The Day of the Lord is a phrase used often in the Bible. Its meaning changes slightly with the context. It either refers to a time in the past or a time in the future. But in either case it is a dreadful, scary time when God decides to enforce His will. He’s done being patient with sin and evil.
In the past there was a Day of the Lord when God sent the plagues on Egypt to free His people from slavery. And when He sent the Babylonians to conquer Jerusalem and drag His rebellious people into captivity. God is slow to anger when evil is allowed to reign, but His patience does eventually run out.
Today’s verse is talking about the Day of the Lord that is yet to come which is often referred to as Judgement Day. When this time arrives, God will conquer evil once and for all and make all things new. Everything evil will be destroyed forever. Everything belonging to Him will be cleansed and set right, as He originally intended them to be.
The reason for Joel’s alarm is that the destruction that occurs during the Day of the Lord will be pervasive and horrifying. Evil has a very strong foothold in this world because we have allowed it to thrive. So the remedy won’t be gentle.
Imagine a house inundated with deadly black mold. The mold is in the drywall, the studs, the floor joists, the roof rafters and the plumbing. It cannot be cleaned. It must be torn down to the foundation and rebuilt. All the moldy material must be removed and destroyed. Anything valuable that is contaminated must be thoroughly sanitized if possible or it too must be destroyed.
I know I would rather be sanitized than destroyed on the Day of the Lord, but either way, it will be scary. Fortunately because of Jesus, my sanitization is possible. God promises that those who choose Him and accept His cleansing will be saved and will get to enjoy the perfect (mold- and evil-free) beauty of the new world He creates afterward.
Dear God,
Thank you for warning us about the upcoming Day of the Lord. I am so sorry for the evil I have allowed to thrive in my life and in the world around me. Please forgive me and cleanse me so that I can be saved when you clean house. Reveal the things in my life I need to change now. Give me the wisdom, strength, and courage to change them. And protect me during the Day of the Lord.
CamDevo 