“For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:3a-4)

The Day of the Lord as Isaiah describes it is a day we should look forward to with joyful expectation, depending on your point of view. For the righteous remnant of Judah, it was eagerly awaited as Isaiah depicted here: a day of joy and celebration as the Lord is proclaimed as King and as His justice triumphs over the cruelty and intolerance of human governments. But Isaiah tells us that the Day of the Lord brings blessings and peace not just to the Jews but to all the peoples of the earth who acknowledge the Lord as King.

We who are believers in Christ Jesus also look forward with anticipation and joy to the Lord’s return and His universal peace, but we must be soberly aware that it will be a day of suffering and terror for those who have rebelled against the Lord. For those who do not believe in Jesus as their sacrifice for sin, the Day of the Lord will not be a welcome event. They have trusted in gods who cannot help or save them. They have adopted the religions of the east, religions of the pagans, worshipped at the altars of self, fame and materialism. When the Lord reveals Himself in all His majesty, they will fear for their lives and run. We who are believers may rejoice at the coming of the Lord but the tragic events that overtake our unsaved friends and loved ones will be sad. We must, therefore, present the gospel to them before it is too late.