The Day of Yahweh
Even though the Day of Yahweh is the most significant prophetic event of the Gospel, it is virtually unknown to most Christians. The amount written about the Day of Yahweh is so extensive that there is no other prophetic event in Scripture which even comes close to its significance.
The term Day of Yahweh is recorded twenty-four times in Scripture. In the Old Testament there are numerous other terms that are synonyms for the Day of Yahweh including; the day of darkness, the day of God's wrath, the day of calamity, the day of wrath, the day of battle, day of disaster, day of reckoning, the day of his burning anger, day of vengeance, the day of salvation, the day of clouds and darkness, the day of your watchmen, the day of calamity, the day of his coming, that great and dreadful day of Yahweh. Zephaniah combines seven of these terms together in one passage.
"The great day of Yahweh is near-- near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of Yahweh will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of Yahweh's wrath (Zephaniah 1:14-17).
In the New Testament there are also synonyms for the Day of Yahweh including; the day of judgment, the day of our YahwehJesus Christ, the day of God's wrath, the day of Yahweh Jesus, the day of redemption, the day of Christ Jesus, the day of slaughter, the day of God, the day of Christ, the great day of their wrath, the great day of God Almighty.
So numerous are the references to the Day of Yahweh in Scripture that it is often abbreviated by simply writing “that day” or “the day.” Of course it is essential that we are careful to examine the context in which we find these terms, sometimes they may have other meanings as well.
Because we must be careful to correctly handle the Word of God, lets look at the passages that specifically reference the Day of Yahweh. From these we can determine what will take place on that day. Then, when we encounter these other terms, we can determine if they are synonyms for the Day of Yahweh.
Since Scripture speaks clearly to those who have the ears to hear and the eyes to see, I will underline the main characteristics of the Day of (Yahweh) Yahweh from each passage then list them following the passage.
The Day of Yahweh in the Old Testament
An oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw: Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath-- those who rejoice in my triumph. Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! Yahweh Almighty is mustering an army for war. They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens-- Yahweh and the weapons of his wrath-- to destroy the whole country. Wail, for the day of Yahweh is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the day of Yahweh is coming --a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger-- to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of Yahweh Almighty, in the day of his burning anger (Isaiah 13:1-13).
Yahweh’s wrath
The nations are massing together
Yahweh comes with His army from heaven.
The sun, moon and stars will be darkened.
Yahweh will put and end to sin.
The heaven and earth will be shaken.
The word of Yahweh came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: 'Hear the word of Yahweh! This is what the Sovereign Yahwehsays: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of Yahweh. Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, "Yahweh declares," when Yahweh has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, "Yahweh declares," though I have not spoken? "'Therefore this is what the Sovereign Yahwehsays: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD. "'Because they lead my people astray, saying, "Peace," when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, "Where is the whitewash you covered it with?" "'Therefore this is what the Sovereign Yahwehsays: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury. (Ezekiel 13:1-13)
Foolish prophets have not prepared the people for the battle.
They say, “Yahweh declares, though I have not spoken.”
They will not enter the land of Israel.
They say peace when there is no peace.
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of Yahweh is coming. It is close at hand-- a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste-- nothing escapes them. They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle. At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale. They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks. They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows. Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. Yahweh thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of Yahweh is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? (Joel 2:1-11)
Close at hand.
A large and mighty army comes drawn for battle.
The earth and sky is shaken.
Yahweh thunders at the head of His army.
The day of Yahweh is both great and dreadful.
I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Yahweh. And everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as Yahweh has said, among the survivors whom Yahweh calls. 'In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land (Joel 2:30-3:2).
Sun and the moon darkened before the Day of Yahweh
Everyone who calls on Yahweh will be saved.
Judah and Jerusalem will be restored.
Nations to “the Valley of Jehoshaphat”
Yahweh will judge the nations.
Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, 'I am strong!' Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O LORD! 'Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow-- so great is their wickedness!' Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. Yahweh will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But Yahweh will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. 'Then you will know that I, Yahweh your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. 'In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of Yahweh's house and will water the valley of acacias (Joel 39-18).
The nations armies will be assembled and advance on Jerusalem.
Yahweh will judge the nations.
The sun, moon and stars will be darkened.
Yahweh will roar from Jerusalem.
The sky and the earth will be shaken.
Yahweh will be a refuge for his people.
"The day of Yahweh is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. Just as you drank on my holy hill, so all the nations will drink continually; they will drink and drink and be as if they had never been. But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance. The house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau." Yahweh has spoken (Obediah 1:15-18).
Is near for all nations.
On Mount Zion will be deliverance.
The house of Jacob will possess its inheritance.
Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of Yahweh is near. Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited. On the day of Yahweh's sacrifice I will punish the princes and the king's sons and all those clad in foreign clothes. On that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit. "On that day," declares Yahweh, "a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the New Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills. Wail, you who live in the market district; all your merchants will be wiped out, all who trade with silver will be ruined. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'Yahweh will do nothing, either good or bad.' Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine. "The great day of Yahweh is near-- near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of Yahweh will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of Yahweh's wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth" (Zephaniah 1:7-18)
Yahweh’s wrath.
A day of blackness, ruin, trumpet, and battle.
A sudden end of all who live in the earth in the fire.
A day of Yahweh is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then Yahweh will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then Yahweh my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime--a day known to Yahweh. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. Yahweh will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up and remain in its place, from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure. This is the plague with which Yahweh will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. On that day men will be stricken by Yahweh with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other. Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected--great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps. Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, Yahweh Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:1-16).
I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem.
Yahweh will go out and fight against the nations in the day of battle.
Yahweh will come with all His holy ones.
Yahweh will be king over the whole earth.
Jerusalem will be secure
"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says Yahweh Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says Yahweh Almighty. "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of Yahweh comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse" (Malachi 4:1-6)
The Day will come and burn like a furnace.
For those who revere Yahweh’s name - healing.
Elijah comes before the Day of Yahweh.
The Day of Yahweh in the New Testament
"'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of Yahweh. And everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved' (Acts 2:17-21).
The sun and the moon darkened before the Day of Yahweh
The Day will be great and glorious.
Everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved.
For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of Yahweh Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:13-14).
There will be boasting on the Day of Yahweh.
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of Yahweh will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4).
The Day of Yahweh will surprise the world.
That Day will not surprise true believers.
Concerning the coming of our YahwehJesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of Yahweh has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).
Christ will come and gather the saints on that Day.
Will not happen until after the Antichrist is revealed.
The Antichrist will be revealed at “the abomination that causes desolation.”
First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With Yahweh a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. Yahweh is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of Yahweh will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat (2 Peter 3:3-12).
Unbelieving teachers will come in the last days.
People will doubt the promise of God.
The heavens and earth will be destroyed by fire.
The day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
The Day of Yahweh is that day, after the sun and the moon and the stars go dark and Elijah comes, when Yahweh will suddenly return to earth with all His holy ones to punish the wicked in His wrath and bring salvation and deliverance to His own. This is the great gospel promise, which God first delivered to Abraham, when God will restore everything and reign over the whole world from Jerusalem.
Richard H Perry
