God reveals mysteries, and many instances in scripture have references to the same occurrence from the perspective of various authors.
It is necessary to distinguish the Second Coming of Christ Jesus from the event called the Day of the Lord.
The Second Coming or presence of Jesus is the Spiritual presence of Jesus as it is experienced by a Believer through the Holy Spirit of God.
This Spiritual presence begins in a believer’s life when they call on Jesus by repenting of their unbelief in Him, Acts 3:19-21, and John 14:23.
Ac 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
The relationship between God and Man was lost in the Garden of Eden and is restored through repentance. Upon repentance from unbelief, Jesus is sent to the believer (Mark 9:12).
Mr 9:12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
The event referred to as “The Day” of the Lord is mentioned as Judgment in Joel 1:15.
Joe 1:15 (KJV) Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
This period is referred to as both a “Day” and an “hour” in Luke 12:46.
Lu 12:46 (KJV) The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
On the “Day” of Judgment or “Day” of the Perdition of Ungodly Men (2 Pet 3:7), the Lord appears to deliver a willfully sinful believer into the limited influence of the Devil for correction of the willfully sinful condition.
2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
This condition of Discipline appears to be the same condition that unbelievers experience.
However, Unbelievers experience the “Presence of the Devil and His Angels” (Hell) differently than willfully sinful believers experience it.
Believers receive God’s grace, which is how God teaches them to deny ungodliness. Unbelievers do not receive this assistance.
The Lord sends Believers into Hell (The presence of the Devil and His Angels) in Matt 24:41 to carry out this discipline when they sin willfully (Heb 10:26-27).
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
In His role as “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” (Hosea 5:14), Jesus appears to oversee this discipline and direct it towards the cleansing of the willfully sinful believer as mentioned in 1 Cor 11:32.
Ho 5:14 (ASV) For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off, and there shall be none to deliver.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
The believer does not come out of this disciplinary condition until they have paid the uttermost farthing or last mite. In other words, “Until they repent of the willful sin” Matt 5:26 and Luke 12:59.
Mt 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Lu 12:59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.
I find this same story told over and over again in many parables, etc., throughout the Bible.
Zephaniah referred to this Day/time in this way.
Zep 2:1 (ASV) Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;
Zep 2:2 (ASV) before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah’s anger come upon you.
Zep 2:3 (ASV) Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah’s anger.
Paul saw it this way.
1 Th 5:2 (KJV) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
It is clear from Scripture that everyone on earth will experience the time called the “Day of the Lord” (Luke 21:34-35).
Lu 21:34 (RSV) “But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare;
Lu 21:35 (RSV) for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.
We do not, however, “All” experience “The Day” at the same time.
These points in time vary as the person’s behavior calls for God’s judgment.
Only the Father knows when these points of discipline will occur, Matt 24:26.
Mt 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
During our lives, we as Christians are judged to teach us to deny ungodliness, 1 Corinthians 11:32.
1Co 11:32 (RSV) But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
Teaching a Believer to deny ungodliness is the function of God’s grace, as is seen in Titus 2:11-12.
Tit 2:11 (KJV) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 (KJV) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Although God’s Grace appears to all men, He is said to give it to those who humble themselves before Him (James 4:6).
Jas 4:6 (RSV) But he gives more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
God resists those who will not humble themselves before Him.
Upon a study of the Greek root words used here, the concept of God’s resistance seems to mean that God does not arrange their lives or direct them towards denying ungodliness, Titus 2:11-12.
The Unbelievers can “See” God’s grace (Titus 2:11), and the choice to avail themselves of His Grace seems to be theirs.
They must confess with their mouths and believe in their Hearts that Jesus is Lord, Romans 10:9, to obtain grace.
Ro 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
They will then be taught to avoid or be saved from the wrath of God as it is revealed against ungodliness.
Since the “Day” comes as a thief, it is a time in which God employs the Devil, who is called the Thief and destroyer (John 10:10).
Joh 10:10 (ASV) The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have [it] abundantly.
This is how God’s Grace teaches His rebellious, willfully sinful people to “Deny Ungodliness” (Titus 2:11-12) and avoid His wrath, which is revealed against “All Ungodliness”, Rom 1:18.
Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Tit 2:11 (KJV) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 (KJV) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
The “Day” or “Hour” of Judgment occurs when a Christian falls away from obedience and into willful sin, as Paul referred to this in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
2 Thess 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
This is also the sign of the “Day” which Jesus tells obedient believers to look for in Matt 24:28.
Jesus Himself said that the Eagles/Vultures would gather around a carcase or a Backslidden, willfully sinful Christian in Matt 24:28.
Mt 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
When they are “Visited” by God and seen to have willfully violated His commandments this results in their being exposed to the presence of the Destroyer.
This exposure to the Devil is in a limited, temporary fashion.
This concept is understood when Jesus is recognized to be the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Hosea 5:14), who controls completely the discipline of His followers.
Jesus controls the extent to which His followers experience the presence of the Thief/Devil during these periods.
At a time of Visitation (1 Pet 2:12), the Obedient Christians (Sheep) are separated or pass under the Rod of the Shepherd (Ez 20:37) and enter into joy (Joy is the Kingdom of God, Rm 14:17 and Matt 25:21), and the Disobedient Christians (Goats) who have violated God’s will are exposed to Hell where the Devil is, Mt 25:41.
1 Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Ro 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Eze 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
Mt 25:41 (RSV) Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;
Jesus allows the Devil to tempt a Christian. He does not allow a Christian to be tempted more than they are able to resist 1 Cor 10:13.
1Co 10:13 (RSV) No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
If, however, the person chooses to enter into this temptation caused by the Devil and His angels, the Christian is sent (by Jesus) into their presence for discipline and they remain there in that prison (Hell) until they choose to come out or “Pay the Uttermost farthing”, Matt 5:26.
Mt 5:26 (ASV) Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.
The Day of the Lord or Battle of Armageddon process is symbolized in the Bible as the surrounding of Jerusalem, in Ezekiel Chapter 38:16 and Rev 20:9.
Eze 38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God.
The process of being surrounded is applied to a “group,” but Jesus also applied this process to a willfully sinful or backslidden Christian “individual person” in Matthew 24:28.
Matthew 24:28 KJV — For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
This illustrates the concept of the ungodly wicked behavior being devoured or consumed by the word of God, seen in 2 Thess 2:8 and Rev 20:9.
The surrounding of willfully sinful Christians can be of an unseen spiritual nature, and also a physical “compassing” in which the unbelievers can be moved or influenced by unclean Spirits to gather around the Christians.
This is understood through a study of Ezekiel 38 and 39. These chapters illustrate God’s judgment as it is applied to believers.
This Day of the Lord or Battle of Armegeddon is His evangelism as some of the enemies of Israel come to “know the Lord” through their participation in the process of judging the backslidden Israelites/Christians, Ez 39:7 and Ez 39:28.
Ezekiel 39:7 KJV — So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
Ezekiel 39:28 KJV — Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
In Ez 39:28, God brings His people back into their “own land” or “Heals their Backsliding (Jer 3:22)” and brings them back to the Obedient Christian life or Millennium of Revelation 20, which symbolizes the people of God ruling and reigning with Christ in Life.
This process is happening in 1 Thess 4:13 through 5:10, which some people call the “rapture” verses.
This judgment process will be experienced by everyone on earth at a time of God’s choosing.
It is experienced by Christians after the individual Christian person “falls away” and sins willfully, 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2, verses 2 and 3.
2 Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2 Th 2:3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
If a Christian prevails when they are judged, they enter into “Joy”, or the kingdom of God, Rm 14:17 and Matt 25:23.
Ro 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Mt 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
At such a time of reward, they rule and reign in Life (Rm 5:17).
Ro 5:17 (ASV) For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, [even] Jesus Christ.
This is symbolically referred to as the millennium of Rev chapter 20, when Jesus binds or forbids the presence of the Devil in the lives of His obedient people.
Re 20:2 (ASV) And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.