Zephaniah Chapter One, Proximity

Zephaniah 14 The great day of the Lord is near; it is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; there the mighty men shall cry out.

The believer always refers to the return of Christ as being imminent. But what does this mean? What it means is that, as far as the Rapture of the saints is concerned, there is nothing prophetically significant that needs to occur between now and then. The Lord could catch us up this moment, or tomorrow. The believer does not know–indeed, cannot know–the time of the Lord’s coming; rather we are to always be prepared with candles burning, standing at the window for His arrival.

In other words, Christians are not meant to abandon home and work, throw on Rapture robes, and stand on hilltops with arms outstretched. No, we are to care for our families, do honest business, and preach the gospel of the kingdom until the return of the Lord for His saints. This event, which triggers the Day of the Lord, is known as the Rapture, or the Rapture of the saints, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17.

Why do I bring this up? Because immediately following this global event (see Matthew 24:36-42) the Antichrist, no longer restrained by the Holy Spirit’s presence indwelling the members of the church, will become manifest as a powerful diplomat and man of peace, Daniel 8:23-26, 9:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:6-10, Revelation 6:2. If this is so, then God’s timetable for Israel (who is the focal point of the Day of the Lord) and the world (whose nations are judged due to their treatment of Israel) continues after Daniel’s 69th week. The 70th week, or week of years, is what Bible scholars refer to as the Tribulation, and the final three and one half years of that period is the Great Tribulation, when the Antichrist breaks his treaty of peace and begins the most intense persecution of the saints and Jews in human history.

That is why our Lord said, “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened,” Matthew 24:22. This includes the Jewish nation. “Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers,” Romans 11:28. “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written,” Romans 11:26. Christ and Paul were here referring to physical deliverance from certain death, terminating in literal divine intervention. Zephaniah may safely say then that the Day of the Lord is near. There is a singular event, unknown in its timing, that must occur before the timetable–which revolves around the fortunes of Israel–resumes and the final week of Daniel plays out. Daniel states that there will be 7 and 62 weeks until Messiah the Prince comes to His people Israel, Daniel 9:25. But after this Messiah is cut off, not for His own sake, but for the sins of His people, at the hand of His own people as the prophets foretold, Daniel 9:26. This verse further states that the people of the coming prince (the Antichrist) will destroy Israel at that time–around the time of Messiah’s death. This was historically recorded to have occurred during two separate Jewish revolts from 66-73 AD and 132-136 AD, fulfilling what Jesus foretold about their impending rejection of Messiah, Luke 19:41-44, Matthew 24:2.

The prophet reveals several small and key details about the impending day. It is great; there will be no other day like it. It is near; its proximity is never far off. Only the Rapture stands in the way of its execution, and none know when this will occur. Things will change after this and the Tribulation begins. The timetable will be able to be followed by astute students of Scripture in those days, as they live them out. It hastens quickly. This compounded speed means that the event will happen in God’s time, but when it does, it will happen with breathtaking speed, see Habakkuk 2:3 for an example. So much will happen in so short a time that it will boggle the mind. The noise the day creates is bitter. The sound of its arrival is like the trump of doom to those who flaunt their rebellion against an offended Creator. In that day the mighty men will cry out. They will not be crying out in victory; they will be dismayed because their own power will not deliver them from the just wrath of a vengeful God. Their power equates into impotence before the Lord of all the earth.