his trumpet, 8:12, and the Bible is very clear that the sun and moon are darkened. The smiting of the sun and moon is in fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:22, “And except those days shall be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” According to the context, the days are literal days and not a period of indeterminate time. And, according to the very words of the Lord Jesus, “days,” plural, are involved being shortened in the sounding of the Fourth Angel.

(4) In 8:13 the angel flying throughout the whole earth states that there are still yet three more trumpets, the three woes, to sound with separate judgments at separate time periods.

(5) In Revelation 9:1 the fifth angel sounds, the first woe, and the bottomless pit is opened and the time period of the demonic destruction, from 9:2-11, take five months to complete.

(6) In Revelation 9:12-20, the sixth angel sounds, the second woe, and the army of 2,000,000 men cross the Euphrates river. Certainly, this military maneuver takes over “a 24 hour day.” Quite frankly, the amount of time to plan, and then to execute, the movement of 2,000,000 men, their equipment, and the other logistics involved, is huge and certainly will take more than “a 24 hour day.”

So, after Anderson’s “day of the Lord” the heavens and the earth are not dissolved, nor do they vanish away, and the only thing burned up is one third of the trees and the grass. Anderson is in error; serious error.

The Day of the Lord - The Dissolving of the Earth

The apostle Peter is also clear that when “the day of the Lord,” in the context of 2 Peter 3:10-13, occurs that the earth and the heavens (please note the plural), are dissolved. In Revelation 8:7 the scripture plainly states, “...and the third part of the trees were burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up.” Obviously, the apostle Peter is not referring to Revelation 8:7 as Peter very clearly states that the earth, not just one-third of the trees and grass, and the heavens, not just a certain section of the sky, will be burned up and dissolved.

The apostle Peter was clearly referring to the words of Isaiah when he stated the heavens “shall be dissolved. Isaiah prophesied, “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.” Isaiah 51:6

In Revelation 20:11 we read, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” It is my understanding, that at this time, the earth and the heavens are dissolved by fire, burned up, melt with fervent heat as the apostle Peter states, and the earth and the heavens are vanished away.

The Day of the Lord - Promises from God

The apostle Peter now turns the subject of, “the day of the Lord” to promises, given to all of the beloved saints, in all of the ages, to come. “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you.” 2 Peter 3:13-15

The apostle Peter is clearly referring to promises as revealed in Isaiah 34:4, “And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down.” In my understanding of the word “host of heaven,” and, “all their host,” is a reference to the suns and other planetary bodies in the solar system up to the heaven of heavens: the abode of God.

• Genesis 2:1, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and the host of them.” The heavens is plural and the context is clearly a reference to the bodies in the firmament, stars, of heaven as recorded in Genesis 1:14-19 when God made the lights, the stars, and other planetary bodies, “hosts” of heaven.

• In Deuteronomy 4:19 God said, “And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the hosts of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.” God mentions the Sun, the Moon, the other Stars of the Solar System, the Galaxies, and the host of them; the hosts would be the smaller bodies in the galaxy, the meteors, the comets, the other moons, the Asteroid Belt, the Kuiper Belt, the Oort Cloud and any other body in the heavens.

• God further states, “And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded.” Deuteronomy 17:3

The Day of the Lord – A Time of Creation - New Heaven & New Earth

The apostle Peter was referring to the promise given to all of the saints, in any generation, given to the prophet Isaiah.

• “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come to mind.” Isaiah 65:17

• “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.” Isaiah 66:22

After the Great White Throne of Judgment, the apostle John saw the new heaven and the new earth. The apostle John recorded what his eyes saw in Revelation 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.”

The apostle John gave us further insight concerning the new heavens, “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither the light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 22:5

As the apostle Peter states, at "the day of the Lord," we have the promise of the new heavens and the new earth.

Therefore, "the day of the Lord" extends to the creation of the new heaven and the new earth as recorded in Revelation 21:1.

Furthermore, as the apostle Peter clearly brought out, "one day with the Lord is as a thousand years" is an indeterminable amount of time that is governed only by the will of God and His timing and is not limited to a literal day: a 24 hour period of time.

i Anderson, Steven Revelation 6 copied on April 30, 2019 <http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/revelation_6.html>

ii Anderson, Steven Revelation 6 copied on April 30, 2019 <http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/revelation_6.html>

iii Anderson, Steven Revelation 8 copied on April 30, 2019 <http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/revelation_8.html>

Edited June 14, 2019 by Alan
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