The return of Jesus and the Day of the Lord

The return of Jesus Christ has a dual purpose. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 states:

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

Jesus will bring relief to his followers, ending their afflictions and sufferings. For those who "do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus", Jesus comes with vengeance and judgment. The season of judgment is called the "Day of the Lord." In his letters to the Thessalonian church, Paul on two occasions connect the return of Jesus to the Day of the Lord. Paul in great detail in 1 Thessalonians 4 describes the return of Jesus, the great hope of the church.

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thess. 4:15-18

Immediately, following this passage, we see this.

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,  you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thess. 5:1-2.

The church had been told about the return of Jesus, they asked the logical question when would these things be, and Paul continues to talk about the return of Jesus and the day of the Lord. Some try to unlink the discussion of Christ's return in chapter 4 and the day of the Lord discussion in chapter 5, but this is difficult because 1 Thessalonians 5:10 wraps up the discussion started in 1 Thessalonians 4:13.

Again, in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, we see the return of Christ linked to the day of the Lord. Paul is refuting the false teaching that the Thessalonians have missed the return of Jesus. 

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,  not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

While this appears clear, it becomes a problem if you believe the return of Jesus is at the beginning of the tribulation. The following verses describe the unveiling of Antichrist, which happens at the midpoint of the tribulation, and states that this will precede the return of Jesus and the day of the Lord.

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 2 Thess. 2:3-4

The return of Jesus ushers in the Day of the Lord, when He will judge the world for their rejection of  Him as messiah. Believers are told to look for the heavens to grow dark before Jesus returns, and Jesus return will be seen by all when He flashes into our atmosphere. The same signs in the heavens proceed the Day of the Lord. This is because the return of Jesus and the Day of the Lord are the same event, when Jesus returns and brings relief to His followers and judgment to the rest.

Which on are you? 

Look at some of the following passages from the Old Testament which further describe the Day of the Lord.

Isa 13:6-11

Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, And every man's heart will melt. They will be terrified, Pains and anguish will take hold of them; They will writhe like a woman in labor, They will look at one another in astonishment, Their faces aflame. Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it. 10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light. 11 Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.

Ezekiel 30:2-3

"Son of man, prophesy and say, "Thus says the Lord GOD,

"Wail, "Alas for the day!'

3 "For the day is near,

Even the day of the LORD is near;

It will be a day of clouds,

A time of doom for the nations.

Joel 1:14-15

Consecrate a fast, Proclaim a solemn assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land To the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD. 15 Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.

Joel 2:1-2; 10-14, 30-32

Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near, 2 A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness… 10 Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark And the stars lose their brightness. 11 The LORD utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it? 12 "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; 13 And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil. 14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?. 30 "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. 31 "The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 32 "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the LORD has said, Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.

Joel 3:12-16

For there I will sit to judge All the surrounding nations. 13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full; The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon grow dark And the stars lose their brightness. 16 The LORD roars from Zion And utters His voice from Jerusalem, And the heavens and the earth tremble. But the LORD is a refuge for His people And a stronghold to the sons of Israel.

Amos 5:18-20 (Warning to unrepentant Israel)

Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD,

For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you?

It will be darkness and not light;

19 As when a man flees from a lion

And a bear meets him,

Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall

And a snake bites him.

20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light,

Even gloom with no brightness in it?

Zeph 2:1-3

Gather yourselves together, yes, gather,

O nation without shame,

2 Before the decree takes effect --

The day passes like the chaff --

Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you,

Before the day of the LORD'S anger comes upon you.

3 Seek the LORD,

All you humble of the earth

Who have carried out His ordinances;

Seek righteousness, seek humility.

Perhaps you will be hidden

In the day of the LORD'S anger.

Mal 4:5

5 "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.