The Day of the Lord – one of my favorite Old Testament themes! What is the Day of the Lord, and when was it (or will it be) fulfilled? These are important questions to ask when looking at this day. Notice the descriptions of this day given throughout the readings, darkness and gloom, blackness, fire, war horses, powerful army, etc. Looking at this passage you get a very distinct idea that this day of the Lord is a bad day, something that will make the locust plague they are experiencing seem like nothing!
Notice the final description given at the end of verse 11, “For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome, who can endure it?” The day of the Lord described here is a day of punishment and judgment, who can endure it? Certainly not us, because we are sinful. Sometimes I think we picture God’s judgment being focused only on the really, really, wicked. But it’s not. It’s also for us. Our sins (as tiny as they may be) are as huge in God’s eyes as the ultra wicked people.
So why aren’t we judged? Because of what we celebrated in the past couple of weeks!!!