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OCTOBER 19
DAY 18:When Paul refers to the “Day of the Lord”in 1 Thessalonians 5:2,
what does he mean?

There are 19 indisputable uses of “the Day of the Lord”in the Old Testament and 4 in the New
Testament (Acts 2:20; 2 Thess.2:2; 2 Pet.3:10).The Old Testament prophets used “Day of the Lord”to
describe near historical judgments (Is. 13:6–22; Ezek. 30:2–19; Joel 1:15; 3:14; Amos 5:18–20; Zeph.
1:14–18) or far eschatological divine judgments (Joel 2:30–32; Zech. 14:1; Mal. 4:1,5). Six times it is
referred to as the “day of doom”and 4 times as the “day of vengeance.”The New Testament calls it a
day of “wrath,”a day of “visitation,”and the “Great Day of God Almighty”(Rev.16:14).These are terrify-
ing judgments from God (Joel 2:30,31; 2 Thess.1:7–10) for the overwhelming sinfulness of the world.
The future “Day of the Lord”which unleashes God’s wrath falls into two parts:1) the end of the
7-year tribulation period (Rev. 19:11–21), and 2) the end of the Millennium.These two are actually
1,000 years apart, and Peter refers to the end of the 1,000-year period in connection with the final
“Day of the Lord”(2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 20:7–15). Here, Paul refers to that aspect of the “Day of the Lord,”
which concludes the Tribulation period.When Paul uses the phrase “a thief in the night,”it is never
used to refer to the Rapture of the church. It is used of Christ’s coming in judgment on the Day of
the Lord at the end of the 7-year Tribulation which is distinct from the Rapture of the church, and
it is used of the judgment which concludes the Millennium (2 Pet. 3:10). As a thief comes unex-
pectedly and without warning, so will the Day of the Lord come in both its final phases.

OCTOBER 19

Jeremiah 23:1–24:10 23:3,4 I will gather. God pledged to restore
exiled Israelites to their ancient soil. The land
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and in view was Palestine, being contrasted with
23 scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says all the other countries (v.3), thus assuring that
the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD God of the regathering would be as literal as the scat-
2
Israel against the shepherds who feed My peo- tering. The restoration of Judah from Babylon
ple: “You have scattered My flock, driven them is referred to in language which in its fullness
away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will can only refer to the final restoration of God’s
attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says people (“out of all countries”and v.8),under the
Messiah. “Nor shall they be lacking” indicates
the LORD. “But I will gather the remnant of My that no one will be missing or detached.These
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flock out of all countries where I have driven are prophecies not yet fulfilled.
them, and bring them back to their folds; and
4
they shall be fruitful and increase. I will set up 23:4 shepherds…will feed them.Zerubbabel,
shepherds over them who will feed them; and Ezra, Nehemiah, and others were small fulfill-
they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor ments compared to the consummate shep-
shall they be lacking,” says the LORD. herding of the Messiah Jesus.
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the
5
LORD, 23:5 Branch. The Messiah is pictured as a
branch (literally,“shoot”) out of David’s family
“That I will raise to David a Branch of tree (23:5; 33:15,16; Is. 4:2; 11:1–5; Zech. 3:8;
righteousness; 6:12,13),who will rule over God’s people in the
A King shall reign and prosper, future.
And execute judgment and
righteousness in the earth.
6 ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the chil-
In His days Judah will be saved,
8
And Israel will dwell safely; dren of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As
Now this is His name by which He will the LORD lives who brought up and led the
be called: descendants of the house of Israel from the
north country and from all the countries where
I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
own land.”
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” My heart within me is broken
7 9
says the LORD, “that they shall no longer say, Because of the prophets;
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