In the third of our mini-series looking at the topic of ‘the day of the Lord’, we looked at references to this portentous day in the New Testament, focussing especially on Matthew 24, Mark 13:32-37, 1 Thess 5:1-11, 2 Thess 1:6-10 and 2 Peter 3:1-14.
These passages show us that Jesus frequently took the words of Old Testament prophets to describe this day at the culmination of history when God will personally intervene to right all wrongs and bring about His rule in sovereign power and that the apostles echoed the words of Jesus himself in declaring that the timing of this day is beyond our knowledge but the certainty of this day is not in doubt. Many will scoff at the idea of a day of reckoning, but Peter reminds us that God’s timings are not like ours and His faithfulness not in question. We are, therefore, urged to be ready and alert, for this day will come as a thief in the night (2 Pet 3:10) or as a bridegroom returning (see Matt 25:1-13) or as a master returning home after a long absence. (Mark 13:36-37) Theology always informs behaviour; what we believe about the day of the Lord should lend urgency to our evangelism, purity to our discipleship and peace to our understanding of the world.
The day of the Lord is not something to treat lightly (for it involves punishment and judgment and everlasting destruction for those who do not obey the gospel), but it is not something to be feared by believers who trust in the justice of God’s judgment (see Ps 11:7). Paul tells us that God will be glorified in His holy people and will be marvelled at among all who have believed (2 Thess 1:10) and John reminds us that since God is love, we do not have to fear judgment or punishment (see 1 John 4:16-18). Instead, the truth of this doctrine should motivate us to live pure, holy, godly lives and should motivate us to share the gospel with others.
