There are two common views when it comes to the timing of the Day of the Lord.
Both agree on the events involved—
but they differ on when it begins.
Let’s walk through it clearly.
▪️Two Views—One Key Question
We all recognize the prophetic timeline:
• The Rapture
• The 70th Week (Tribulation)
• The Second Coming
• The Millennial Kingdom
• The Great White Throne
• The New Heavens and New Earth
Now here’s the issue:
👉 Does the Day of the Lord begin BEFORE the Tribulation?
👉 Or does it begin AT the Second Coming?
View #1: Day of the Lord Starts Early
This view teaches:
The Day of the Lord begins at or before the 70th week
and stretches all the way through:
• The Tribulation
• The Kingdom
• The Final Judgment
• Into eternity
In other words—it includes everything from the 70th week onward.
▪️View #2: Day of the Lord Begins at Christ’s Return
This view agrees that:
• The Kingdom
• The Great White Throne
• The New Heavens and Earth
—are all part of the Day of the Lord.
But here’s the difference:
👉 It places the START of the Day of the Lord
at the Second Coming of Christ—not before.
▪️So Which Is Right?
When we rightly divide the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15),
the Scriptures point clearly in one direction:
👉 The Day of the Lord begins at the Second Coming.
Not before.
Not at the start of the Tribulation.
But after it.
▪️Why This Matters (3 Simple Truths)
1. It Comes AFTER the Tribulation
“The sun shall be turned into darkness… BEFORE the great and terrible day of the LORD come.”
— Joel 2:31
“Immediately AFTER the tribulation… the sun shall be darkened…”
— Matthew 24:29
The order is clear:
Tribulation → Cosmic Signs → Second Coming → Day of the Lord
2. The Lord Alone Is Exalted
“The LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.”
— Isaiah 2:11
But during the Tribulation?
The man of sin “exalteth himself…”
— 2 Thessalonians 2:4
That tells you something:
The Tribulation cannot be the Day of the Lord
because the wrong one is being exalted.
3. It Is the Presence of the Lord
“Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand.”
— Zephaniah 1:7
The Day of the Lord is not just a period…
👉 It is the Lord personally intervening.
And when does that happen?
👉 At the Second Coming.
▪️What About “Thief in the Night”?
Many assume that means it must begin earlier.
But Scripture clarifies:
“The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:2
The surprise is not about the year—
but the day and hour (Matthew 24:36).
And when Christ returns?
• The sun is darkened
• The moon turns to blood
• The world is plunged into darkness
And then—
👉 He appears.
Suddenly.
Unexpectedly.
Like a thief in the night.
▪️Rightly Divided Truth
We must not confuse:
• Prophecy (Israel’s program)
with
• Mystery (the Body of Christ today)
The Day of the Lord belongs to prophecy—
not the Church, the Body of Christ.
▪️Our Hope Is Not That Day
We are not waiting for wrath.
We are not watching for signs.
We are looking for:
“That blessed hope…”
— Titus 2:13
“Caught up… to meet the Lord…”
— 1 Thessalonians 4:17
Conclusion:
The Day of the Lord is coming.
It will be:
• A day of darkness
• A day of wrath
• A day when Christ takes His rightful place
But for us?
👉 We rest in grace.
👉 We stand in the finished work.
👉 We wait for Christ—not wrath.
Rightly divide.
Stand fast.
Rest in what Christ has done.
