Click Bar to Return to HomePage
The Day of the Lord is One Day
All of the various rapture views, except post-trib, see the "Day of the Lord" as an extended period of time. For pre-tribbers, it includes the entire 7 year tribulation and pre-trib rapture. This is in order to account for Paul's encouragement for Christians to be watching for the Day of the Lord in 1 Thess. 5:1-9. How could we be watching for the Day of the Lord if we are raptured out of here 7 years before it comes? Consequently, they must stretch it forward to a time when we are still here prior to the tribulation in order to maintain their view. Many also include the entire Millennium in order to harmonize Peter's comments in 2 Peter 3 with Revelation. Peter places the burning of the earth on the "Day of the Lord." So, for these pre-tribbers, the "Day of the Lord" is 1007 years long! Quite a stretch for the little word "day!" Even pre-wrath folks view the Day of the Lord as at least several months in order to accomidate the trumpets and vials of Revelation, one of which lasts 5 months.
There is really no biblical reason to abandon the literal meaning of the word "day." It is the day of the second coming after the tribulation. It follows the darkening of the sun and moon (Joel 2:31 & Acts 2:20) which follows immediately after the tribulation (Matt. 24:29 & Mark 13:24).
Some pre-tribbers claim that too many things are said to occur on the Day of the Lord that cannot fit within a 24 hour period. But, that is simply not true. When pressed to produce these things, they typically do not go to passages that specifically mention the Day of the Lord. Rather, they point to several passages in the Old Testament that refer to "that day," claiming the term "that day" is a synonym for the Day of the Lord. But, "that day" does not necessarily point to the Day of the Lord. Sometimes it does, especially in the New Testament. But, there are scores of examples where "that day" clearly does NOT refer to the Day of the Lord. Such a non-specific phrase must be interpreted in its context. "That day" simply refers to whatever day the particular context has in view, rather than having a specific technical meaning itself, like the phrase "the Day of the Lord." In prophetic passages, sometimes "that day" refers to the tribulation, and sometimes to the Millennium. Yes, sometimes "that day" does refer to the Day of the Lord, when the context clearly indicates the Day of the Lord is in view. But, in order to sustain the pre-trib argument that too many things occur within the Day of the Lord to fit within a 24 hour period, one must stick to passages that are indisputably referring to the Day of the Lord. If you look at all of the passages in Scripture that specifically mention the "Day of the Lord," all of them are compatible with a single 24 hour day. Here are all Scriptures that mention the Day of the Lord. (Isaiah 2:12, Isaiah 13:6,9, Jer. 46:10, Ezek. 13:5, Ezek. 30:3, Joel 1:15, Joel 2:1,11,31, Joel 3:14, Amos 5:18,20, Obadiah 1:15, Zeph. 1:7,14, Zech 14:1, Mal. 4:5, Acts 2:20, 1 Cor. 5:5, 2 Cor. 1:14, 1 Thess. 5:2, 2 Thess. 2:3 NASB/NIV, 3 Peter 3:10).
The most important evidence that the Day of the Lord is a single 24 hour day comes from Zechariah 14.
Zech 14:1,6-7
In this case, "that day" in verse 6 is clearly referring to the Day of the Lord in verse 1. Zechariah says "the day of the Lord cometh" and then immediately speaks of the coming of Christ to defeat the armies of the nations gathered against Jerusalem. The word "cometh" implies arival. The Day of the Lord will arrive when Christ returns at the end of the tribulation. But, notice verse 6 and 7. Terminology that can only apply to a single 24 hour day is applied to "that day" - the "Day of the Lord." While the word "day" in the Bible sometimes refers to longer periods, in this case such a view is impossible. Zechariah's description of the Day of the Lord presents "day" contrasted with "night," and "evening" with "morning." The "Day of the Lord" has a "morning" and an "evening." And the unique lighting conditions of that "day" are contrasted with normal 24 hour "days." Creationists insist that everything was created in six literal days, because Genesis describes each of the six days as having an "evening" and "morning." Why would not the same logic apply here? The lighting conditions on the Day of the Lord will be unlike any other "day" in history. That is what Zechariah is saying. Several passages indicate that the sun and moon will be darkened just prior to the coming of the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:31 & Acts 2:20). Perhaps the day before, or a few days before. But, sometime during the evening of the Day of the Lord, a new source of light will appear against he backdrop of total darkness. We know from many other passages that this source of light is the glory of Christ Himself, as He appears in the sky (Matt. 24:29-31). That is what the "glorious appearing" is all about. Christ's glorious appearing will be against the background of total darkness. (See also: Joel 2:1,2, Amos 5:18-20, Zeph. 1:15,16).
Another passage that deserves note is Isaiah 10:17. This passage does not mention the "Day of the Lord" by name, but I am convinced from the context that it is referring to that day.
Isa 10:12-23
This passage parallels several others that speak of Christ's coming as being a day of consumption of the wicked and the land by fire (See also: Isaiah 66:15,24, Joel 2:1-11, Zech. 14:12, Mal. 4:1-5, 2 Thess. 1:7-10, 2 Peter 3:10-12). Notice the phrase "in one day" in verse 17. While we cannot prove that this "one day" is the Day of the Lord because that phrase is not specifically mentioned, by comparing it to these other passages we can be fairly certain.
See our article The Day of the Lord does not include the Tribulation for 9 reasons why the Day of the Lord is after the tribulation.
1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. ...
6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:
7 But it shall be ONE DAY which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
(KJV)
12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.
19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
23 For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
(KJV)