When Paul refers to the “Day of the Lord” in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, what does he mean?

Today Bible Study:

When Paul refers to the “Day of the Lord” in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, what does he mean?

There are 19 indisputable uses of “the Day of the Lord” in the Old Testament and 4 in the New Testament (Acts 2:20; 2 Thess. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:10). The Old Testament prophets used “Day of the Lord” to describe near historical judgments (Is. 13:6–22; Ezek. 30:2–19; Joel 1:15; 3:14; Amos 5:18–20; Zeph. 1:14–18) or far eschatological divine judgments (Joel 2:30–32; Zech. 14:1; Mal. 4:1, 5). Six times it is referred to as the “day of doom” and 4 times as the “day of vengeance.” The New Testament calls it a day of “wrath,” a day of “visitation,” and the “Great Day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14). These are terrifying judgments from God (Joel 2:30, 31; 2 Thess. 1:7–10) for the overwhelming sinfulness of the world.

The future “Day of the Lord” which unleashes God’s wrath falls into two parts: 1) the end of the 7-year tribulation period (Rev. 19:11–21), and 2) the end of the Millennium. These two are actually 1,000 years apart, and Peter refers to the end of the 1,000-year period in connection with the final “Day of the Lord” (2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 20:7–15). Here, Paul refers to that aspect of the “Day of the Lord,” which concludes the Tribulation period. When Paul uses the phrase “a thief in the night,” it is never used to refer to the Rapture of the church. It is used of Christ’s coming in judgment on the Day of the Lord at the end of the 7-year Tribulation which is distinct from the Rapture of the church, and it is used of the judgment which concludes the Millennium (2 Pet. 3:10). As a thief comes unexpectedly and without warning, so will the Day of the Lord come in both its final phases.