“in that day”
Another prophetic phrase that is quite
prolific is, “in that day.” As to what
“day” it refers to depends completely on the context. For example, my recent personal studies have
been in Zechariah. He uses the term 6
times in 12:1-9. The day he refers to is
in v2, when Jerusalem is made a “cup of drunkenness” to the surrounding
nations. In 12:10 he refers to the great
outpouring of the Spirit on Israel, which is the day he refers to then in
v11-14. In that same day (13:1) “a
fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.”
I see this phrase used most often in respect to the future Day of the
LORD, as is the case with Zechariah.
“the
time of Jacob’s trouble”
This phrase is used only once, in Jer.
30:7. However it is a time period that
is focused on several times in the OT and NT alike. It is the same as Daniel’s 70th
Week (Dan. 9:24-27), and thus is also the focus of our Lord in Matt. 24. Daniel speaks of a 7-year period of time,
divided in half by an event called the “abomination of desolation.” In His "Olivette Discourse” (Mt. 24-25)
Jesus refers to this same event (24:15), separating a time of the beginning of
sorrows (24:8) and the preaching of the gospel in all the world (24:14) from a
time of “great tribulation” (24:21). For
that reason, many Christians tend to refer to the “time of Jacob’s trouble” as
the “tribulation period.”
Daniel’s passage speaks of 6 (or 3 pairs of)
purposes for this time. All these
purposes relate to Israel. The Church is
not in view in Daniel’s prophecy. He
sees 69 weeks and then 1 week of seven years for the fulfillment of God’s plan
for Israel and the exaltation of Messiah to David’s throne. He does not understand the age of great
Gentile evangelization in between, which is true of all the OT prophets (1 Pt.
1:10-12), including John the Baptist (Lk. 7:18-35). Thus, since the “Tribulation Pd.” is designed
for Israel, being the time of “Jacob’s” trouble, the 70th Week begins
with the removal of the Church (the Rapture) as God returns to complete the
cleansing and salvation of the Nation of Israel (Rom. 11:26).
Here is another diagram for the “Time of
Jacob’s Trouble”. The phrase comes from
Jer. 30:7. And may I add, Jer. 30:11 gives in reverse order the three purposes
of this time: God’s correction and punishment of Israel, His dealing with the
nations who scattered her, and the salvation of the Nation. It also includes the great promise of God:
“Yet I will not make a complete end of you.”
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