The following article features excerpts from David Levy’s book Joel: The Day of the Lord. David gives a clear, concise overview of a scriptural prophecy that has perplexed many readers yet provides key information for us to better understand God and His righteous judgment.
The phrase the Day of the Lord should not be interpreted as a 24-hour period, but rather as a specific time referring to God’s special intervention in the affairs of man and world events.
The phrase has a twofold meaning. First, a past application of the Day of the Lord was often used in the Old Testament as a period of judgment upon Israel and specific nations, such as Babylon (Isaiah 13:6). Second, the Day of the Lord is spoken of as a future time that encompasses a number of end-times events, such as the judgments in Daniel’s 70th week, Christ’s Second Coming, the Millennial Age, and the destruction of the heavens and earth by fire in preparation for the new heavens and new earth.
The Prophecies of Joel
The first half of the book of Joel’s prophecy emphasizes God’s judgment on the land of Israel. In chapter 1, Joel announced that an awesome locust plague would sweep through Judah, stripping the land of its vegetation and resulting in drought and starvation throughout the nation. The priests in Judah are told to call the elders and inhabitants of the land to a time of fasting and repentance at the Temple in hopes that their cries to God would stay the Day of the Lord’s judgment.
The Lord promises to deliver Judah and bring prosperity to the nation by restoring the years that the locusts have eaten.
In chapter 2, the locust plague is illustrative of a massive army that will descend on Judah from the north, resulting in its destruction and captivity. Aware of the invasion from the north, Judah is again called on to cry to God for mercy in hopes that He will spare the nation. Looking into the far future, the northern invasion foreshadows a great Day of the Lord’s judgment that will take place during the Great Tribulation, when the nations of the world will converge on Israel for the campaign of Armageddon. During this Tribulation, the Lord will hear the repentant pleading of His people and have pity on them. The Lord promises to deliver Judah and bring prosperity to the nation by restoring the years that the locusts have eaten.
With a sweep of his pen, Joel transports the reader to the time of Messiah’s return and enumerates many of the spiritual blessings Israel will experience, as well as the awesome signs of judgment that will precede His coming.
In the second half of Joel’s prophecy, presented in chapter 3, the emphasis is on the final judgment of the nations and the future blessings Israel will experience when the Messiah sets up His Millennial rule. The Jewish people will be vindicated for their many centuries of suffering at the hands of the Gentile nations. And Messiah will bring the nations to judgment.
The text is not in chronological order. In chapter 3, Joel presents the judgment of the Gentiles before the battle of Armageddon. Joel ends his prophecy with broad strokes, outlining the peace and prosperity Israel is to experience when Messiah sets up the Millennial Kingdom.
The “Days” of Scripture
To understand what is meant by “the Day of the Lord,” one must understand the difference between man’s day and the Lord’s day. There are four key days mentioned in Scripture. First is man’s day. This phrase is used in 1 Corinthians 4:3 in reference to “man’s judgment.” The apostle Paul said, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court.” This “human court” is literally man’s day, having reference to the day which now is, when men have control over human government.
Second is the “day of Christ,” mentioned six times in Scripture (1 Corinthians 1:8; 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14; Philippians 1:6, 10; 2:16). It refers to the time when Christ will come to rapture the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18) out of the earth, taking Christians to be with Him (John 14:1–3) forever.
The Day of the Lord refers to the direct intervention of God in the affairs of man after the Rapture of the church.
Third is the “Day of the Lord,” which speaks of a dark, gloomy day (Joel 2:1)—a time of judgment. The Day of the Lord refers to the direct intervention of God in the affairs of man after the Rapture of the church. It covers the Tribulation (Revelation 6—19), Millennial Kingdom (20:1–10), and the Great White Throne Judgment (vv. 11–15). It is not only a time of judgment on the wicked, but a time of great blessing for the redeemed of Israel and the church.
Fourth is the “day of God,” mentioned in 2 Peter 3:12, which refers to the heavens passing away, the elements melting, the earth being renovated by fire, and the establishment of a new heaven and earth, ushering in the eternal state.
The words destruction from the Almighty (Hebrew, shod and shaddai, Joel 1:15), come from the Hebrew word shadad. It is a play on words showing the comparison between the individual (God) who will cause the destruction and the literal destruction.
Joel’s prophecy of the Day of the Lord provides a greater understanding of Israel’s prophetic history. Hopefully, this prophecy will give you a renewed appreciation for Israel’s long struggle to survive over the centuries and an understanding of the future Day of the Lord the nation must face.
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