What Is the Day of the Lord?Sample

Salvation for the people of God

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;” (Zephaniah 3:16-17a)

The day of the Lord is used by the prophets to talk about the moment God will judge the nations. But there is more to this phrase. Take for example Isaiah 14. After pronouncing judgment on Babylon, Isaiah introduces the fate of Israel. Here we read that the Lord will have compassion by bringing the Israelites back to their promised land. This will all happen immediately after the day of the Lord in chapter 13.

This brings us to the second aspect of this Biblical phrase: Salvation for Israel. Just as God saved Israel from oppression in Egypt, so too will He save Israel from the evil nations surrounding them. This will happen when God judges the nations on the great and awesome day of the Lord. Thus, for Babylon, Edom, or any other oppressive nation, the day will be terrible, but for the Israelites it will be a day of deliverance. People will see that the Lord is mighty to save His chosen nation. This shows how God’s justice and love often go hand in hand.