Two Men, Two Fates: A Stark Contrast
Imagine, if you will, two men, one quivering with fear, a mighty man of war struck down to his knees with dread. The other man, a simple, unassuming man, faces the same day, but this man stands strong, maybe stronger than he ever has before. This man smiles, is at peace, singing and full of joy. What day could these men be facing? The Day of the Lord. Why such a difference? One man has trusted Jesus as His Savior; one man has placed his trust in himself.
What Is the Day of the Lord?
What is this Day of the Lord? The expression is used 28 times in the Bible. The Day of the Lord will establish God's sovereignty over all of creation. It will bring lasting peace and will eliminate evil once and for all. It is a day that will bring righteous judgment to the earth, to those who have been His enemies and the enemies of His beloved, His children.
Terror for the Unbelieving
For the man who has scoffed at God and thought that he was sufficient alone to attain Heaven, this Day will be the most fearful day of his life. It is described using words like fire, cataclysm, war, and sacrifice. Hiding in caves, both the rich and powerful, the weak and insignificant, will call out to the mountains to come down on them and hide them from the wrath of God. On that day they will say, "Who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:15-17).
The Fate of the Proud and Rebellious
Isaiah 13:6-8 describes those facing that day as having limp hands, hearts that melt, and they will be very afraid. The haughty (proud) and lofty ones will be brought low on that day (Isaiah 2:12-17). Imagine the great people of the earth, the people who thought they never needed God, their faces drained of color (Joel 2:6). Our Lord tells us in Luke 21:26, that the heart's of men will fail from fear because of what's coming on the earth. On that day, only the Lord will be exalted (Isaiah 2:17).
Multitudes in the Valley of Decision
In Joel 3:14, we read, "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision". But who is it that is making the decision here? It is the Lord, and He has already decided the fate of these terrified multitudes before Him. And they know it! Because they had no use for Him, they did not recognize Him as Creator and Savior, so therefore their fate is sealed. They will go down to everlasting punishment, having rejected the greatest love ever known.
At this point there is no longer the option to repent. The Lord is there to announce his decision as to their fate. It is sadly sealed and unchangeable. They had opportunities, many, to follow Jesus and chose not to. Now, in this Valley of Decision it is God who announces the verdict—doom.
Facing the Day of the Lord: Judgment and Hope
Even though the fate of those who turn away from God is painted in terrifying detail, there's a sharp contrast for those who trust in Him. For those who reject His ways, judgment is inevitable and fierce. But for the faithful, facing the Day of the Lord brings not only righteous judgment but also hope. When we stand on the promises of Jesus, His protection and grace shine through even in the darkest moments.
Come, Jesus, Come
And on that day, what of the man who stands without fear? Why is he not trembling with fear of judgment? Joel 3:16 tells us that the Lord will be a shelter for His people. Those of us whose "mind is stayed on You" will be kept in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). We can stand without fear because as Ezekiel 37:26 says, God will make an everlasting covenant of peace with His people and His sanctuary will forever be in their midst.
A Glorious Day for the Faithful
On that day according to 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10, some will go down to everlasting destruction, but on that same day God will be glorified and admired by His saints. 2 Peter 3:14 tells us that this is a day that we should be looking forward to. Malachi 4:2 explains that for those who fear the Lord there will be healing in His wings. Zephaniah 3:14 tells us to sing and shout, be glad and rejoice! We are His precious people.
"In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:16-17
Our God, Our Shelter and Judge
Our God is a warrior (Isaiah 24:8) and a roaring lion (Hosea 11:10) to His enemies but to His people, as we just read, He will quiet us with His love. Paul says a curse is on those who do not love the Lord, but he responds, Maranatha (1 Corinthians 16:22)! This Aramaic word means come Oh Lord Jesus. It is not a day for Christians to fear. Our Lord has taken the punishment on Himself. We look forward to eternity with Him because of this. Revelation 22:20 repeats this: come quickly blessed Lord Jesus!
A Judgment for Believers
Our fate has been decided. We no longer face condemnation (Romans 8:33). We belong to the Lord. Yet we also face a judgment—the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment will look at what we have done with the life we have been given. We won't stand with those sad, fearful souls in the Valley of Decision, but we will be offered different blessings or rewards. Paul explains this in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” Whatever gracious gift God gives us, we can and will be happy and grateful for, knowing that we deserve none of it. Our joy will be in our Savior!
A Call to Decide While There Is Time
As I write this the Lord has not returned yet. The great and terrible day of the Lord is not yet upon us. For those who aren't sure if they want to place their trust in God, know this: one day, you will stand before Him. It can be a terrifying day or it can be a joyous day. Either way it is your choice. For the moment there is still time. Of course our lives can end at any moment and judgment will come. Do we want to rest in the arms of our Savior or will we be crying out for the rocks to hide us from His gaze? Decide while you can.
For further reading on the judgment Christians will face, go here.
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