The DAY of THE LORD

The DAY of THE LORD Signs suggest it’s very near

Joel received a message from God by way of a vision. His vision outlined the events of the end that were very frightening and sobering. J It all pointed to a day referred to as the Day of The Lord. The core message is a call to action for all those who are to escape the perils of this day. There is a stark warning to those who will not respond. The day of the Lord will be the most terrifying day of destruction and calamities ever known to mankind. We need a clear understanding of what is coming and what we need to do to escape it.

The beginning of Joel’s prophecy did not hesitate to throw us into the action. Like an action packed movie that opens right in the middle of the battle, Joel’s prophecy starts with a cry for people to pay attention and listen to what he has seen. What he has seen is not good. He sees devastation and unrivalled destruction. The rhetorical question is asked, “Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?” Joel 1:2b The answer clearly is, no!

The prophecy should never be forgotten, dismissed or diminished in any way but must be passed down from one generation to another. Each generation (ours could be the final one) is closer to this apocalypse that will make past tragedies and wars look like child’s play.

This Day is no secret but is well documented throughout Scripture both in the Old and New Testaments. “For the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand: A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness…” Joel 2:1-2 It is the day Jesus returns and God pours out His wrath upon evil mankind. Much of Joel’s prophecy is taken up with the events of this day and the events leading up to this day. Joel also pleads with his people to make every effort to be found in right standing with God before this day comes. We too should be pleading with our generation and with even greater urgency.

Here are but a few references to this day that echoes Joel’s account.

Lord of hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty, upon everything lifted up— and it shall be brought low—” Isaiah 13:6 “Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.” Isaiah 13:9 “Behold, the day of the Lord comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it.” Jeremiah 46:10 “For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, A day of vengeance, That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries.” Ezekiel 30:3 “For the day is near, Even the day of the Lord is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of Portions taken from his book ‘The End

the Gentiles.”

Amos 5:20 “Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?”

Obadiah 1:15 “For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you…”

Zephaniah 1:14 “The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out.”

is Here’. Available on Amazon yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” 2 Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise…” Joel, as the Lord instructed him, didn’t only warn of the coming tragedy but told us what to do to escape it. We must heed the Lord’s warnings and apply His recommendations as the day is now very near. “‘Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God…” p 1 Thessalonians 5:2 “For you

By Homer Slack Author, preacher, Bible teacher, IT tutor, programmer & graphic designer