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2107
“The Day of the Lord”
by Art Sadlier   
June 1st, 2008

The “Day of the Lord”, is a day (or time) in which God directly intervenes in judgment upon men. There are two periods of time referred to in the Scripture as the Day of the Lord.

The Old Testament Day of the Lord involved God’s judgment upon disobedient, unbelieving Israel at the coming of Nebuchadnezzar to bring destruction upon Israel and Jerusalem. The Old Testament Day of the Lord was a foreshadowing of the final Day of the Lord after the church age is over.

One of the judgments of the coming Day of the Lord will be a judgment on counterfeit Christianity.

There is an amazing parallel between the groups which exist prior to each of the Day of the Lord judgments. The first group, in the Old Testament, was unbelieving Israel. Israel was living in unbelief, disobedience and rebellion against God. The Lord said, “But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the Lord,” Jeremiah 12:17.

Prior to the final, great Day of the Lord, there is another group who profess, like Israel of old, to be the people of God. That group is identified in Rev. 3: 14-20, as the Laodiceans.

The parallel between Laodicea and Judah prior to the Old Testament Day of the Lord is striking. Both groups are rejected by the Lord for their attitude toward Him.

In Rev. 3:16, the Lord said of Laodicea, “I will spew thee out of my mouth.” To Judah He said, “I will cast thee out of my sight,” Jer. 7:15.

The judgment upon Laodicea is to be “spewed out” into the tribulation period, compare with Philadelphia in Rev. 3:10.

I know of no premillenial Bible teachers who do not believe that Laodicea is found in the evangelical church of the present hour.

That causes me to tremble as I look out at the evangelical church today. I see an evangelical church, or at least a part of it, about to be spewed out into the tribulation period (Day of the Lord).

We also understand from Rev. 3, that there are two parallel evangelical churches in the world today. Philadelphia is presented as in the world until the rapture takes place (Rev. 3:10). Philadelphia today is no longer in the ascendancy, her day in the ascendancy is over (1800 – 1950?). She is now a faithful remnant, operating below the world’s radar screen.

Philadelphia is a saved church, which holds tenaciously to God’s Word and will not deny His name by compromising. She separates herself from lukewarm, compromising new evangelicals. She is willing, as Jude exhorted, to contend earnestly for the faith.

The sad thing about Laodicea is that she is blind to her perilous condition. Jesus said to Laodicea, “and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.” Rev 3:17

In the same verse, the Laodiceans said, “I am rich, and increased with goods and have need of nothing”.

Our merciful, loving, patient Lord said to the Laodiceans, “Be zealous therefore and repent” Rev 3:19. In verse 20 He gave an invitation to the Laodiceans for salvation.

Like Jesus, those who are Philadelphian, can not give Laodiceans comfort to continue on their disastrous path, we should call them to repentance.

In a similar hour the Lord said to Jeremiah, speak to those who come to worship me and warn them to repent. “Thus saith the Lord: stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Jer. 26:2

I believe there are two great issues peculiar to this hour. First is to call Laodiceans to repent, to turn around. Second is to exhort Philadelphians to separate from Laodiceans and not become Laodicean.

Over the last 50 years we have witnessed a great transition among evangelicals, (professing Philadelphians) becoming Laodiceans. One of the major factors in this transition has been spiritual deception.

Jesus warned that just prior to His coming, spiritual deception would be so great that He said “if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived”. That is why the call to Laodiceans is a call to salvation.
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