Sermons
Great Expectations Part 3
Great Expectations 3
The Coming Day of the Lord
Joel 2:28-32a
Introduction:
1. This passage is quoted by Peter in Acts 2:17ff as explanation of the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
2. Without a doubt, he sees the passage as predicting what was then happening. Since the apostles were speaking in languages they had not learned the Holy Spirit was validating the message and giving indication that He was the one behind it. In other words, the Holy Spirit was behind the message of Joel and behind Peter’s interpretation of it.
3. Usually when we think of the day of Pentecost we think of the preaching of forgiveness, and that is certainly Peter’s emphasis, but there is another side to the “day of the Lord.”
4. “The day of the Lord” is also a day of judgment and this is a sense in which it is used in Scripture. It is used of various judgments that God will bring.
5. How are we to understand “the day of the Lord”? Is it a day of gloom or of rejoicing? How should it be interpreted, considering its reference to various judgments brought about by God?
Discussion:
I. The nature of prophetic language.
A. 1 Pet. 1:10-12 indicates that the O.T. prophets were “seeking to know what they
were predicting as the predicted the suffering of Christ and the glories to follow.
1. I understand that to mean that they did not understand everything the Spirit
was communicating through them.
2. God is not limited by time and so can predict what to us is future events.
3. This is what He has done through the prophets.
4. Imagine that you are standing on a vantage point where you can see multiple
mountains in front of you. Your friend is standing at the foot of the first
mountain. You are attempting to describe the multiple mountains that you
see, but he can only see what is directly in front of him. So it is with God. It is
as if He looks through time and sees things that we cannot. He can describe
for us mountains that we cannot yet see. He can tell us what the future of our
journey holds as we move through time.
B. Some illustrations of this.
1. Deut. 18:15-22.
a. Applies immediately to Moses.
b. Looks forward to the prophet(s) that will come from among their
countrymen, a reference to the prophets after Moses that arose in
Israel.
c. But it also looks forward to the prophet par excellence—Jesus (Acts
3:19-24; 7:37; Heb. 1:1-2a).
2. 2 Sam. 7:12-16.
a. Applies immediately to Solomon.
b. Looks forward to the Solomonic dynasty—all the kings after Solomon.
c. Looks further forward to Jesus (Acts 2:29-36).
II. Joel 2:28-32a and other references to “the day of the Lord” do this same thing.
A. Joel 2:28-32a Peter refers to the events of Pentecost, yet “the day of the Lord”
also refers to other events in O.T. history.
B. In Obadiah (15-16) “the day of the Lord” refers to the doom of Edom (and all
nations). But it also may refer to the final day of judgment and redemption.
C. In Isaiah 13:6-8, 17-22 “the day of the Lord” refers to when Babylon will be
destroyed. Yet in verses 9-11 it seems that there is a reference to a final day.
Rev. 17-18 sees the destruction of Babylon (the world of evil) in this sense. In
Isa. 2:12, 17 he sees it as a day of judgment on Judah, but mixed in is further
information about a future kingdom (Isa. 2:2-4).
D. Amos sees “the day of the Lord” as a time of judgment on Israel (5:18-20).
E. Zephaniah speaks of “the day of the Lord” as a day of wrath (1:14-15).
F. “The day of the Lord” refers to times when the Lord comes in wrath against evil
doers and rescues the righteous.
1. It is a day of salvation for those who call on the name of the Lord (Joel 2:32).
2. Healing, and joy is promised for those who fear God (Mal. 4:1-6).
III. The concept of “the day of the Lord” includes “the new heavens and new earth.”
A. Isa. 65:17-25 predicted “new heavens and a new earth.”
B. 2 Pet. 3:3ff speaks of “the day of the Lord” in association with “new heavens
and a new earth.”
C. Rev. 21:1ff, after the judgment (20:11ff) sees “a new heaven and new earth.”
Conclusion:
1. Prophecy creates great expectations, sometimes for the immediate future, but it creates even greater expectations for the more distant future.
2. Immediate events often have corresponding more distant events that are foreseen.
3. God’s revelation to us about “the coming day of the Lord” allows us to be prepared so that we can live together with Him (1 Thess. 5:1-10).
4. It recognizes His control, and it evidences God’s plan to make things right. There will be judgment against evil, but those who call on the name of the Lord will be delivered into “a new heaven and new earth.”
