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The Day of the Lord
Today's passage uses an important phrase that pops up a lot in the Bible, particularly in the OT prophets: the day of the Lord.
Here are all of the passages that have this phrase in the ESV if you want to check out some of the Biblical background:
The Day of the Lord
Today's passage uses an important phrase that pops up a lot in the Bible, particularly in the OT prophets: the day of the Lord.
Here are all of the passages that have this phrase in the ESV if you want to check out some of the Biblical background:
| Isaiah 13:6 Isaiah 13:9 Isaiah 58:13 Jeremiah 46:10 Ezekiel 13:5 Ezekiel 30:3 Joel 1:15 Joel 2:1 Joel 2:11 Joel 2:31 Joel 3:14 Amos 5:18 | Amos 5:20 Obadiah 15 Zephaniah 1:7 Zephaniah 1:8 Zephaniah 1:14 Malachi 4:5 Acts 2:20 1 Corinthians 5:5 1 Thessalonians 5:2 2 Thessalonians 2:2 2 Peter 3:10 |
Obviously just from the number of usages we can see that this is a pretty important phrase that spans both testaments. Here's some background that brings together the sense/information that these passages convey about this important phrase:
"In some prophetic texts “the day of the Lord” refers to an event so cataclysmic that it ends an age of the world (e.g., Joel 2:28–3:21; Zech 14:1–21). This usage passed over into the NT, where the Day of the Lord refers to God’s judging action when Christ returns at the end of the age (e.g., 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Thess 2:2; 2 Pet 3:10)...
...These climactic events were given the name Day of the Lord because God’s personal action was believed to be the decisive factor in the course of events. His personal involvement was signified by such phrases as “the day of [the Lord’s] vengeance” (Is 34:8), “the day of [the Lord’s] anger” (Is 13:13; Lam 1:12, 21–22; 2:1; Zeph 2:2–3), “the day of the Lord’s sacrifice” (Zeph 1:8), “the day of the wrath of the Lord” (Ezek 7:19), “the day I punish Israel” (Amos 3:14), “the day when I take from them their stronghold” (Ezek 24:25), “the day that I cleanse you” (Ezek 33:33), “the day I visit them” (Jer 27:22), “the day that I make them my jewels” (Mal 3:17) and “the day I rise up for plunder” (Zeph 3:8).
In both Testaments a variety of images for God’s appearance among people is employed to express God’s personal involvement in the events of the Day of the Lord. Most frequently God’s appearance and action are described in terms of cosmic catastrophes, including raging fires (Is 10:16; 38:22; Joel 2:30; Amos 1:14; Zeph 3:8; 2 Pet 3:7, 10; Rev 16:8), whirlwinds and storms (Is 28:2; 30:30; Jer 25:32; Ezek 38:22; Zech 9:14; Rev 16:21), shaking of the heavens and the earth (Is 2:10, 19; 13:13; 23:11; 24:18–20; Ezek 38:19; Hag 2:21–22; Joel 3:16; Rev 6:12–14; 16:17–20), floods (Is 28:2; Jer 47:1–7) and the darkening of the heavenly bodies, either by clouds or eclipses or by some unexplained phenomenon (Is 5:30; 13:10; 24:23; Ezek 32:7–8; Joel 2:15; 3:15; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15; Mk 13:24 par. Mt 24:29 and Lk 21:25; Acts 2:20; Rev 6:12)...
...The blowing of a trumpet is often mentioned either as a signal of God’s appearing or as a signal/alarm that God’s work in judgment or salvation is about to begin (Is 27:13; Ezek 7:14; Hos 5:8; Zeph 1:16; Zech 9:14; Mt 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16). The blowing of trumpets during the siege of Jericho (Josh 6:6–27) probably gives us an idea of the historical background for the trumpet image. It is probably also appropriate to read the description of God’s appearing on Mt. Sinai (Ex 19:16–20) in light of its associations with the images employed to describe the Day of the Lord...
...Biblical authors also attempt to impress on their audiences the emotional impact of the Day of the Lord by describing the reactions of those who experience God’s activity. For those who suffer under God’s judgment, the reaction is usually described in terms of traditional ancient Near Eastern mourning practices, such as wearing sackcloth, sitting on the ground, wailing loudly and throwing dust or ashes on oneself (Is 3:18–24; 22:12; 24:7–9; Jer 25:34; 47:2; Lam 1:2; 2:10–11; Ezek 7:18; Amos 8:10; Zeph 1:8–9; Mt 8:12; 22:13; Rev 18:9–18).
Finally, the Day of the Lord will be a day in which the oppressed people of God will experience deliverance. This is often described in terms roughly opposite to those describing God’s judgment, including victory in battle (Obad 17–18; Zech 9:15; Mal 4:4; 2 Thess 2:8; Rev 19:19–21); reoccupation of territory (Is 35:8–10; Obad 19–21; Zeph 3:18–20; Zech 14:10–11; Rev 21:22–27); replenishment of waterways, fields, crops and domestic animals (Is 25:6; 29:17; Hos 2:21–22; Joel 2:18–24; 3:18; Zech 9:17; 14:8; Rev 22:1–2); rebuilding of dwellings (Amos 9:14; Rev 21:2, 9–21) and rejoicing (Is 29:19; Zeph 3:14; Rev 21:4).
...As the disproportionately fewer number of NT references in this article indicates, the NT writers tend to use less of the traditional imagery associated with the Day of the Lord and speak more straightforwardly about a coming universal judgment. Perhaps this is a clue that at least the images most frequently used by the prophets had become stock metaphors for God’s action in judging and saving." [1] (emphasis mine)
It's a pretty complex phrase because it shows up in so many different kinds of passages, but this is a pretty good summary of what would probably come to mind when someone who knew the OT well read this phrase in Thessalonians. Paul is putting a lot of meaning into a short few sentences of this letter by using this phrase here.
Any questions?
"In some prophetic texts “the day of the Lord” refers to an event so cataclysmic that it ends an age of the world (e.g., Joel 2:28–3:21; Zech 14:1–21). This usage passed over into the NT, where the Day of the Lord refers to God’s judging action when Christ returns at the end of the age (e.g., 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Thess 2:2; 2 Pet 3:10)...
...These climactic events were given the name Day of the Lord because God’s personal action was believed to be the decisive factor in the course of events. His personal involvement was signified by such phrases as “the day of [the Lord’s] vengeance” (Is 34:8), “the day of [the Lord’s] anger” (Is 13:13; Lam 1:12, 21–22; 2:1; Zeph 2:2–3), “the day of the Lord’s sacrifice” (Zeph 1:8), “the day of the wrath of the Lord” (Ezek 7:19), “the day I punish Israel” (Amos 3:14), “the day when I take from them their stronghold” (Ezek 24:25), “the day that I cleanse you” (Ezek 33:33), “the day I visit them” (Jer 27:22), “the day that I make them my jewels” (Mal 3:17) and “the day I rise up for plunder” (Zeph 3:8).
In both Testaments a variety of images for God’s appearance among people is employed to express God’s personal involvement in the events of the Day of the Lord. Most frequently God’s appearance and action are described in terms of cosmic catastrophes, including raging fires (Is 10:16; 38:22; Joel 2:30; Amos 1:14; Zeph 3:8; 2 Pet 3:7, 10; Rev 16:8), whirlwinds and storms (Is 28:2; 30:30; Jer 25:32; Ezek 38:22; Zech 9:14; Rev 16:21), shaking of the heavens and the earth (Is 2:10, 19; 13:13; 23:11; 24:18–20; Ezek 38:19; Hag 2:21–22; Joel 3:16; Rev 6:12–14; 16:17–20), floods (Is 28:2; Jer 47:1–7) and the darkening of the heavenly bodies, either by clouds or eclipses or by some unexplained phenomenon (Is 5:30; 13:10; 24:23; Ezek 32:7–8; Joel 2:15; 3:15; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15; Mk 13:24 par. Mt 24:29 and Lk 21:25; Acts 2:20; Rev 6:12)...
...The blowing of a trumpet is often mentioned either as a signal of God’s appearing or as a signal/alarm that God’s work in judgment or salvation is about to begin (Is 27:13; Ezek 7:14; Hos 5:8; Zeph 1:16; Zech 9:14; Mt 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16). The blowing of trumpets during the siege of Jericho (Josh 6:6–27) probably gives us an idea of the historical background for the trumpet image. It is probably also appropriate to read the description of God’s appearing on Mt. Sinai (Ex 19:16–20) in light of its associations with the images employed to describe the Day of the Lord...
...Biblical authors also attempt to impress on their audiences the emotional impact of the Day of the Lord by describing the reactions of those who experience God’s activity. For those who suffer under God’s judgment, the reaction is usually described in terms of traditional ancient Near Eastern mourning practices, such as wearing sackcloth, sitting on the ground, wailing loudly and throwing dust or ashes on oneself (Is 3:18–24; 22:12; 24:7–9; Jer 25:34; 47:2; Lam 1:2; 2:10–11; Ezek 7:18; Amos 8:10; Zeph 1:8–9; Mt 8:12; 22:13; Rev 18:9–18).
Finally, the Day of the Lord will be a day in which the oppressed people of God will experience deliverance. This is often described in terms roughly opposite to those describing God’s judgment, including victory in battle (Obad 17–18; Zech 9:15; Mal 4:4; 2 Thess 2:8; Rev 19:19–21); reoccupation of territory (Is 35:8–10; Obad 19–21; Zeph 3:18–20; Zech 14:10–11; Rev 21:22–27); replenishment of waterways, fields, crops and domestic animals (Is 25:6; 29:17; Hos 2:21–22; Joel 2:18–24; 3:18; Zech 9:17; 14:8; Rev 22:1–2); rebuilding of dwellings (Amos 9:14; Rev 21:2, 9–21) and rejoicing (Is 29:19; Zeph 3:14; Rev 21:4).
...As the disproportionately fewer number of NT references in this article indicates, the NT writers tend to use less of the traditional imagery associated with the Day of the Lord and speak more straightforwardly about a coming universal judgment. Perhaps this is a clue that at least the images most frequently used by the prophets had become stock metaphors for God’s action in judging and saving." [1] (emphasis mine)
It's a pretty complex phrase because it shows up in so many different kinds of passages, but this is a pretty good summary of what would probably come to mind when someone who knew the OT well read this phrase in Thessalonians. Paul is putting a lot of meaning into a short few sentences of this letter by using this phrase here.
Any questions?
[1] Leland Ryken, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman et al., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 196-97.
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