The Day of the Lord

Did you know that the Apostle Paul said Jesus Returns after the Antichrist Is revealed?


In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, Paul writes to fellow believers who had erroneously heard he was teaching that the Harvest had already occurred and God’s judgment had started.

2 Thessalonians
2:1-3 NIV 
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him (at the Harvest), we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us …asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (P+)

In order to fully understand this part of Paul’s letter, one must resolve what Paul means by the phrase “day of the Lord.” The only way to know this is to compare and contrast 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 with other end-time passages in the Bible. Therefore, we must reflect upon all of the Scriptures presented in this book. Since they all agree in saying that Jesus will return for the Church Harvest immediately after the Tribulation, we should start with this presumption.

However, Paul uses the phrase in other verses as well. They say that the phrase “day of the Lord” includes the time when Jesus comes to the Harvest and when He judges believers.

1 Corinthians 5:4-5
NIV
So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 1:14
NIV
…as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

The Acts Scripture shown next quotes the Old Testament prophet Joel. It describes Jesus’ return for the Church as the “great and glorious day of the Lord.” This end-time passage actually refers to Jesus’ glorious appearing (at the Harvest) as the “day of the Lord.” In essence, Acts says that once the celestial signs appear (at the end of the Tribulation), the “day of the Lord is near and those who call upon the name of the Lord beforehand will be saved.

Acts 2:16-21
NIV
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, … 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

And remember, Chapter 4 of this book thoroughly discussed the celestial signs mentioned in Acts 2:19 that will be seen at the end of the Tribulation just before Jesus returns to the Harvest. So in essence, Paul uses the phrase “day of the Lord to speak of a series of events that will occur before Jesus sets up His new earthly kingdom. We could say that the “day of the Lord” is the combined events of both the Harvest and His judgments. Some commentators actually describe the use of the phrase “day of the Lord as “anytime God intervenes on earth in a significant way.”

By comparing passages, we can see that Daniel, Jesus, Paul and the Revelation verses conjoin to paint a complete picture of Jesus’ return to the Harvest. Together they say that once the Antichrist is revealed, then there will be “great tribulation.” Immediately thereafter, Jesus will return with the souls (or spirits) of the dead and will raise all dead believers from the grave in the “first resurrection.” Then they, together with the living believers, will meet Him in the clouds to receive their eternal bodies.  


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The Great Harvest Hijack

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Read much more of what is in the book by clicking here:
Why Matthew 24:31 is about the Believers' Harvest

Jesus Returns For The Elect

Jesus Comes For Believers On A Cloud

The End Of The Age

Everyone Will See Jesus At The Harvest