The Day of The Lord
THE DAY OF THE LORD
Sunday (08/28), we continue our summer series entitled “Prophecies of His Coming.” Last week we read about the prophet Daniel, who had been a captive in Babylon for more than fifty years, had a dream in which God revealed a panoramic view of the Gentile nations and the last world leader that would rule before the coming of Jesus in power and great glory (Daniel 11:36-45).
This week we jump ahead to the book of Zechariah (12:1-14:21). God had given the young prophet a series of prophecies to encourage the exiles who had been liberated from Babylon and had returned to Jerusalem.
At first, the excitement of returning home had been enough to spur them on to rebuild their city and the temple. But, like the present age, satan didn’t sit idly by as they attempted to put their lives back together. They faced many overwhelming obstacles that ended up having their intended effect. The exiles became discouraged, and the work on the temple and city halted. So, God anointed and commissioned Zechariah to go to encourage and inspire the people of God.
In the final prophecy given to Zechariah, it is evident that God had saved the best for last. The prophet was given a detailed description of what will occur at the end of the Tribulation. It is a time in which the Lord will magnify and glorify His name among the nations. This will be done in how He deals with the nations that have mistreated, hunted, and murdered the people of Israel. It is also the moment in history when God will open the eyes of the Jewish people, and they will see that Jesus is the true Messiah.
At that exact moment, Jesus will return and set up His earthly reign in the city of Jerusalem. Satan will be thrown into the abyss for a thousand years. It will be the only time in history that the endless wars that have ravaged the earth will cease. It is the Messianic age, the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ.
Much of what the Old Testament prophets had seen has been fulfilled to the minutest of details—confirming once again that only God can prophesy. Those things still future to our generation should set a firm foundation concerning our faith. A reminder that prophecy has been given not to scare us but to prepare us for what God will do in and through us as we await His return.
Studying and understanding Bible prophecy puts the desire in your heart for the return of Jesus Christ. He is the only One who can and will straighten out the mess the world has made. And at that coming, He will adjudicate every wrong that has been done. He will vanquish sin and death forever. And for the first time, we will live in a way He intended at creation.
I look forward to our time together. Please pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the entire Calvary Chapel family.
There are several opportunities for worship. On-campus (10:00 am), drive-in church (92.1fm), and online (Facebook and YouTube: Calvary Inverness)
Behold, the Lord Cometh,
Pastor