The Day of the Lord
The Day of the Lord
The phrases "in that day" or "in the latter days" are commonly used by the prophets to pinpoint the last day of the Lord's salvation or judgment.
The day of the Lord's salvation and of joy for His people
“In that day…will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant… and will make thee as a signet (以你為印)(NRSV—‘make you like a signet ring’), for I have chosen thee.” (Hag 2:23) A signet ring is the symbol of kingship. This prophesy points to the kingship of Christ.
“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.” (Zeph 3:14-15)
“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack (不要手軟). The Lord thy 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.” (Zeph 3:16-17)
“In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa 29:18-19)
“And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.” (Zech 10:7)
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isa 35:10)
“Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of thee.” (Zech 2:11)
“And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people.” (Zech 9:16)
“A book of remembrance (紀念冊) was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels (在我所定的日子，他們必屬我，特特歸我) (NRSV, ‘my special possession on the day when I act’); and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” (Mal 3:16-17)
“The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee, but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself, for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light.” (Isa 60:19-20)
The city shall be built and be holy to the Lord and not be thrown down forever. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner...shall be holy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever." (Jer 31:38-40)
The day of the Lord’s wrath and judgment upon the wicked
“Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat (約沙法谷): for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full (酒醡滿了), the fats overflow (酒池盈溢); for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision (斷定谷): for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” (Joel 3:11-14)
“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.” (Zeph 3:8)
“And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land…for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord.” (Zech 13:2-3)
“I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” (Joel 2:30-31)
“The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake.” (Joel 3:15-16)
“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 (其上的居民也要如此死亡).” (Isa 51:6)
“For the moth (蛀蟲) shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool.” (Isa 51:8)
“They shall go forth, and look upon the carcases (屍首) of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh (凡有血氣的都必憎惡他們).” (Isa 66:24)
“Son of man, set thy face against Gog (向歌革發預言攻擊他說), the land of Magog…in the latter years thou shalt come into the land…against the mountains of Israel...Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee...And I will send a fire on Magog." (Ezek 38:2,8; 39:4,6)
In the latter days, the fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he has done it. "Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he hath done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it." (Jer 30:23-24)