The Coming Day of the LORD*

      

     As men try to broker peace in the war-torn areas of the world, especially in the Middle East at this time, scripture tells us that a peace will not be lasting, as we will read. 

     Regarding the times in which we are now living, Peter wrote that in these last days, scoffers will deny the coming day of judgment of the LORD: "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men...But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat, the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up." (2 Pet. 3:1-10, excerpt, and see also Rev. 8:6-11). Instead of flood water of judgment this time, Peter wrote that there was fire stored up within the earth that would consume the heavens and the earth.

     Scoffers laugh because this has not yet happened, but Peter said that there is one reason that the earth has not already been consumed because of the ungodly in it: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (v. 9). The time of the day of judgment has been extended so that all who are willing, can be saved.

     Peter asked the church, considering these things, what should we believers in Christ be doing? He wrote: "Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God....we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness...be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation...Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness." (v. 13-18, excerpt).

     Peter wrote that the error of the wicked mentioned above also includes those who are unlearned and unstable twisting scriptures to their own liking, which results in their destruction. (v. 15-16). We are called upon to stand up and speak those things in scripture meant for saving correction as more people seek false teachers that will teach only what their listeners want to hear.

     Many of the prophets have written about the coming day of the LORD. The prophet Joel cried out to the people of the LORD: "Gird yourselves and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar...Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come." (Joel 1:13-15).

     Joel told the people to blow the trumpet and sound the alarm in the mountain of God: "...for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand." (Joel 2:1). The prophet described that day as a day of clouds and thick darkness as a "great people" devours the land with fire going before them. It is the army of the LORD that enters the city and the houses: "The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army...". ( v. 2-11). The prophet tells the word of the LORD to the people to lament and to mourn and to turn to Him with all of their heart, with fasting, and weeping: "And rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil...Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD...". (v. 12-17, excerpt). All of God's people were being called into repentance, calling on the mercy and kindness of the LORD.

     Joel also wrote of a great restoration of the LORD that will come to the nation, restoring what the locusts had devoured. This great revival and restoration also includes the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon all flesh " (the outpouring of Pentecost, Acts 2)...before the great and terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." (v. 18-32, excerpt).

     This prophet also wrote of a great war coming to the valley of Jehoshaphat against those nations, including Tyre, Zidon and Palestine, that shall be gathered there as the LORD makes war on all of those who did harm to the LORD's land and people of Judah and Jerusalem. (Joel 3:1-8, excerpt). The LORD commanded: "Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles, Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up...Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about...Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision...The LORD shall also roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her anymore." (v. 9-17).

     Isaiah also wrote the prophetic word of the LORD about the noise of a great multitude in warfare, saying: "Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid...they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, both cruel with wrath and fierce anger; to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it....And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible...Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger." (Isa. 13:5-13, excerpt).

     Scoffers may scoff, but it is clearly prophesied that the day of the LORD is coming with fierceness and unlimited power against the evil of the world and the wickedness of sinners.

     Jesus also told His disciples the signs that would signify His coming and the end of the age in Matthew 24:1-35. He also mentioned, as the prophets did above, that there would be earthquakes, darkness in the heavens, and wars. He also foretold of ethnic hatred and violence, persecution of those of faith, an abomination in the (rebuilt) temple of which Daniel the prophet had also written regarding an evil man declaring himself to be God. Jesus warned that there would be great deception by false prophets and false Christs doing signs and wonders that would fool even the elect if possible. If the days were not shortened by God for the sake of the elect, there would be no flesh saved. Jesus mentioned the timing of these events as being connected with the beginning of leaves on the fig tree. Many associate the fig tree with the nation of Israel, and Israel was officially declared a nation again on May 14, 1948, after having ceased being a nation for two thousand years. Of all of these mentioned signs, Jesus said: "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

     We are seeing many of these signs in this generation.

     In Revelation 6:12-17, as the seal of the scrolls were opened in heaven, the heavens are darkened and shaken (see also Rev. 8:12). The heavens depart like the rolling up of a scroll. This image is very similar to the rolling up of the sky in a nuclear blast. Mountains and islands will be moved out of their places. These events are so terrifying that the hearts of men fail them, as Isaiah mentioned above: "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb (Jesus): For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (see also Rev. 8:13).

     Regarding the coming day of the LORD, the church should not be sitting on the sidelines in unbelief with the scoffers. The prophets declared and the signs today confirm that the day of the LORD is coming. We are to take the Word of God as truth and live our lives accordingly, standing steadfast and declaring it's warning to others and setting the example of prayer, fasting and repentance to our God of mercy, grace, and kindness, as the prophet Joel wrote. We are to prepare ourselves as the Bride makes herself ready for the Bridegroom, Jesus, clothed in the white linen of His righteousness without spot, wrinkle or blemish.

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 6/14/26 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, which is evidence of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling, written by Dr. Stevenson, is available on Amazon.