As we get into 2 Thessalonians 2 in our teaching series at CrossHope Chapel, we’ll see that Paul is trying to explain to the believers there that they have not missed the rapture and they are not now in “the day of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 2:2 ESV).

These next weeks as we look at 2 Thessalonians 2 and 3 we will look at the reasons Paul mentions to assure the Thessalonians that they are not in the midst of the tribulation period, as if they have missed the rapture.

Here, I wish to layout some biblical perspective on the term “the day of the Lord” as used by Paul to the Thessalonians…

The term “the day of the Lord” as used by Paul to Thessalonians is also used 19 times in the Old Testament and 4 times in the New Testament…

Old Testament: Isaiah 2:12; Isaiah 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5, Ezekiel 30:3; Joel 1:15, Joel 2:1,11,31; Joel 3:14; Amos 5:18, 20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7,14; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi. 4:5

New Testament: Acts 2:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10; and refereed to Revelation 6:17; 16:14.

The use of the term “the day of the Lord” is always used in context of God’s judgement and sometimes refereed to as the day of wrath or the day of vengeance. It can be understood as both the specific moment of time and/or the period of time of God’s outpouring of judgement against the wicked.