The Day of the Lord and Steadfast Perseverance

 2nd Peter chapter 3 has a section that makes it clear that discipleship is tied to a proper understanding of the day of the Lord.  The section begins by speaking of the certainty of the Day of the Lord and has a couple uses of the word therefore that tie it into our being steadfast followers of the Messiah.

"14Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation..."

A true God given understanding that this age and this world system has an end breaks the hold it has on us off of us.  Then we live as strangers and pilgrims, not as people who put our hope and happiness in this world system.  Our peace is settled in His plan and His plan is only extending the time of this world system so that more can be shown mercy. Our peace is not dependent on anything in this world system.  So when everything is shaken if we truly know this, we will not be shaken.

 
"17You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; "  Our knowing of the ultimate truth of the Day of the Lord, of Him putting everything right, of the destruction of this world system will keep us steadfast.  

Lastly James chapter 5 illustrates the point that the Day of the Lord is a strong foundation for the believer and for living properly. The chapter starts out making it clear we should not be storing up treasures in the last days and we should be treating others fairly, then he moves to verse 7.  "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

9Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!"

By faith we know that this world system is coming to a close.  We trust, we wait knowing that God cannot lie. We establish our hearts, which other translations say is take courage, keep hoping, stay energized and firmly committed based on the fact that the Day of the Lord is coming.  And verse 9 makes it clear that this knowledge is powerful in helping us walk out our lives in the Spirit, we don't grumble against one another, because the Judge is at the door!  A true and right understanding of the Day of the Lord will keep us in a place of trusting and waiting and living by the Holy Spirit until that great Day.

The Judge On the Last Day

 "The one who rejects Me and doesn’t accept My sayings has this as his judge: The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day."  John 12:48

Clearly it is the rejection of the Messiah and His good news that will be the judge of the last day, the day of the Lord.

The Messiah has come, salvation has been completely paid for and accomplished.  God lowered Himself and became a man.  Rejecting that is the unforgivable sin, because rejecting that is rejecting the only payment for sin.  Rejecting that is rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit that Yeshua is the Messiah and His death and resurrection are the only way to be made right with God.

Our hearts cry is for fairness and justice and on the Last Day that cry will be answered by the one, true God.

The Day of Judgment

 Matthew prefers the words "the day of judgment" to describe the Day of the Lord.  He has 4 of the 8 occurrences from Matthew to 1 John.  

Three of those times Yeshua tells us there will be different levels of judgment based on what you saw or experienced or knew.  The Jewish towns that saw the Messiah perform miracles will have a greater judgment on that day.  

Then Yeshua gives this warning, "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Matthew 12:36  

None of us can escape this judgment.  Let your words be few and led by the Spirit, because all those idle, complaining, ungrateful words you are going to be giving account for on that day.

With the Psalmist we cry, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be controlled by Your Spirit Oh Lord, have mercy.

Ultimate Things

 The Day of the Lord scriptures matter because this message was central to the good news that Yeshua's followers proclaimed.

The schooling of the gentiles (go and make disciples) had to include this lesson. The God of Israel will return and sit on His throne in Jerusalem and he will judge rightly everything and everyone.  Justice will prevail.  The cry of the poor and the downtrodden will be heard.  The power and influence of the rich will do them no good. 

 "Waiting and watching till morning" Psalm 130:6 MSG

Our contentment with this age and these surroundings has removed the Day of the Lord from our message and our thinking.  It is very dangerous ground, mostly because it looks so peaceful and perpetual.  

The cry of maranatha comes from a heart that has seen the horrors of this age and longs for the age to come.  It comes from a heart that has felt the injustice and the suffering.  

Paul's statement that he knew how to be abased and how to abound is thrown in a different light by the revelation of the Day of the Lord.  When abased know that God will ultimately make things right that this is only temporary, that morning will come.  When abounding know that this too is only temporary and don't cling to it or expect it or demand it in any way.  It happens that I am abounding right now, good, I can enjoy it without owning it or expecting it to continue for one more second. 

Romans 2:5-8 "⁵ But by your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. ⁶ He will pay back each person according to his deeds. ⁷ To those who by perseverance in doing good are seeking glory, honor, and immortality—eternal life. ⁸ But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—wrath and fury.