I posted in another thread this event that Apostle Peter mentioned about the "day of the Lord" in 2 Peter 3. So I thought I'd cover it here too.
2 Peter 3:10-13
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
KJV
In Revelation 16:15, Jesus speaking to His Church, said that He comes "as a thief". By that He linked the day of His return to that "day of the Lord" event that will come "as a thief in the night".
Rev 16:15
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
KJV
The end result of that then, means the events to occur at the end of this world prior to His coming must be over, no excuses. That means the time of "great tribulation" He warned us about in Matthew 24 must be ended on that "day of the Lord" that comes "as a thief in the night". And it will be because that's the day this event of God's consuming fire is going to burn man's works off this earth, with the heavens passing away (Isaiah 34:4).
In our Lord's Revelation chapter 6, on the 6th Seal, we have this event of the heavens being rolled up as a scroll, which is a link to 2 Peter 3:10 about the dissolving of heaven:
Rev 6:14-17
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?'
KJV
That link stands as proof that Jesus returns after the tribulation, like He said He would in Matthew 24. It also proves that His future "thousand years" reign of Revelation 20 does not begin until His return after the tribulation, for the resurrection is still yet to occur today, and will happen on the day of His coming, and thus here is another proof of the Millennium reign not starting until the end of this present world after the tribulation:
Rev 20:2-5
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
KJV
That "first resurrection" is only about Christ's saints which He gathers to Himself when He returns. John 5:28-29 mentions both, the resurrection of life, and the resurrection of damnation will occur on that same day of Christ's coming. This is another solid Scripture proof that Jesus returns at the end of the tribulaton, and only then will His Millennial reign begin.
2 Peter 3:10-13
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
KJV
In Revelation 16:15, Jesus speaking to His Church, said that He comes "as a thief". By that He linked the day of His return to that "day of the Lord" event that will come "as a thief in the night".
Rev 16:15
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
KJV
The end result of that then, means the events to occur at the end of this world prior to His coming must be over, no excuses. That means the time of "great tribulation" He warned us about in Matthew 24 must be ended on that "day of the Lord" that comes "as a thief in the night". And it will be because that's the day this event of God's consuming fire is going to burn man's works off this earth, with the heavens passing away (Isaiah 34:4).
In our Lord's Revelation chapter 6, on the 6th Seal, we have this event of the heavens being rolled up as a scroll, which is a link to 2 Peter 3:10 about the dissolving of heaven:
Rev 6:14-17
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?'
KJV
That link stands as proof that Jesus returns after the tribulation, like He said He would in Matthew 24. It also proves that His future "thousand years" reign of Revelation 20 does not begin until His return after the tribulation, for the resurrection is still yet to occur today, and will happen on the day of His coming, and thus here is another proof of the Millennium reign not starting until the end of this present world after the tribulation:
Rev 20:2-5
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
KJV
That "first resurrection" is only about Christ's saints which He gathers to Himself when He returns. John 5:28-29 mentions both, the resurrection of life, and the resurrection of damnation will occur on that same day of Christ's coming. This is another solid Scripture proof that Jesus returns at the end of the tribulaton, and only then will His Millennial reign begin.
