By David L. Cooper

            As a person reads literature dealing with the subject as to whether or not the church goes through the Tribulation, he finds great stress laid upon the terms, “in that day,” “the day of Jehovah,” and, “the day of Christ.”  The leaders of those who believe that the church goes through the Tribulation seem unanimous in interpreting these and like expressions as referring to the actual twenty-four-hour day on which the Lord Jesus Christ will descend from heaven to the air at the end of the Tribulation.  Hence every time these expressions occur, they are made to refer to that literal day when He makes His appearance.  In order for us to understand this subject properly, we must therefore investigate the scriptural usage of these terms.

I. The Use of the Word DAY in General

             In Genesis, chapter 1, we see the word day used to refer to twenty-four literal hours, consisting of the period of darkness which is followed by that of the light.  This of course is caused by the earth’s revolving upon its axis.  “And there was morning and there was evening, day one.”  In Genesis 2:4 the word day is used in a different sense:  “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven.”  Thus the six days of labor mentioned in Genesis, chapter 1, are lumped together and are spoken of as “the day” in which God created and made the earth and heaven.  It therefore has a broader meaning, embracing all of those days.

 At different places in the Scriptures the word day is used to refer to the period of light as contrasted with the night, the period of darkness.  For instance, in the “long day” of Joshua, of which we read in Joshua 10:12-14, the word day is used to refer to the period of light in contract with that of darkness.

 In our ordinary language we often use the word day in a figurative sense.  We are all familiar with such expressions as, “in our father’s day and time,” and “in our day.”  Here the word day is used to refer to the period of our generation or our lifetime, or our father’s lifetime.  Obviously day is used in various senses.  It is therefore necessary for a person to ascertain from the facts of the immediate context in which an expression occurs the exact meaning of the term.

 II. Use of the Word DAY in the Prophetic Writings

 There is little discussion as to the meaning of the word day in the historical portions of either the Old or New Testament, since the facts are very clear and admit of little controversy.  It is therefore in the prophetic scriptures where the differences of interpretation arise.  Our investigation must of necessity center around the phrases, “in that day” and “the day of Jehovah.”

A. In That Day

 If we follow the golden rule of interpretation which states that we should take every word at its primary, usual meaning unless the facts of the immediate context indicate clearly otherwise, we shall see that this phrase has two different meanings, one, the usual, literal signification; the other a technical connotation referring to a particular time yet in the future.  Sometimes, as we are reading in the Scriptures, we see a definite prediction that the prophet made relative to some event or period of time.  In developing his theme, he has used the phrase, “in that day.”  Naturally, in such a connection as this, our phrase means the time when the events just mentioned will be fulfilled.  We must recognize this fact and interpret accordingly.  In the messages of the prophets, however, we also see the expression, in that day, occurring and find no connection with any definite prediction to which it can definitely and indissolubly be connected.  As an excellent example of this usage, the reader should turn to Isaiah chapter 19.  In verses 1-15 we have a prediction that has already been fulfilled.  This was done when Egypt was torn to shreds by civil warfare, when her entire industrial potential was destroyed and havoc reigned everywhere.  But in verse 16 our expression, in that day, occurs.  Obviously the predictions of verse 16 and 17 were not in anywise connected with the prediction of the preceding verses.  In verse 18 there is a prediction that “In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Jehovah of hosts.”  There were no five cities in Egypt speaking the language of Canaan at that time, that is, five all-Jewish cities.  The expression, in that day, could not therefore refer to or be tied up with the prediction of verses 1-15.  Again, in verse 19 we have the same expression and are told that in that day there will be an altar to Jehovah.  There was no altar, an obelisk, erected in Egypt in connection with this national catastrophe.  This phrase therefore had no connection with the preceding prophecy.  Again, in verses 23 and 24, the same expression occurs, speaking of something that is in the future without any connection with the original prophecy.

 We may look again at Isaiah, chapter 17.  In verses 2 and 3 is a prediction concerning the overthrow of Damascus and the kingdom of Ephraim.  This prediction has been literally fulfilled.  In verses 4-6 is a prediction which has never been fulfilled, and which is designated as being fulfilled “in that day.”  The people of Israel have never been reduced to such small numbers as is foretold in these verses.  Again, in verses 7 and 8, we see the same expression, in that day.  This phrase introduces a prediction that men in general will turn away from their idolatry and look to their Maker, the Holy One of Israel. This prediction has never been fulfilled and has no connection with the original prediction found in verses 2 and 3.

 I could continue and examine other contexts in which this phrase occurs frequently and could show that it is not tied up with some definite prediction that has already been fulfilled.  In view of this fact we must recognize the further fact that this phrase has a technical meaning.  I might illustrate its significance by the following:  Those who used to hold the postmillennial view, and who believed that there would be a great judgment day when all would be gathered before the throne of God and would be separated as sheep are separated from the goats, constantly spoke of that time of the great (supposed) assize of the nations as the judgment day.  Frequently they referred to it and spoke of certain things occurring “in that day.”  Thus the phrase, the judgment day, or, in that day, took on a definite technical meaning which was understood generally.  The prophets constantly spoke of the day of Jehovah and delineated that time of sorrow and distress in the most lurid colors.  Thus in the mind of the people the day of Jehovah was a period of great distress and sorrow.  Instead of using the regular term “day of Jehovah,” the prophets simply used our phrase, in that day.  An examination of every context in which this expression occurs, and in which it does not have an immediate connection with a foregoing prophecy, it has this technical meaning.  Since, however, this period of judgment terminates with the glorious appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish His kingdom upon the earth, and to reign for a thousand years in righteousness over the nations, our phrase, in that day, was extended to embrace the reign of the Messiah along with the period of wrath—especially the beginning of Messiah’s reign.

 That we may see this fact, let us turn to Isaiah 11:10:  “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting-place shall be glorious.”  Now let us examine the context. Verses 1 and 2 of this chapter foretell the first coming of Messiah.  Verses 3-5 are clearly a description of His second coming and of His judging the nations.  The Christian Dispensation is passed over in silence between these two predictions regarding the first and the second coming.  Verses 6-9 tell about the lifting of the curse from the earth as it will particularly affect the animals.  Following this prediction, we are told that it shall come to pass in that day that the root of Jesse, King Messiah, shall have a glorious resting place.  Thus the phrase, in that day, in verse 10 is clearly pointing to this prediction that is yet to be fulfilled at the coming of Christ and His millennial reign.

 But in verse 11 we have the same phrase, in that day, which clearly refers to the final re-gathering of Israel all over the world.  In verse 11 we see that the Lord will put forth His hand again the second time to re-gather His people from their world-wide dispersion.  Read verses 11-16 of this chapter.  In these verses the term, in that day, refers to the entire period of time during which God will yet re-gather Israel and restore her to her homeland.

 WE see this same phrase recurring in Isaiah 12:1.  By an examination of that which follows, we see that it refers to the establishment of the reign of Messiah upon earth. Chapter 12 is part of the oracle found in chapter 11. There should have been no break by chapter division.  When we examine therefore this expression, in that day, as it occurs in verses 10 and 11 and again in 12:1, we see that this term embraces the period of time when God begins the restoration of Israel, extends through that preparatory movement preceding the Tribulation proper, and passes over into the reign of Christ upon earth. Though I could show example after example, which would corroborate this position, on account of lack of space I must desist.

 B. The Day of Jehovah

 The term, the day of Jehovah, is another most important expression that demands examination.  In Isaiah 2:11-22 we find the following description of it:

 “11The lofty looks of man shall be brought low and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah along shall be exalted in that day.  12 For there shall be a day of Jehovah of hosts upon all that is proud and haughty, and upon all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low; 13 and upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 14 and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, 15 and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall, 16 and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant imagery. 17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.  18 And the idols shall utterly pass away.  19 And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth.  20 In that day men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for them to worship, to the moles and to the bats; 21 to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.  22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?”

 The impression which one who has no preconceived ideas before examining this passage receives is that it is a prediction of a period of time during which God is overthrowing the civilization of the world and is establishing His reign of righteousness. Again we see the day of Jehovah set forth in the most graphic manner in Isaiah 13:6-14:20.  The impression which one receives from a reading of this passage is that it is likewise a period when God’s judgments are falling thick and fast upon the earth.  At that time God will be punishing the earth for its wickedness and bringing the arrogance of the proud to cease.  At that time the population of the world will be reduced to a minimum by the judgments of the Almighty.  This period of the day of Jehovah will culminate in the overthrow of the final king of the world empire and the destruction of Babylon the city, which is destined to rise out of the dust of the past and to play the role that is foretold in Isaiah and Jeremiah’s predictions concerning that ancient city.

 In this day of Jehovah Israel will be brought back to God and will be acceptable to Him as we see in 14:1, 2.  Thus the impression which this passage makes upon our mind is that the day of Jehovah is a period of time of judgment which culminates in the appearance of Messiah to deliver the world and to restore Israel to favor with Him.

 This same period of destruction by the wrath of God is set forth vividly in Isaiah 24:1-20.  It is followed immediately by the incarceration of the forces of evil in the pit of the abyss and Jehovah’s reigning in Mount Zion—the millennial reign of our Lord.

 For lack of space I must pass over many important passages in Jeremiah and Ezekiel concerning the day of Jehovah and turn now to Zephaniah’s statement of it.

 “14 The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of Jehovah; the mighty man crieth there bitterly.  15 That day is a day of wrath, a day or trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements.  17 And I will bring distress upon men that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.  18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy:  for he will make an end, yea, a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land” (Zeph. 1:14-18).

 Unquestionably this is a period when God is pouring out His judgments on the world and bringing low the pride and haughtiness of man.  This is designated as “the day of Jehovah’s wrath.”  Evidently it is the period when God is sending His judgments upon the world to punish the people for their sins.

 Again we see the day of Jehovah when God gathers all nations against Jerusalemto battle.  In this siege half of the city is captured and every depredation of warfare is committed.  This period of fighting is brought to a conclusion by the personal appearance of Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and by His standing upon the Mount of Olives.  He then establishes His reign of righteousness upon the earth.  It will take some time for the nations to gather their armies to Jerusalem.  This day of Jehovah could not possibly be a literal day of twenty-four hours.  Obviously Zephaniah is talking about what we know will occur at the close of the Tribulation.

The word Jehovah has four different connotations in the Old Testament.  The context must be consulted to determine the specific meaning in a given case.  An examination of the usage of this Ineffable Name shows that sometimes it refers to the Holy Trinity; at other times to Jehovah the Father; in still other places to Jehovah the Son; and again, to the Holy Spirit.  This fact must be kept clearly in mind as we pursue this study.

 C. Day of the Lord

 In I Thessalonians 5:1, 2 we have this language:  “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you.  2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”  Here the expression, “the day of the Lord,” occurs.  In 4:15 above Jesus is referred to in the term, “the coming of the Lord.”  Again, in verse 16, He is spoken of as “the Lord himself.”  In the expression, “the day of the Lord,” we are logically bound to interpret this expression as referring to the day connected vitally with the Lord Jesus.  He evidently will be in charge.  But his day of the Lord is obviously a time of sudden destruction, which will come upon the world as travail upon a woman with child, and the people who know not God will not escape.  But the children of God are not appointed unto that period of destruction and wrath; but on the contrary are appointed to the obtaining of salvation (deliverance) from it.  It is clear therefore that this day of the Lord is one of wrath into which the born-again ones, the saved, will not enter, but from which they will be delivered.

 D. Day of Christ

 We have already seen by a glance at certain Old Testament passages that the day of Jehovah is a period of time when God is pouring out His wrath upon the world.  We have also seen that the word Jehovah sometimes refers to Jehovah the Son.  Since the Apostle Paul was speaking of this day of the Lord and designating it as a time of sudden destruction and a time of God’s wrath, we may be certain that Christ is the one who is in charge of the pouring out of the wrath of God at that time.  Further confirmation of this position is found in the fact that the word in the Greek text rendered Lord is the same term that in the Greek Version of the Old Testament renders the name Jehovah.  Hence the day of Jehovah in the Old Testament, the period of wrath, is therefore the day of Christ’s wrath when He is superintending the sending forth of these judgments upon the world.

 Additional proof of the correctness of this position is seen in the fact that the Lord Jesus comes up to the throne of the Almighty and takes the book out of His hand—the book that is sealed with seven seals (Rev. Chapters 4 and 5).  Having this book, the Lord Jesus breaks the first seal.  Then one of the living creatures issues the order for the rider on the white horse to come forward, which command is obeyed.  The same thing is true with the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, each of which comes forth at the breaking of a separate seal.  It is Christ who breaks all the seals.  When He breaks the seventh, seven angels who have the seven trumpets of God get ready to sound their instruments, each in his turn.  When the seventh trumpet sounds, the seven angels who are to pour out the last of the plagues of God upon the world prepare to do so and in turn do it.  The seven bowl judgments develop out of the seventh trumpet, and it in turn develops out of the seventh seal.  But Christ is the master of ceremonies over the entire program of the judgments of God that will be poured out during the Tribulation.  As He breaks the seals, the angelic host under Him put the spiritual machinery into motion that results in these judgments of God which devastate the world.  Thus in a correct and literal sense we can speak of this period of the Tribulation, which runs for seven years, as “the day of Christ.”  The people upon the earth at that time will recognize this as the time of “the wrath of the Lamb” and then will say that “the great day of their (God and Christ) wrath is come; and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6:16, 17).  This day of the wrath of God and the Lamb, as suggested above, consists of 1260 days—the first half of the Tribulation; and forty-two months, or “time, times, and half a time”—three an done half years, the total being seven years.  A casual view of Revelation, chapters 6-19, shows that these seven years are a period of the wrath of the Lamb who is master of ceremonies at that time.  Thus the facts found in the Book of Revelation lead to the irresistible conclusion that this period of wrath administered by the Son of God is the very day of Jehovah mentioned constantly by the Old Testament Prophets.

 In this connection let us look at this same expression, “the day of the Lord,” which is found in II Thessalonians 2:2.  This day of Lord is interpreted by many to refer to the very day, a period of twenty-four hours, on which Christ will return visibly and bodily to the earth.  Is such an interpretation possible?  Never—in view of the facts of this context. Paul wrote to the brethren at Thessalonica especially regarding the coming of the Lord and their being gathered together unto Him—that is, concerning the rapture, the coming of Jesus for His saints.  The Apostle was very eager that they not be deceived in any manner regarding the rapture by those who were declaring “that the day of the Lord has come.” The word in the original rendered in the Revised Version by “is jut at hand” is in the perfect tense and, if properly rendered, should be translated as “has come.”  If this expression refers to the day on which Jesus comes, as is asserted, then it would be impossible for anyone to be deceived after I has already come.  The reason for this assertion is that, when Jesus does come at the end of the Tribulation, every eye shall see Him—and even those in Sheol, the lost, will see Him.  If then this day of the Lord refers to the little day of twenty-four hours on which Jesus comes to earth, then it was foolish for Paul to say that he did not want any of those Thessalonians to be deceived in regard to that matter.  This expression, then, cannot refer to the literal day on which Christ comes.

 What, then does it refer to?  There is but one meaning which it could possibly have, which is its regular meaning in the phraseology of the Old Testament designated as “the day of Jehovah.”  This day, as we have already seen, is a time of wrath—a period of seven years of judgments—during which years Christ the Lord is the master of ceremonies and is directing the movements and the judgments of the Tribulation.

 In certain passages of the New Testament reference is made to the day of Christ. For instance, in Philippians 1:6 Paul spoke of his “being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  The day of the Tribulation is the day of Christ.  Of course, this “day” culminates with His visible, bodily return.  As to whether or not Paul was simply speaking of the Tribulation or His coming at the end of it we cannot say.  The information is not given.  It could be either.  In I Corinthians 1:7, 8 we read of “the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” and also of “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  We have already seen in these studies that the words revelation, coming, and manifestation are all used interchangeably.  The day of Christ here may be either the Tribulation Period or the very last day of it.  The facts are not sufficiently clear to enable us to be dogmatic on this point.  Thus we shall have to hold our judgment in suspense until we can gather some fuller and more definite details—if such be possible. In Philippians 1:10 our expression occurs again.  Once more the details are not sufficient for us to be dogmatic in giving the exact meaning of this expression.  The term day of Christ appears again in Philippians 2:16.  Here, however, it seems to refer to the end of the Tribulation, the day on which Jesus returns with His saints.

 E. Day of God

 We have one more expression which we should examine before closing.  In II Peter 3:12 the Apostle speaks of “the coming of the day of God,” by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.  This term, day of God, has been the occasion of much controversy.  What is its significance? When the day of God comes, the heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved and the elements will melt with fervent heat.  When is this fulfilled?  An examination of Isaiah 34:1-7 shows that these heavenly bodies are dissolved when God has indignation against all the nations.  When does He have indignation against all the nations?  In the Tribulation, as is asserted time and time again in the Old Testament.  Peter, here, echoing the prediction of Isaiah, chapter 34, says that “the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat . . . “ (3:10).  What is the day of the Lord according to the Old Testament?  It is the Tribulation Period.  Thus this day of the Lord and the day of God, from the facts given here, are clearly the same thing.

 Summary

 In conclusion, let us summarize our findings.  The expression, in that day, as a technical term always refers to the Tribulation or things connected therewith, which culminates and develops into the glorious reign of our Lord who comes visibly to the earth at the very end of the

Tribulation.

  The expression, the day of Jehovah, (in the Common Version, day of Lord) always refers to the Tribulation which is a period of wrath of seven years’ duration.

 The phrase, the day of the Lord, or, the day or Christ, in the New Testament has the same significance as the day of Jehovah, referring to the period of wrath when Christ, who is mater of ceremonies of that period, will direct the carrying out of the program of punishment of the world by the plagues of God.  This period culminates with the visible, bodily return of the Lord Jesus at the end of the Tribulation, who sets up His reign of glory and reigns from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. Hence, the day of Christ often does mean His reign upon the earth.

            In view of all the date we see that each expression which has been investigated must be studied in the light of its context and interpreted accordingly.