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Lord's Day, Day of the Lord, Day of Christ and Day of God!

Midnight Ministries, Inc.

A Light For The Coming Night!

Indeed, we are to see the Lord's Day approaching: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching " (Heb. 10:24-25).

Author’s Note

Some are grossly confusing issue of the Lord's Day, by claiming two days of reckoning, or two coming Lord's Day(s). What easily refutes that view, however, is the fact that the Lord's Day (Luke 21:34-36) and Christ’s initial coming (2 Thess. 2:3), will come upon the world unawares—as does a thief (Amos 5:18-19; 1 Thess. 5:4; Rev. 3:3). Now the snare of That Day can’t occur as a surprise twice. That won’t happen. Therefore, it remains that the Day of Christ (1 Cor. 1:8, 5:5, 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 1:6, 10, 2:16) is the Day of the Lord (2 Thess. 2:3; Rev. 1:10). Indeed, this is the only Day that we are to look for and “hasten,” which in the Greek means to earnestly expect (Heb. 10:25; 2 Pet. 3:12). Indeed, it is the Day of our Redemption (Eph. 4:30), which is the Day of Christ—being the Lord's Day wherein Christ walks amongst the churches in judgment (Rev. 1:10, 14; Rev. 2:1)! (Note: the mention of the Lord's Day in Rev. 1:10, neither refers to the Saturday Sabbath or to a Sunday Sabbath, but to the Day of Christ wherein the Lord's anger will be kindled in That Day. See Psalms 2:12.)

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day SHALL NOT COME, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." (2 Thess. 2:1-3)

Paul stated that no gathering shall take place, nor the Day of Christ itself, until "a falling away" (Greek: an apostasy) occurs, and that the Man of Sin be revealed. Paul, besides entitling the Antichrist the "Man of Sin," also entitled Him as the Son of Perdition, a term which decisively tells us that the Antichrist will be a Judas, or a false Son. Having Judas' character, He will betray the faith from within the Household of Faith (John 17:12), while imitating the true Messiah.

In perspective, it is more than questionable that Paul's depiction of the Great Apostasy can be understood in the strict terms of Israel and their covenant relationship with God. John wrote, "Little children, it is the last time: and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time" (1 John 2:18). The Greek meaning of the word "antichrist" doesn't mean just against Christ; it also constitutes a substitution of Christ. Thus, the Church is looking for a specific religious person, the Son of Perdition, who will "confirm" a covenant with many (Dan. 9:26- 27; 1 Thess. 5:3), and, by so doing, effect a Great Apostasy!

When Paul penned the words "the mystery of iniquity" (2 Thess. 2:7), he further instigated the idea that the Great Apostasy will originate from within the Church, not Israel. Because, then, as now, the Mystery of Iniquity didn't work within Israel's covenant relationship with God, for there was, and is, a Restrainer assigned to that nation (2 Thess. 2:6). But this is not the case with the Church, seeing that, then, as now, the Mystery of Iniquity already works (2 Thess. 2:7; 1 John 2:18, 4:3); "and even now already is it in the world."

Surely the Antichrist will "confirm" a covenant in conjunction with a "falling away" in the Church, which will fully unveil His identity to the Body of Christ. Actually, the Hebrew word for "covenant" (gabar) in Daniel 9:27 implies a "forced covenant," promptly leaving two avenues of the same possibility.

First, is the traditional line of thinking, which takes the position that the nations and Israel will contract a seven-year peace treaty (covenant).

Second, and much more probable to this author, is that we are looking for the rebuilding of the Temple in conjunction with the restoration of the Mosaic Covenant (animal sacrifices) for seven years, not just a peace treaty.

The potential corporeality of that Temple coming into existence would then cause intense discord between the nations and a call for "peace and safety" to ensure its building. Then, by validating the Mosaic Covenant, the Son of Perdition in effect would persuade many to enter the peace process, ultimately destroying many by peace (Dan. 8:25; Rev. 6:2). Fueling the mix of this peace process could be the dividing of God’s land (Israel) in favor of the Palestinians, for which reason, among others, will come the wrath of God upon the nations in the end of this age (Joel 3:1-3).

No matter what all the particulars are, the Antichrist will be revealed to the Church through his apostate confirming and approval of a Covenant, which will be the beginning of the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord in That Night. Then, and only then, will our literal salvation actuate at the Day of our Redemption (Eph. 4:30), that being the Day of Jesus Christ (Philip. 1:6) in That Night (Mark 13:34-36; Amos 5:20).

This view is also compatible with Paul's writing of the times and the seasons:

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, PEACE AND SAFETY; then sudden (Greek: unexpected) destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that THAT DAY should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thess. 5:1-6)

Note the obvious correlation between the call for peace and safety and the beginning of the Lord's Day, all in connection with the times and the seasons. Fittingly, Paul's mention of the growing travail of a woman in labor, is his description of how the seven-year tribulation begins. Actually, the call for peace and safety at the beginning of the Lord's Day, will clear the way for the Antichrist to conquer by peace at the beginning of the Tribulation. Now here lies an indisputable point of which PreWrath can't reconcile (PreWrath is a view that teaches the Day of the Lord to start 3/4's into the Tribulation Night).

The wise of the Church, unlike the4 spiritual Church of Sardis, are not in darkness that The Day should overtake them as a thief in That Night. By biblically watching, (abiding in the light--1 John 2:10) we will easily recognize the times (the watches) and the seasons (the harvests) of redemption. More directly, the commencement of That Day will not escape the attention of the astute upon the revealing of the Antichrist to the Church.

Such, however, will not be the plight of Israel. Again, it is this author's view that the Antichrist's confirming of the covenant may not be the confirming of a seven-year peace treaty, but the backing of the Mosaic Covenant, the only covenant of which Daniel had knowledge: ". . . seventy weeks are determined upon thy people." If so, this would quickly cause a great need for peace among the nations. Note: The Hebrew word "confirm" doesn't necessarily denote that the Antichrist will sign or instigate a peace covenant, but that He will insolently prevail "with many"; or make a covenant strong by mustering support for it.

Unlike the Church, the Jews won't discover the Antichrist's real identity until He desecrates the rebuilt Tribulation Temple in the midst of Daniel's seventieth week. Then, unconscionably, the Antichrist will setup the Abomination of Desolation in the Jewish Temple (Matt. 24:15-21; Dan. 9:27, 11:31, 12:11; Rev. 13:15), which will then necessitate the fleeing of Israel's faithful to the mountains (Matt. 24:16; Rev. 12:13-16).

Now some would object to the notion of a rebuilt temple desecrated in the seven- year Tribulation. Yet the Bible by the Law of Deduction shows the existence of a future, rebuilt, Jewish Temple in "tribulational Israel." John wrote, And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. (Rev. 11:1-2)

After the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70, John, on the Isle of Patmos, wrote the above description of the future Temple between A.D. 85 and A.D. 90. In John's description, the Outer Court will be given to the Gentiles. If anything, this fact eliminates all possibility of the Heavenly Sanctuary as being the temple in question (Rev. 11). Because in Heaven, the Gentiles are inside the Temple of God (Rev. 7:9, 15), not in the Outer Court.

Moreover, John's verse (". . . and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months") can only pertain to Jerusalem in modern-day Israel, since it is earthly Jerusalem which will be trodden under foot for forty-two months in the Tribulation, not Heavenly Jerusalem. And so, the temple in question, considering that Herod's Temple had already been destroyed before John's writing, is none other than a future, rebuilt, Israeli, "tribulational Temple," which will be trodden underfoot until the completion of the Gentile times (Dan. 8:13-17; Rom. 11:25)!10

Applicably, the treading underfoot of Jerusalem in Luke 21:24, and the Holy City in Revelation 11:2, are one in the same (see also Dan. 8:13!). In fact, both narratives speak to the Gospel fulfillment of the Gentiles. In considering all the specifics, then, there will be a Tribulation Temple desecrated in earthly Jerusalem, just as the Greek Septuagint so precisely acknowledges: "And upon the temple there shall be the abomination of desolation" (Dan. 9:27; this was written between 246-285 B.C.).

In conclusion, the overwhelming evidence affirms that the Antichrist will never desecrate the Heavenly Sanctuary in His demonstration of being God, but the earthly. Indeed, the Antichrist will consummate the Great Apostasy by His despicable deed of entering God's Temple in Israel as God:

"Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (2 Thess. 2:4). By the way, Paul very well knew the difference between the two words, "temple" and "church," yet he wrote the "Temple of God," and not the "Church of God." In sum, the Desire of the Nations shall come (Jesus Christ), and fill that very House with His glory (Hag. 2:7-9; Matt. 25:31).

And this fits the reason why the sacrifice and oblation will cease (Dan. 9:27), because animal sacrifices and the evening and morning prayers will be halted once He enters the Temple of God, showing Himself to be God.

The Great Apostasy
 

Fitting the following synchronized facts, the voice of an archangel upon Christ's traditional Second Coming is a reference to Michael, not Christ. First, Michael is an archangel (Jude V. 9). Second, Michael is the chief defender of Israel (Dan. 10:13; 12:1). Third, in Scripture, never is Christ outright called Michael, nor is He ever characterized as an archangel. Fourth, compelled to fight a war in Heaven, Michael is absent from Israel in the Tribulation (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 12:7-10). Fifth, sitting until all enemies are His footstool, Christ, unlike Michael, doesn't fight His enemies in the Tribulation: "But which of the angels said he at anytime, sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool?" (Heb. 1:13).

By joining these facts, we can perceive that when Christ descends from Heaven with a shout and with the voice of "the archangel," it is only because He returns with Michael to deliver Israel. Together, their voices are a mighty battle cry upon the Second Advent.

Understanding the result of the following also validates the above view: "And at that time shall Michael `stand up' [i.e., stand still or cease], the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time . . ."¹ (Dan. 12:1). Here, Daniel used the present continual tense, conveying the idea that Michael is already standing for his people, Israel. Resulting, that, he can't stand up twice to defend his people "at that time."² Thus, "at that time," Michael will stand aside, or not be in a position to defend Israel. Afterward, a "time of trouble" will ensue, which this author believes to be the beginning of the Tribulation and the prior night segment of the Day of the Lord.

Paralleling this reasoning is the fact that it is Michael who will not hinder the Antichrist from entering Israel's Temple in the Tribulation, because he is "taken out of the way" (2 Thess. 2:7), and this, to defend Heaven: