No one knows when the great day will be, not the angels, not even the Son, at least in the days of His incarnation, Matthew 24.36, Acts 1.7, but we do know two things:
what will happen, and
how to be ready.
What will happen? There are a lot of schedules taught in Christendom about the last things. So, to simplify the matter, let’s only take the one Greek word parousia, translated “coming.”
At the parousia, Christ will be revealed – the revelation.
2Thes 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord
2Thes 1:7 … when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire
At the parousia, Christ will raise the dead – the resurrection.
1Thes 4:15 … we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
1Thes 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
See also: 1Cor 15.22,23
At the parousia, Christ will “catch up” the believers who are then alive – the rapture.
1Thes 4:15 … we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
1Thes 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
See also: 1Cor 15.52
At the parousia, Christ will gather to Himself all believers of all times.
2Thes 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him
1Thes 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
At the parousia, Christ will judge – it will be the judgment day.
2Thes 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2Thes 1:8, 9 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power
At the parousia, Christ will destroy everything – souls and bodies of unbelievers will be thrown into hell, Matt 10.28, and it will be the end of heaven and earth.
2Thes 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2Thes 1:8, 9 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power
2Peter 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat
At the parousia, Christ will end it all.
Mat 24:3 … what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?
1Cor 15:23, 24 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God
At the parousia, Christ will make all things new.
2Pet 3:12, 13 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
To put it another way, when will the resurrection and the ‘rapture’ occur? At the last trumpet.
1Cor 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
1Thes 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Mat 24:31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
To put it another way, when will the end of the world occur? At the last trumpet, the 7th and last.
Rev 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
To put it another way, when will the resurrection occur? On the last day.
John 6:39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
Repeated three more times in John 6
Also: John 11.24
To put it another way, when will the judgment day occur? On the last day.
John 12:48 … the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.
To put it another way, will the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked be simultaneous? Yes, it will be in a coming hour – the last hour.
John 5:28, 29 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
Conclusion? It will all happen on that one day. What a day it will be! Man has had his days – birthday, graduation day, wedding day, Independence Day, Ground Hog Day, etc. The Lord will have His.
How can I be ready for the great day of the Lord? A person might be fouled up on the above, and still make it to heaven if he knows how to be ready. If you repent of sin, giving your life to the living God unconditionally and believe on the Lord Jesus – truly, sincerely, totally, that He died to pay your sin-debt – you will be rescued from the wrath to come.
1Thes 1:9, 10 … you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
Most folks will be sleeping when their house burns, many with a false confession of Christ.
1Thes 5:6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
Matt 7:22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
Sin is contraband. You don’t want to be under its guilt or power.
Rom 13:11,12 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
The day will come; it is fixed by God. No bomb or cataclysm can stop it.
Acts 17:30, 31 … God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.
Rev 22:20 …Come, Lord Jesus.
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