Overview of the “Very Terrible” Day of the Lord
I THE DAY OF THE LORD – TWO TRENDS BROUGHT TO FULLNESS:
The day of the Lord is GREAT and VERY TERRIBLE; who can endure it? (Joel 2:11)
A. The “Day of the Lord” prophetic concept first introduced by the prophet Obadiah approximately 830 BC in context to
the “day of the Lord upon all nations”; God is going to judge the nations of the earth for their harsh treatment of the nation
of Israel – particularly Edom, Israel’s brother (Esau). This is a point of national pride for the people of God.
1. Joel approximately ten years later delivers a shocking message to the southern kingdom of Judah: their national
identity is not enough to spare them from the great and terrible Day of the Lord that will trouble them as well. Joel is
sounding an alarm to warn them that a full turning, or repentance is vital for their continued survival.
2. This is the stunning message for the church today: there is a storm coming to the earth that no one is
prepared for; beyond this there are many who have given themselves to a false security that is not rooted in the Word.
B. Two dimensions to the Day of the Lord: great and very terrible; the implication is that there will be two trends
operating simultaneously in the last days of this age.
1. The first will be the “great” dimension of the Day of the Lord: the positive dimensions of the expression of His
heart and leadership that will usher in the greatest revival in history, marked by signs and wonders with transforming
power.
2. The second will be the “very terrible” dimension: the “negative” (in our understanding) dimensions of the hand
of the Lord expressing Himself through furious wrath and judgment that magnifies His great displeasure of sin and
rebellion. This expression of the Father’s heart is one that very few understand or are prepared for.
II THE DAY OF THE LORD – NECESSITY OF UNDERSTANDING:
A. The need to understand the Day of the Lord – watching and waiting, committed to be prepared:
“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes like a thief in the night.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:2)
“Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:6)
“Watch, therefore, for you do not know that hour your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 4:42)
“Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you
that he will gird himself and have them sit down and eat, and will come and serve them.” (Luke 12:35-40)
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of
this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the
face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these
things that will come to pass; and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)
“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” (1 Peter 4:7)
“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not
watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” (Revelation 3:3)
1. The Bible is filled with information about this key time-frame that will greatly affect all that live on the earth –
there are hundreds of passages, particularly in the Old Testament that give us information about the intensity of the
hour that is coming.
2. Isaiah 22:5 calls it a day of perplexity – many will be confused as to why God is acting with intensity on the earth
as well as misunderstanding the nature of His judgments.
3. It is important that we do not pursue understanding for the sake of curiosity, but to become those who are
prepared and prepare others for the calamity that is coming – real lives and eternal destinies are in the balance, and
God has gathered us in this hour to contend for those souls in the spirit of His mercy.
B. The definition of the Day of the Lord: His day by which He makes Himself known to all:
1. Two dimensions – the literal day of His coming to establish His rule on the earth and the time frame by which He
shakes everything that can be shaken throughout the earth. (Haggai 2:6-7; Hebrews 12:25-39)
2. This shaking is to call the attention of all the nations of the earth to Himself – to demonstrate His pleasure in
righteousness and His displeasure in sin, displayed in power as His concern becomes the centerpiece of humanity.
3. Isaiah 2:5-22 – The day of the Lord will come upon everything that exalts itself above the living God; everything
proud and lofty, and the haughtiness of man shall be brought low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
4. His judgments, positive and negative, will affect the whole earth. The unveiling of His heart will cause all to fully
choose where they will ally themselves – within the kingdom of God or the dominion of antichrist.
III THE DAY OF THE LORD: VERY TERRIBLE DAY (NEGATIVE TRENDS) – GREATEST CRISIS IN HISTORY (FULLNESS)
“There shall be a TIME OF TROUBLE, SUCH AS NEVER WAS since there was a nation, even to that time.
(Daniel 12:1)
“For then there will be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until
this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)
A. Fullness of man’s sin - Revelation 9:21; 14:18; 17:5; 18:5; Daniel 8:23; 12:10
B. Did not repent of murders, sorceries, sexual immorality, thefts (Revelation 9:21)
C. Fullness of satan’s rage – Revelation 12:12; 9:21; Daniel 7:21, 25; Revelation 13
D. Woe to the inhabitants of earth … for the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that
he has a short time. (Revelation 12:12)
E. Fullness of God’s judgment – Revelation 15:7; 14:10 (7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls)
F. Fullness of creation’s groan – Romans 8:19-24. This includes earthquakes, upheavals in the sea, atmosphere,
agriculture, sky, heavens, etc.
G. Man’s emotional condition – Hatred of God declaring war (Revelation 11:18; 16:9, 11, 21; 13:7; 19:19). Fear
(Luke 21:26); Relational chaos (Matthew 24:10-12).
H. A time of unprecedented trial for the saints of God:
“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,”
(Daniel 7:21)
“His (antichrist’s) power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; he shall destroy fearfully, and shall
prosper and thrive; he shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.” (Daniel 8:24)
“And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by the
sword and flame, by captivity and plundering.” (Daniel 11:33)
“Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked
shall understand, but the wise shall understand.” (Daniel 12:10)
“And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.” (Matthew 22:6)
“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be
shortened.” (Matthew 24:22)
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who
keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)
I. A time of intense trauma for the Jews: Jacob’s Trouble
“Alas! For that day is great. So that there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall
be saved out of it.” (Jeremiah 30:7)
“And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be
trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)
“And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.”
(Daniel 12:1)
“And when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.”
(Daniel 12:7)
“And it shall come to pass in all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but
one-third shall be left in it; I will bring the one-third through fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and
test them as gold is tested.” (Zechariah 13:8-9)
“For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and
the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut
off from the city.” (Zechariah 14:2)
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be
stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 4:1)
“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to
the male Child.” (Revelation 12:13)
J. A time of unprecedented pressure for the whole earth:
“God will repay with destruction those who trouble the church; taking vengeance on those who do not
obey the gospel of Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
IV THE PRIMARY NEGATIVE PEOPLE AND EVENTS IN THE END TIMES:
A. The Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15-22; Revelation 6-19) It is important to remember that in the Book of Revelation
there is a dynamic connection to the people and events of the end times that will shake and trouble the whole earth as Jesus
briefly describes, and His very hand loosing and empowering the very agents of judgment that will test both the church and
the nations (Revelation 6). He will operate in great unity with His father in those days to navigate humanity successfully
through its greatest trouble into its greatest reward (Jesus ruling the whole earth in perfect righteousness).
B. The counterfeit trinity (Revelation 13:1-2, 11) includes satan (dragon) empowering the antichrist (first beast) and the
false prophet (second beast). This is the highlight of satan’s strategy to set up a counterfeit prayer, worship, and prophetic
movement at the end of the age.
C. Antichrist (Revelation 13) – final world leader who wages war against God and persecutes His people. He has a political,
military and economic alliance with a ten-nation confederation. His credibility is strengthened by demonically empowered
speaking that is confirmed with great miracles. He will be helped greatly by the loyal service of the false prophet and the
miraculous speaking image that supports his empire.
D. Healing of the antichrist’s fatal head wound - gains him a worldwide following causing the nations to be
overwhelmed with awe and wonder at him.
E. Ten-nation confederation is a political, military and economic alliance of ten nations that provides the antichrist with the
greatest natural power base of any leader in history. Gog (antichrist) and Magog (European Union as the revived Roman
Empire) are the power base of this world empire (Daniel 7:1-8; Ezekiel 38:2-6)
F. The False Prophet (Revelation 13) – the leader of the future worldwide religious network that is devoted to worshipping
satan and the antichrist. He also speaks (with satanic influence) a message that is confirmed by signs and wonders. The
false prophet’s strategy is to cause an image to be made (that breathes and speaks) as his method of raising up a satanic
worldwide worship movement. He also has authority to legislate the death penalty and economic controls by instituting the
mark of the beast system.
G. Abomination of desolation and the worldwide worship movement of satan and the antichrist – the key event
that triggers the antichrist’s demand to be worshipped by all nations. This phrase is used seven times in scripture, 5 times
in Daniel (Daniel 8:13; 9:26, 27; 11:31; 12:11) and two times by Jesus (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Paul taught this
(2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). The Abomination (defilement, pollution) is made up of two parats (the antichrist’s demand to be
worshipped as the only true God and the people’s acceptance of this). The desolation made up of two parts – the
desolation of the antichrist towards those who refuse his demand for worship and the desolation of God towards those
who yield to the pressure to worship the antichrist.
H. Image of the Beast – a supernatural image or statue (that breathes and speaks) that is set up in the Jerusalem
Temple, used to serve a worldwide worship movement of the antichrist. Daniel 3
I. Mark of the Beast – a public mark used to identify the people who refuse to worship the antichrist under the threat of
economic sanctions and the death penalty. This mark forces all to regularly and publicly declare their loyalty to the antichrist.
J. Falling away from the faith (the apostasy) – 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1; Matthew 24:12
Let no one deceive you… for that Day will not come unless the FALLING AWAY COMES FIRST, and the man of
sin is revealed … (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
Now the Spirit expressly says that IN LATTER TIMES some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving
spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1)
K. The Great Tribulation – is a 3 ½ year period at the end of the age when the antichrist rules over a worldwide system
including government, finances and religion. It is tribulation against the saints from antichrist (expressing the rage of satan).
It is tribulation against the antichrist’s empire by the three numbered judgment series (7 seals, trumpets, bowls). This is a
period of unprecedented distress. (Matthew 24:21, 29; Revelation 7:14; Daniel 12:1)