ESCHATOLOGICAL CONNECTIONS

BETWEEN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT AND

THE “DAY OF THE LORD”
Sergio Celis
SAD, Chile Adventist University

Abstract: One of the most important themes in Seventh-day Adventist eschatology is the interpretation
of the day of atonement as a time of judgment just before the second coming of Christ. In the Old
Testament, however, the main description of the judgment comes from the prophetic announcement of
the coming of the “Day of the Lord.” Adventist eschatology uses some elements of this concept to explain
some important ideas of the eschatological timeline. A study of these biblical motifs shows important
parallels among them. Both describe a time of judgment, distress, and a vindication for the people of God.
These and other parallels allow a possible harmonization of these two motifs in the Adventist
understanding of the eschatological events.
_____________________________

Introduction

The annual Day of the Atonement or Yom Kippur was “the most important day in the religious
calendar of Israel.” 1 On this day “the Israelite sanctuary service reached its climax and ultimate goal.” 2
According to the description of Leviticus 16, on this day the high priest entered the Holy of Holies of the
tabernacle and “all the sins of the preceding year were finally disposed of in the ceremony of cleansing
the sanctuary.” 3 The Day of Atonement was a day of fasting, resting, and affliction for the people. Those
who were not prepared should be cut off from the people (Lev 16:31; 23:27-32). In this sense, this was a
Day of Judgment for the people of Israel. 4 For Seventh-day Adventist theology, this day was a symbol of
eschatological Divine Judgment. Gerhard Hasel observes that “the judicial-redemptive activities of the
day of atonement in the earthly sanctuary in behalf of ancient Israel have their typological counterpart in

1Charles L. Feinberg, “Atonement, Day of”, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (BEB), ed. Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel

(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1:233.

2Angel Manuel Rodríguez, “The Sanctuary,” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen,

Commentary Reference Series (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), 386.
3Siegfried H. Horn, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary (SDABD), rev. ed (1979), s.v. “Atonement, Day of.”
4Roy Gane, Cult and Character: Purification Offerings, Day of Atonement, and Theodicy (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns,

2005), 305-309; Horn, SDABD, s.v. “Atonement, Day of”; Rodríguez, “The Sanctuary,” 386.

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the judicial-redemptive activity in the heavenly sanctuary an the end-time.” 5 This antitypical final
Judgment is interpreted in the light of the prophecies of Daniel and the NT as a process of three
sequential phases: (1) the pre-Advent investigative judgment; (2) the post-Advent millennial judgment
and (3) the postmillennial executive judgment. 6 Through this process is realized a work of investigation
and judgment, which results in the vindication of God’s people and God Himself. 7
Nonetheless, the Day of Atonement is not the only day associated to the idea of the eschatological
judgment in the OT. The “Day of the Lord,” one of the main themes of the prophetic literature in the OT, is
used “to signify a time in which God actively intervenes in history, primarily for judgment.” 8 Although the
expression “the day of the Lord” occurs only 24 times in the OT, direct references to “that day” appear
nearly 200 times in the prophets, and occasionally in Lamentations and Psalms. The collective emphasis
signifies that it is “a central feature of the prophets’ message to their contemporaries,” 9 from the times of
Amos (8th century BC) to Malachi (5th century BC). This concept is especially recurrent in Isaiah, Joel,
Zephaniah, and Zechariah, but the idea of this kind of judgment is present in each one of the book of both
Major and Minor Prophets. 10 The arrival of this day is described with images of nature disasters,
invasions of foreign armies as well as promises of restoration. Most scholars agree that it is a way to
announce the executions of divine judgments on Israel and the nations of the Ancient Near East. While in
the OT there are signs of an eschatological application of the “Day of the Lord”, in the NT the idea is
developed in the context of the previous events and during the Second Coming of Jesus and the final
judgment. Indeed, it is alluded by Jesus (Matt 24:29; Mark 13:24,25; Luke 21:25,26), Paul (1 Cor 5:5; 2
Cor 1:14; 1 Thess 5:2), Peter (Acts 2:20; 2 Pet 3:10) and John in the book of Revelation (6:17; 16:14).
The eschatological application of the Day of the Lord is not as clear as the Day of Atonement
except that it appears connected with the Second Coming of Christ. 11 However, since this day is not only
a day of judgment for other nations, but specifically is a day of judgment for the people of God (and
therefore parallel with the Adventist understanding of the eschatological application of the Day of
Atonement), it is necessary to consider other possible interpretations of the antitypical Day of the Lord,
especially in the context of the eschatological judgment. The purpose of this study is to find the biblical
and theological connections between the eschatological application of the Day of the Lord and the

5Gerhard F. Hasel, “The ‘Little Horn,’ the Saints, and the Sanctuary in Daniel 8,” in The Sanctuary and the Atonement:

Biblical, Theological, and Historical Studies, ed. Arnold Valentin Wallenkampf and W. Richard Lesher (Washington, DC: Review and
Herald, 1981), 206.
6Gerhard F. Hasel, “Divine Judgment,” in Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen, Commentary

Reference Series (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), 833-848.

7Rodríguez, “The Sanctuary,” 400.
8Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (1988), s.v. “Day of the Lord.”
9Richard H. Hiers, “Day of the Lord”, The Anchor Bible Dictionary (TABD), ed. David Noel Freedman (New York, NY:

Doubleday, 1996), 2:82.

10Some biblical references in which this concept appears are: Ps 110:5; 137:7; Isa 2:12; 13:6,9; 22:5; 34:8; Jer 46:10;

Lam 2:22; Ezek 7:5-27; 13:5; 30:2,3; Hos 1:11; 2:18; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11; 3:4; 4:14; Amos 5:18–20; Obad 15; Mic 4:6,7; Nah 1:6,7;
Zeph 1:7,8,14,18; 2:3; Hag 2:23; Zech 14:1; Mal 3:23.
11David L. Jeffrey, A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature (1992), s.v. “Day of the Lord.”; Horn, SDABD, s.v.

“Day of the Lord.”

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eschatological Day of Atonement and how these motifs harmonize with the Seventh-day understanding
of the final events. To achieve this objective this research follows three steps: (1) A brief review of the
eschatological application of the Day of Atonement and the Day of the Lord, (2) a study of the biblical and
theological connections between both days, and (3) a final section with a summary and conclusions.

The Day of Atonement and its Eschatological

Application

The Adventist understanding of the Day of Atonement is directly related to the Millerite
movement and its interpretation of Dan 8:14, specifically regarding the idea that the Second Coming of
Christ would occur about 1843, at the end of the 2300-year prophecy. This section briefly examines what
the OT says about the Day of Atonement. This analysis allows a better perspective of the eschatological
application of this day.

The Day of Atonement in the OT

Allusions to the Day of Atonement appear in the Pentateuch (Exod 30:10; Num 29:7-11), but the
fullest description of it is found in the book of Leviticus, especially chapter 16, which occupies a central
position within the book (cf. 23:27-32; 25:9). 12 It was celebrated the tenth day of Tishri, the seventh
month of the Jewish calendar as “Israel’s most solemn holy day.” 13 It was also part of the feasts of the
third great convocation which occurred in that month together with the Feast of the Trumpets (Lev 23:
24-25; Num 29:1-6) and the Feast of the Harvest or Tabernacles (Exod 23:16; 34:22; Lev 23:34-43; Num
29:12-38; Deut 16:13-17).
On this day, the people afflicted their souls and fasted as a part of their preparation. It was the
only day in the year when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place of the Sanctuary. According to
Scripture, the purpose of these rites was to make atonement “for the holy sanctuary, and… for the
tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and… for the priests, and for all the people of the
congregation” (Lev 16:33, KJV). During the rest of the year the sins of the people remained symbolically
in the sanctuary through the blood of the daily sacrifices, which was sprinkled by the priests on the veil
that divided the holy place from the most holy (Lev 4:6,17). The Day of Atonement was the day,

12The Day of Atonement is in the center of the chiastic structure of the book, showing its centrality in the sanctuary

services. See William H. Shea, “Literary Form and Theological Function in Leviticus,” in The Seventy Weeks, Leviticus, and the
Nature of Prophecy, ed. Frank B. Holbrook, Daniel and Revelation Committee Series (Washington, DC: Biblical Research Institute,
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist, 1986), 131-168.
13Duane A. Garret, “Feasts and Festivals of Israel”, Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology ed. Walter A. Elwell (Grand

Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1997).

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therefore, in which the tabernacle was cleansed of the sins of the people.14 The cleansing was done
through a series of rites in which the final result was the elimination or purification of the sins of the
entire people of Israel.
The rites of the Day of Atonement described in Leviticus 16 went through seven steps. They are:
(1) Preliminaries: the high priest clothed himself in white linen and the draw of the two goats (vv. 2-10);
(2) Offering of a bull calf for the priests and the high priest himself (v.11); (3) the high priest entered to
the Most Holy Place with the censer of live coals form the altar of incense and sprinkles the blood of the
bull calf in the mercy seat and floor (12-14); (4) the goat for the Lord was killed and his blood is carried
within the veil making atonement for the holy place (vv. 15-17); (5) purification of the altar (vv. 18-19);
(6) confession of sin of Israel upon the live goat, which is sending unto a land not inhabited carrying the
sins of the people (vv.20-22); and (7) some final activities: the high priest clothed himself in his usual
apparel and offered a burnt offering for himself and one for the people, also the flesh of the bull calf and
goat is burned (vv. 23-26). 15 For Rodríguez, these rites had three meanings: (1) final cleansing of the
people, (2) an opportunity in order to God judges Israel and (3) vindication of God and his sanctuary. 16
There are two facts that suggest that this day was actually a day of judgment and vindication for
the people of Israel. First, this day produced a separation between righteous and wicked. Those who
were not prepared for this day should be cut off from the people (Lev 23:27-32). 17 The purification was
done both through the sacrifice of the goat for the Lord and for the condemnation of the goat for Azazel,
on one hand, and for the destruction of those who were not prepared for this day, on the other one. 18
This means that on this day there occurred a separation between those who confessed their sins and
accepted the sacrifice versus those who did not. The attitude of the people played an important role in
the activities of this day, as a day of repentance, affliction and rest. “The individual who, through pride
and self-reliance, rejected God’s atoning grace made useless the benefit of the daily services.” 19
In another sense this cleansing was important because it was the only day in the year in which
the High Priest entered in the Most Holy Place (16:1,2). The presence of the Lord was manifested over
the Ark of Testimony, in which were the table of the Ten Commandments, the manna, and the stick of
Aaron. The presence of the Lord in the Sanctuary was demonstrated in the OT as a situation of
Judgment. 20 The high priest entered into the most holy place as a representative of the people before the

14For aspects of the transference of sin see Angel Manuel Rodríguez, “Transfer of Sin in Leviticus,” in The Seventy Weeks,

Leviticus, and the Nature of Prophecy, ed. Frank B. Holbrook, Daniel and Revelation Committee Series (Washington, DC: Biblical
Research Institute, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist, 1986), 169-197.
15For a detailed explanation of these rituals, see Alberto R. Treiyer, The Day of Atonement and the Heavenly Judgment:

From the Pentateuch to Revelation (Siloam Springs, AR: Creation Enterprises International, 1992), 27-76.
16Rodríguez, “The Sanctuary,” 385-386.
17Gane, Cult and Character, 305-309.
18Treiyer, The Day of Atonement, 69.
19Rodríguez, “The Sanctuary,” 287.
20For a complete study of this topic, see Shea, Selected Studies, 1-30.

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presence of God. In fact, “the Day of Atonement marked the highest exhibition of the mediatorial work of
the high priest. In him all the people had access into the presence of God.”21

Adventist Eschatological Application

The Adventist understanding considers the Day of Atonement as a figure of the eschatological
Day of Judgment. This interpretation is based on the application of the prophecies of Daniel, the book of
Hebrews and Revelation. This section summarizes and highlights some aspects of this concept that are
useful in order to better appreciate this viewpoint. They revolve around two main ideas: (1) the purpose
of the judgment, and (2) the timing of the judgment.
The purpose of the judgment. The Judgment is the last process of the Plan of Redemption in
order “to eradicate sin and its results from universe, and to establish the righteous, universal, eternal
reign of Christ.” 22 In the same way that the Day of Atonement gave the final solution for the sins of the
people of Israel and the separation of those who were not prepared, in this final judgment those who are
not worthy will be finally destroyed and the entire universe will be delivered from the presence of the
sin.
In addition, the sacrifices on the Day of the Atonement fulfilled the purpose of cleansing the
sanctuary of all the collective sin from the children of Israel. This brings to the conclusion that the
atonement is eventually finished in the Judgment. Although the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is sufficient
for human salvation, the benefits are applied at the Judgment.23
In order to accomplish these two things, the Judgment determines who are saved versus those
who are not. This process of separation is a process of investigation, as shown in several places in the NT,
especially some of the parables of Jesus (Matt 13:24-30; 37-43; 47-50; 25:31-46). For this reason, the
Judgment implies a process of vindication for God himself as well as for those who are being saved in
contrast to the retribution for who are not saved. Indeed, for Israelites, “the Day of Atonement was a day
of vindicative judgment” 24 and in the same way “the final judgment will bring resolution to the war, for
all will agree that God is right and Satan’s charge wrong, and Satan, sin, and sinners will be destroyed, so
that the former things will be gone (Rev 21:1-4).” 25 Gulley observes this process: “The pre-Advent
judgment has a double verdict: (1) deliverance for God’s saints and (2) destruction of their enemy.”26

21Charles L. Feinberg, “Day of Atonement”, The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (ZEB), ed. Merril C. Tenney and

Moisés Silva (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 1:442. Rodríguez also explains that this representation “was symbolically
illustrated by the two precious stones placed on the shoulders of the high priest’s ephod,” which contained the names of the tribes
of Israel (Exod 18:9-12) and the 12 precious stones on the priestly breastpiece. Rodríguez, “The Sanctuary,” 379.
22Don F. Neufeld, ed. Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (SDAE), rev. ed. (Washington, DC: Review and Herald

Publishing Association, 1976), s.v. “Judgment.”

23George R. Knight, ed. Seventh-Day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine, Annotated ed. (Berrien Spings, MI:

Andrews University Press, 2003), 281.

24Hasel, “Divine Judgment,” 840.
25Gulley, God as Trinity, 289.
26Norman R. Gulley, Christ is Coming: A Christ-centerd Approach to Last-Day Events (Hagerstown, MD: Review and

Herald, 1998), 415.

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Richard Davidson concurs with this application of the antitypical Day of Atonement in the book of
Revelation by noting both the vindication and resolution of the problem of sin:

Likewise, in the antitype, the day of atonement in Revelation carries us through the investigative
judgment (11:1,2,19; 14:7); through the seven last plagues (chaps. 15-16), and the judgment of
Babylon (17:1-19:4); and on through the millennial consignment of Satan to the
“wilderness”/bottomless pit and the concurrent review judgment by the saints (20:1-10) to the
climatic white throne judgment and the final elimination of sin in the second death (20:11-15).
The day of atonement thus encompasses the investigative, review, and executive phases of final
judgment. 27

This process hence means a work of investigation and judgment, which results in the vindication of God’s
people and God Himself before the entire Universe.28 It makes possible the definitive elimination of the
sin, and therefore, the restoration of the harmony between the Creator and his creation.
Timing of the Judgment. The vindication and retribution of the judgment involve a process of
three phases. The first one is the pre-Advent Investigative Judgment, which began with the end of the
2,300-years of Dan 8:14 and before the Second Coming of Christ. 29 As in the Day of Atonement, the
recipients of the judgment were the people of Israel. In this phase the judgment is done in the Heavenly
Sanctuary only for the people of God. God is on the side of his people (Dan 7:22). 30 The end of this phase
indicates the close of probation in which Jesus changes His garments as priest and returns to this world
as King to rescue his people. 31 The Day of Atonement was a day of judgment for God’s people as it
reaches its eschatological fulfillment during this first phase.
The second phase is the post-Advent millennial judgment, which occurs after the Second Coming
of Christ during the millennium. This is represented in the typical Day of Atonement when the scapegoat
was carried out of the camp. As one scapegoat was carried to the wilderness, Satan is left alone in the
wilderness of a desolate planet while the saints are in heaven judging the lost people and the angels (Rev

27Richard M. Davidson, “Sanctuary Typology,” in Symposium on Revelation: Introductory and Exegetical Studies, Book 1,

ed. Frank B. Holbrook (Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist 1992), 123.
28Rodríguez, “The Sanctuary,” 400. Adventist view of the Judgment includes the participation of the intelligent beings of

the universe, who participate in the process of vindication of God and the people of God. See Clifford Goldstein, False Balances: The
Truth about the Judgment, the Sanctuary, and your Salvation (Boise, ID: Pacific Press, 1992), 83-90.
29For a clear and simple study of the prophecies of Daniel and the date of the beginning of the judgment, see Clifford

Goldstein, 1844 Made Simple (Boise, ID: Pacific Press, 1988). See also some exegetical and theological details in Hasel, “Divine
Judgment,” 833-846.
30See Hasel, “Divine Judgment,” 840-846.
31Ellen G. White, Early Writings of Ellen G. White (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2002), 36.

6
20:1-6; cf. 1 Cor 6:2-3). 32 In this way, they can see the justice and mercy of God for the sinners.
Finally, the Postmillennial Executive Judgment occurs at the end of the Millennium, when the
New Jerusalem descends upon the Earth and all the wicked are resurrected to receive their final
punishment (Rev 20:7-21:3). 33 This means the complete eradication of sin and the restoration of
harmony in the entire universe. This marks the end of the cosmic Great Controversy, vindicates God and
his people, and solves the problem of sin, which was the final outcome of the Day of Atonement on the
earthly sanctuary. In this sense, the Day of Atonement finds eschatological fulfillment during the first
investigative phase and culminates with the complete eradication of sin at the end of the judgment.

The Day of the Lord and its Eschatological

Application

The Day of the Lord is one of the more important topics in the OT, especially in the prophetic
books. The concept also implies a “historical visitation for judgment and deliverance” for the people of
Israel and an “eschatological visitation for final judgment and deliverance” for all the children of God for
all the ages. 34 Both meanings, historical and eschatological, are closely related. This section presents a
description of this motif in the OT along an analysis of the common understanding of its eschatological
application in the NT, especially as applies to Seventh-day Adventist eschatology.

The Day of the Lord in the OT

Scholars debated about the real meaning of the OT allusions to this day. Von Rad claims that the
Day of the Lord originated in Israel’s holy war tradition, but Weiss proposes that “the motif was the
phenomenon of theophany, as direct and indirect explanations and elaborations on the Lord’s
appearance for judgment reflected in this DL (“Day of the Lord”) of Amos.” 35 Craig Blaising proposed a
canonical and intertextual reading of the Book of Twelve prophets for a better understanding of this
topic, confirming it as a major unifying theme in the Minor Prophets and concluding that the meaning of
the Day of the Lord is basically the same throughout these books. 36 This meaning includes God’s
judgments on Judah and Israel, and the nations around them. The result is the vindication of the people

32For a complete explanation of the Adventist view of the Millennium, see Erick Claude Webster, “The Millenium,” in

Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology, ed. Raul Dederen, Commentary Reference Series (Hagerstown, MD: Review and
Herald, 2000), 927-946; Joel Badina, “The Millennium,” in Syposium on Revelation: Exegetical and General Studies, Book 2, ed.
Frank B. Holbrook, Daniel and Revelation Committe Series (Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute, General Conference of
Seventh-day Adventist, 1992), 225-242.
33For a more detailed explanation, see Hasel, “Divine Judgment,” 847.
34George E. Ladd, The Presence of the Future: The Eschatology of Biblical Realism, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: William B.

Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), 69.

35Meir Weiss, “The Origin of the ‘Day of the Lord’ –Reconsidered,” Hebrew Union College Annual 37 (1966): 48, 60.
36Craig A. Blaising, “The Day of the Lord: Theme and Pattern in Biblical Theology,” Bibliotheca Sacra 169, no. 673

(2012): 3-19.

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of God.
The place where God executes these judgments is Zion, specifically his holy Temple, from where
God roars. Those who are in his presence stay silent (Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2; Mic 1:2; 4:1-4; Hab 2:20; cf. Isa
2:3-4,12). This can mean that his judgments are final and unquestionable for them. The sins that are
judged include idolatry (Isa 2:8,20; Zeph 1:4-6), pride and arrogance (Isa. 2:11,17), and a lack of social
justice (Amos 2:6-7; Zeph 3:1-3). 37 The sins called out showcase the value of ethics as well as vindicate
righteous aspects of the divine judgment as the “Day of the Lord”.
The result of the Day of the Lord is the restoration of Israel. This means that the Day of Judgment
is not a solitary event. Some scholars argue that the Day of the Lord can be systematized as three basic
events, which appear consecutively in Joel, Amos and Zech 14:1-9. These phases are: (1) God judges His
people bringing nations to attack them, (2) God judges the nations which attacked His people, and (3)
God restores His people. 38
God’s Judgments on Israel. The Day of the Lord is shown in the OT as a day of “Yahweh’s
judgment against them for breaking the covenant requirements of the law” 39 (cf. Amos 2:4). This implies
a period of persecution before the moment of divine intervention (cf. Dan 12:1). 40 The instruments used
by God for the executions of these judgments were generally other nations (Hos 11:5; Amos 3:9-11; Isa
5:26-30; Zech 14:2) or natural disasters (Hag 1:5-6; 2:14-19; Mal 3:9-12; Joel 2:1-11).
Although there is no reference to the Messiah, God warns about His “messenger” (Mal 3:1-2). He
will come to call His people to repent and produce a separation between them and the wicked through a
purification or shaking. During such a process God promises to avoid total destruction by leaving a
remnant (Amos 9:8-10; Zech 13:8,9; 14:2). This is especially notorious in the book of Joel. In Joel 2:12-17
there is a calling for repentance, which is complemented with the promise of restoration in verses 18-27.
This is followed by an announcement of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon “all flesh” (28-29)
accompanied by wonders in the heavens and the earth (30-31) and that results in the salvation of
“whoever calls on the name of the Lord,” which is identified as “the remnant” (32). All this occurs before
the coming of the Day of the Lord (31).41 In this sense, the purpose seems to be not only punishing his
people, but rather, to prove them to establish a remnant. God will protect this remnant and save it
through these judgments. It is a calling for repentance and an appeal to be prepared for the arrival of the

37Greg A. King, “Day of the Lord,” Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (EDB), ed. David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers, and

Astrid B. Beck (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2000), 324.

38Hiers, “Day of the Lord," TABD, 2:82.
39Ibid.
40Richard H. Hiers, “Eschatology”, Harper's Bible Dictionary (HBD), ed. Paul J. Achtemeier (San Francisco: Harper & Row,

1985), 276.
41Although this interpretation is possible, the emphasis is not necessarily in the temporal sense because the main

meaning of the Hebrew preposition lipnê, as used in both verses, is “in the presence of” (R. Laird Harris et al., Theological
Wordbook of the Old Testament [Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999], 728.) which indicates that the time when they take place is
during the Day of the Lord and not during a previous time

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judgments upon the wicked. God wants to separate them from those who are going to be destroyed.
The historical fulfillment of the Day of the Lord is related with the fallen of Israel by the
Assyrians, as well as the Babylon invasion of Judah. This gave God an opportunity to purge His people,
but at the same time, He gave to them a promise or hope of restoration. Salvation thus came through
judgment. 42 In summary, the Day of the Lord in relation of the people of God begins with a calling to
repentance; it is the time when God submits His people to probation to do a separation between those
who are truly his children versus those who are not. The aftermath is the establishment of a remnant
who receive the blessing of the presence of God and who are able to face the Day of the Lord.
God’s Judgments on the Nations. As part of the judgment on His people, God attacks the
nations who came against Israel (Zech 12:3–9; 14:12–13). Examples of some of these nations include
Egypt (Isa 19:16; 20:6; Jer 46:10, 21; Ezek 30:9, 18), Edom (Isa 34:8; 63:4; Jer 49:22; Amos 1:11-12; Obad
1-14), Ethiopia (Ezek 30:9; Zeph 2:12), Babylon (Isa 47:9; Jer 50:27, 30, 31; 51:2; Hab 3:1-16), the
Ammonites (Ezek 21:29; Amos 1:13-15), Damascus (Jer 49:26; Amos 1:3-5), Moab (Jer 48:41; Amos 2:1-
3; Zeph 2:8-11), the Philistines (Jer 47:4; Amos 1:6-8; Zeph 2:4-7), Tyre (Isa 23:15; Amos 1:9-10) and
Nineveh (Nah 1:1-15; Zeph 2:13). This judgment on the nations eventually reaches also all nations and
kings of the earth (Isa 24:21; Joel 3:14; Obad 15-16), and everyone who is proud and lofty (Isa 2:12–17)
as well as all of inhabitants of the earth (Zeph 1:7–18). This seems to be an indicator of the intention of
the prophets to give these judgments an eschatological and universal scope and meaning within God’s
plan for this world.
The purpose of this divine judgment against the nations is to vindicate and deliver His people
This includes those who are oppressed under the dominion of these wicked nations. 43 As a result, the
meaning of the “expression ‘the day of the Lord’ at the time of the rise of the great prophets of Israel
denoted an event to which the Israelites were looking forward as the day of Jehovah’s final vindication of
the righteousness of His people against their enemies.” 44 This very fact produces a parallel between the
Day of the Lordand the Exodus, where the people of God were delivered from Egypt slavery. The idea
presented here is “to punish the guilty party and vindicate the innocent.” 45 In other words, the judgment
against these nations is closely related with the people of God. This judgment is because he has a
covenant with Israel, and God judges the nations to deliver and saves them. The Day of the Lordbrings
justice and vindication for those who are suffering oppression and persecution from the nations, kings,

42James M. Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment: A Biblical Theology (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010),
267.
43For example, while in Amos 1:3-2:3 God judges the nations for attacking other nations, in Nahum, Zeph 3 and Zech 14

the judgment comes because of attacking the people of God. As mention above, the oppression of the kings and pride men are also
included in this kind of judgments.
44Randolph V.G. Tasker, The Biblical Doctrine of the Wrath of God (London: Tyndale Press, 1951), 45.
45Joel Nobel Musvosvi, Vengeance in the Apocalypse, Andrews University Seminary Doctoral Dissertation Series (Berrien

Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1993), 106.

9
powerful people and all wicked. These last groups of people receive the effects of this day of God’s wrath.
Restoration of Israel. Although “the Day of the Lord will mean the destruction of the whole
earth, including all its creatures… a remnant escapes unharmed to enjoy God’s ultimate salvation.” 46 Greg
King observes that “the salvific aspect has often been thought less important than or even incongruent
with the judgment aspect,” but “the Day is neither solely a time of judgment nor of salvation. It is a time
of salvation through judgment.” 47
With the faithful remnant, God can begin a new Israel and fulfill the promise of the covenant. It is
the definitive establishment of the Kingdom of God in terms of the Davidic covenant (Isa 11:10; Jer 23:5-
6; 30:8-9; 33:15-16; Amos 9:11; Oba 1:21; Hag 2:23; Zech 3:8-10; 14:9). Even through Israel, all nations
can receive redemption (Isa 2:2-4; Mic 4:1–3; 11:10; 19:18–25; 25:6–9; Zech 2:11). This therefore shows
that the very purpose of the covenant between God and His people is to be a nation of blessing for all the
people of the earth. The people of God can now enjoy the many blessings from their new land, with
health, abundance of food and peace throughout all creation (Isa 4:2; 7:21–22; 25:6–9; 29:18-19; 30:23-
26; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13–15; Mic 4:4,6-7; Zech 3:10).
Altogether this is the final outcome of previous judgments. Restoration implies the vindication of
the righteous and the separation from their rebellious opposites, as well as the fact that God is vindicated
before His people and the entire world (Isa 10:20; 19:19–25; 52:6; Ezek 38:23; 39:22). Although many of
these promises were related with the return of the Jews to Palestine from the exile (Isa 11:11-12; 27:12-
13; Jer 27:22), the scope of this aspect is clearly eschatological. 48
In summary, the Day of the Lord is best seen as a divine intervention in favor of His people. The
announcement of the Day of the Lord had the purpose to bring God’s people to repentance and therefore
to save them. The attacks executed by foreign nations and the later exile had the effect of purification
upon the people to be able for them ultimately to enjoy and return to Jerusalem. The judgments against
the nations, idolaters and oppressors were announced as the deliverance of the oppression and the
vindication of the righteousness of God for His people. Finally, the process concludes with the complete
restoration of the people of God in Jerusalem, with the promise of the presence of God as their King.

46Ladd, The Presence of the Future, 58.

47King, “Day of the Lord," EDB, 325.
48The eschatological character of these references is so clear that some biblical scholars consider them as apocalyptic in

their gender of prophecy. However, this designation can confuse the real meaning and interpretation of these texts. A local
prophecy –what is called “classical prophecy”– can have an eschatological application but this does not mean that is apocalyptic,
because the original-local application remains and therefore has a twofold fulfillment in a typological sense. See Richard M.
Davidson, “Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy,” in Understanding Scriptures: An Adventist Approach, ed. George W. Reid, Biblical
Research Institute Studies (Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute, 2005), 192-200; Richard M. Davidson, “Biblical
Principles for Interpreting Classical and Apocalyptic Prophecies,” (2006).
https://static.squarespace.com/static/51784bc4e4b0cd137cf03ca6/t/517c3bdde4b065cfbf605262/1367096285615/principles
.pdf (accessed November 11, 2013); William G. Johnsson, “Biblical Apocalyptic,” in Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology,
ed. Raoul Dederen (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000), 784-814.

10
Eschatological Application of the “Day of the Lord”
As each biblical prophet used the apocalyptic image as an imminent divine intervention for the
people of God during their time, the references to His days need to be understood within their
eschatological meaning within a typological relationship. 49 This is developed also by NT writers who
describe the final day of consummation and vindication. This section explores how the NT and Seventh-
day Adventist writers have understood this eschatological application.
The Day of the Lord in the NT. The expression “Day of the Lord” appears only in 2 Pet 3:10, 1
Thess 5:2, 2 Thess 2:2, and Rev 1:10 50 but there are other parallel expressions that clearly refer it like
“day of Christ” (1 Cor 1:8; 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 1:6,10; 2:16), “the day of God” (2 Pet 3:12), “the day of
visitation” (1 Pet 2:12), “the great day” (Jude 6; Rev 16:14), and “the day of wrath” (Rom 2:5; Rev 6:17).
In addition to these, there are other expressions that appear to reference this same event: “the day of
judgment” (1 John 4:17), “the last day” (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; cf. 11:24; 12:48) or simply “the day” (Matt
24:36; Luke 17: 24, 26, 30; Rom 2:16; 1 Cor 3:13), “that day” (Matt 7:22; 26:29; Mark 13:32; 14:25; Luke
17:31; 21:34; John 14:20; 16:23; 1 Tess 5:4; 2 Thess 1:10; 2 Tim 4:8), or “a day” (Acts 17:31).
Although the main idea of these texts points directly to the Second Coming of Christ, the element
of Judgment remains very clear in many of these texts. While some scholars interpret this fact by stating
that the coming of the Lord marks the time of judgment, 51 there are other hints that suggest that this
judgment occurs prior to the Second Coming and is finally executed when Jesus returns to the earth. 52
This is especially clear in the book of Revelation, where the Judgment occurs before the return of Jesus
while there is still opportunity to repent (Rev 14:6). Indeed, Revelation shows the more developed
eschatological application of this day. According to Stefanovic, the reference to judgment in Rev 1:10
shows that “the whole book of Revelation was apparently written with the eschatological day of the Lord
and the events leading up to it in mind.” 53 The most important of Revelation’s Judgments are the
vindicative and retributive aspects in relation to the people of God and their enemies. The sixth seal
announces the arrival of the “day of wrath” of the Lamb on who oppressed his people (6:12-17; cf. 6:9-
11). Beale comments that while “all commentators agree that the cosmic phenomena of 6:12–14 connote
judgment as in the OT and other NT contexts,” some of them “disagree whether this is merely a temporal
tribulation before the actual, final judgment and end of the cosmos or whether it is the last judgment

49Hans K. LaRondelle, How to Understand the End-Time Prophecies of the Bible: A Biblical-Contextual Approach, 2nd. ed.

(Sarasota, FL: First Impressions, 2007), 6-7.

50Ranko Stefanovic suggests that the expression “the Lord’s day” in Rev 1:10 should be considered a reference for this

eschatological day. See Ranko Stefanovic, “‘The Lord’s Day’ of Revelation 1:10 in the Current Debate,” Andrews University Seminary
Studies 49, no. 2 (2011): 282.
51Richard H. Hiers, “Day of Christ”, The Anchor Bible Dictionary (TABD), ed. David Noel Freedman (New York, NY:

Doubleday, 1996), 2:77.

52As it was noted, Adventist theology has established this especially through the prophecies of Daniel. See Hasel, “Divine

Judgment,” 833-840.
53Stefanovic, “‘The Lord’s Day’ of Revelation 1:10 ”: 282.

11
itself and the very end of the world.” 54 He concludes that “the scene depicts figuratively the inauguration
of the last judgment.” 55 In fact, almost every detail of the fifth, sixth and seventh seal has a judicial
connotation in a broader OT context. In the fifth seal this appears very clear, and in the sixth and seventh
is necessary to see the OT references to have a clearer idea (see table below).
This table indicates that the opening of the seals of Revelation are in a context of judgment.
However, it is not the judgment itself, but rather the beginning of Judgment. Kenneth Strand explains that
the opening of the first six seals indicates “events or conditions within historical time which are
preparatory to the opening of the book in judgment; these seals represent the steps or means by which
God through Christ prepares the way in history for the opening and reading of the great will or book of
destiny at the judgment in the eschatological consummation.” 56 There are at least two facts to support
this argument. First, the claim for judgment of the martyrs in the fifth seal, who receive the answer that is
necessary within a time of waiting for the beginning of the judgment until the number of them—the
faithful martyrs of the people of God—is completed (Rev 6:9-11). This means that the Judgment and their
final vindication are yet still in the future.
Revelation OT Reference Context
Great earthquake Ezek. 38:19–20; Joel 2:10; Amos 8:8; Judgments on Israel
Hag 2:6
Sun became black and Moon Joel 2:31; 3:15; Isa 13:10; 50:3 Judgments on Israel and
became like blood nations
Stars of heaven fall Isaiah 34:4 Judgments on Nations
Sky receded as a scroll Isaiah 34:4 Judgments on Nations
Every mountain and island Jeremiah 4:24 Judgments on Israel
was moved out
Kings of the earth Isa 24:11; Psalm 2:2; 110:5,6 Judgments on Nations
To conceal Isa 2:10,19-21; Hos 5:3. Judgments on idolaters of
Israel
Be concealed Hos 10:8 Judgments on idolaters of
Israel
Face of God No special OT allusion; Judgment implied
Throne of God No special OT allusion; Judgment implied

54Gregory K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria, UK:

W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1999), 398.

55Ibid.
56Kenneth A. Strand, Interpreting the Book of Revelation: Hermeneutical Guidelines, with Brief Introduction to Literary

Analysis, Second ed. (Ann Arbor, MI: Ann Arbor Publishing, 1979), 57.

12
 Day of Wrath Set of OT allusions to Eschatological Judgment
Remnant (Who are stand) Joel 2:11, Nah 1:6; Mal 3:2 Judgment on Israel
Table 1. References to the judgment in the sixth and seventh seals
Second, a parallel exists between the openness of the seals and the prophetic sermon of Matt 24,
Mark 13, and Luke 21. 57 Jesus said that there would be wars, famine, pestilence and persecution, which
appear to have a clear parallel with the four first seals. Jesus furthermore says that they are not signs of
the end yet, but the beginning of sorrows (Matt 24: 8). 58 This means that the first seals are signs and
events that, as in Strand’s observation, prepare the definitive openness of the sealed book of Judgment.
The wrath of the Lamb and is His day is a response to the clamor of the fifth seal, in the sense of a
vengeance of the attacks against his people. In the same way as in the Day of the Lord God roars as a Lion
from his throne in Zion producing a heavenly and earthly upheaval (Jer 25:30; Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2; 3:1-
8), the six seal warns the closeness of the judgment through cosmic signs and an earthquake (Rev 6:12-
14).
All this evidence shows that the sixth seal appears to be the beginning of the Eschatological
Judgment, and although the Second Coming is part of that judgment, it is still in the future. The event that
is announced here is the judgment that brings vindication to His people, and result in the destruction of
those who oppress them. This is the Day of the wrath of the Lamb. Michaels warns about this idea when
he comments:

These parallels show what is missing from the picture in Revelation. There is no coming of the
Son of Man in the clouds, no gathering of his chosen ones from all over the world. John sees all
the terrible events heralding and accompanying the Second Coming of Jesus, but not the coming
itself. The prophecy given in 1:7 (“Look, he is coming with the clouds”) is almost, but not quite,
fulfilled. 59

Although most Adventist interpreters see in the sixth seal an allusion of the Second Coming of Christ, 60 to
see the day of wrath of the Lord as including the day of judgment seems more in harmony with the OT
context of this concept, and even more important, with the context of the book of Revelation itself. In the
light of the OT background as presented above, the eschatological Day of the Lord contemplates the

57LaRondelle, How to Understand Prophecies, 120-121; Ranko Stefanovic, Revelation of Jesus Christ: Commentary on the

Book of Revelation, 2nd. ed. (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2009), 223-226.
58Donald G. Barnhouse, Revelation: An Expository Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1971), 140.
59J. Ramsey Michaels, Revelation, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series vol. 20 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity

Press, 1997), Rev 6:17.

60See, for example: Jon Paulien, “The Seven Seals,” in Symposium on Revelation: Introductory and Exegetical Studies, Book

1, ed. Frank B. Holbrook, Daniel and Revelation Committe Seires (Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute, General
Conference of Seventh-day Adventist 1992), 236-237; C. Mervyn Maxwell, God Cares: The Message of Revelation for You and Your
Family (Boise, ID: Pacific Press, 1985), 190-191; LaRondelle, How to Understand Prophecies, 131; Stefanovic, Revelation, 251-252.

13
vindication of the people of God, which is done through a judgment on the people itself, but also through
a judgment and punishment on their enemies. Consequently, the eschatological Day of the Lord should
not be viewed as a single event like the Second Coming, but rather a series of events that include the
judgment on the people of God, the punishment on the enemies of them, and the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ. The Day of the Lord is therefore not only associated with the Second Coming of Christ, but must
also be associated with the Day of Judgment.
The Day of the Lord in Adventist Eschatology. Although there is no a definitive
interpretation of the eschatological Day of the Lord among Seventh-day Adventist theologians, there is a
tendency among some thinkers to relate it to the Second Coming of Christ. However, there are hints that
allow to see the Day of the Lord in a broader context of judgment.
Some Adventist authors have used some ideas and images from the OT in relationship to the Day
of the Lord that refer some specific events that occur within the last days of this world, just prior to the
Second Coming of Christ. They include the cosmic signs, the remnant, the latter rain, and the shaking.
Before seeing how the Day of the Lord fits within the traditional view of the judgment in the next section,
here this part briefly summarizes the Adventist eschatological application of these concepts.
The idea most closely related with the Day of the Lord in Adventist eschatology seems to be the
Cosmic Signs. They occur in the OT in the context of the Day of the Lord (Isa 13:9-10; 34:2,4; Ezek 32:7;
Joel 2:2,10, 31; 3:15; Amos 8:9). In the NT, they are used by Jesus as signs of His Second Coming (Matt
24:29; Mark 13:24-25; Luke 21:25) and in Revelation in the sixth seal (Rev 6:12-14). These signs include
the darkening of sun and the moon as well as the falling of the stars. 61 The fulfillment of these signs were
seen by Adventist pioneers, including Ellen G. White, on the “Dark Day” and “Red Moon” of May 19, 1780,
and the meteor shower on November 13, 1833. Both have been important eschatological events from a
traditional Adventist eschatological framework. 62 However, this interpretation has been questioned in
the last decades by several Adventist theologians mainly based upon the alleged historical irrelevance of
these fulfillments regarding the Second Coming of Christ. 63 Perhaps the main reason for this is the

61The great earthquake, although included in the sixth seal of Revelation, is not part of the signs of the Day of the Lord in
the OT.
62Uriah Smith, The Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1944), 441-

448; White, Great Controversy, 304, 306, 333, 334; Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 1898), 632; Francis
D. Nichol, ed. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 7 vols. (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1976-1980), 5:502;
Richard P. Lehmann, “The Second Coming of Jesus,” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen,
Commentary Reference Series (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000), 906.
63Jon Paulien affirmed in 1994 that in relation to this signs Adventist “need a sane approach to current events” Jon

Paulien, What the Bible Says About the End-Time (Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1994), 157. George
Knight has declared that “they are signs that the end is coming, but they are not the real signs of the end… the real signs are not
signs of nearness but sign of coming.” George R. Knight, Matthew: The Gospel of the Kingdom, The Abundant Life Bible Amplifier
(Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1994), 236. Hans LaRondelle wrote in an article in Ministry in 1998 that “a
number of contemporary Adventist expositors admit the exegetical problems with the old interpretation of the cosmic sign,” and
then mentioned names like Marvin Moore and Samuele Bacchiocchi to support this point. Hans K. LaRondelle, “Viewpoint: The
Application of Cosmic Signs in the Adventist Tradition,” Ministry, September 1998, 27. LaRondelle develops this idea in a wider
way in the second edition of his book How to Understand the End-Time Prophecies of the Bible and concludes that these natural

14
understanding that the eschatological Day of the Lord was not only associated with the Second Coming,
thus minimizing the idea of the eschatological judgment. Nonetheless, if the eschatological interpretation
of this day is connected with the beginning of the eschatological judgment (as the OT evidence suggests),
there should be no problem in specifying that these signs indicate the beginning of the eschatological
judgment in 1844. They therefore announced the beginning of the time of end, at the end of the last
prophetic period, the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14. Some implications of this idea are explored in the next
section.
Another concept associated with the Day of the Lord is the idea of remnant (i.e. Isa 1:9; 10:20-22;
11:11-16; Joel 2:32; Amos 5:15,18; 9:8-10; Zeph 2:7-9; Zech 13:8-14:2). This idea appears in the OT
related with the judgments of God upon the people of Israel, which results in the partial destruction of
the people, but a faithful remnant remains. 64 From the beginning the Adventist movement considered
themselves as a group with a special identity and mission, the people who will restore the truth about
God during the time of end. 65 The topic took on even stronger importance within the Church and
eventually as part of its ecclesiology. The concept of remnant is one of the fundamental beliefs of the
denomination. 66
Another two ideas associated with the Day of the Lord and the remnant include the latter rain
and the shaking. In the context of the OT, the latter rain appears in connection to the restoration of the
Remnant (Joel 2:23,28-31; Zech 10:1-3). The shaking, an idea taken from Amos 9:9, has a similar context.
Both concepts have to do with the preparation of the people for being ready for judgment, a separation
between the very people of God juxtaposed against those who are not ready.67 Adventists interpreted
these concepts with a spiritual application in mind, but also as prophecies that will be fulfilled within the
historicist eschatological chronology of the end time. Thus, in the Adventist understanding, immediately
before the Second Coming several things will happen in the Church that produce the shaking, making this
separation between those who receive the latter rain and complete the mission of the church and form

upheavals cannot be interpreted as signs of the times, and proposed a future fulfillment during the last time of distress just before
the Second Coming. LaRondelle, How to Understand Prophecies, 339-344.
64For a complete study of the remnant motif in the OT, see Gerhard F. Hasel, The Remnant: The History and Theology of

the Remnant Idea from Genesis to Isaiah, Andrews University Monographs (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1974),
135-372.
65For an historical review of the development of this idea of remnant in the Adventist movement see the third chapter of

Carmelo Martínez, “El concepto de remanente en la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día: Razones subyacentes en el debate
contemporáneo” (ThD diss., Universidad Adventista del Plata, Villa Libertador San Martín, Entre Ríos, Argentina, 2002).
66For the Adventist understanding of the Remnant, see Hans K. LaRondelle, “The Remnant and the Three Angels'

Messages,” in Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen, Commentary Reference Series (Hagerstown, MD:
Review and Herald, 2000), 857-892; General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists, Seventh-day Adventists Believe: A Biblical
Exposition of Fundamental Doctrines (Silver Spring, MD: Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,
2005).
67For a study of these concepts and others of the Adventist eschatological view in the Bible and Ellen White, see

Fernando Chaij, Preparation for the Final Crisis: A Compilation of Passages from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy (Mountain
View, CA: Pacific Press, 1966); Gulley, Christ is Coming, 496-506; Marvin Moore, The Crisis of the End Time: Keeping Your
Relationship with Jesus in Earth's Darkest Hour (Boise, ID: Pacific Press, 1992); Keavin Hayden, The Shaking Among God's People
(Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 1994).

15
the final remnant, versus those who will leave. Once again, such an understanding fits with the biblical
description of the Day of the Lord making a parallel with this concept in Adventist eschatology.

Preliminary Conclusions
Both the Day of Atonement and the Day of the Lord include a significant eschatological element
in the Adventist understanding. The Day of Atonement is understood as the day of the final judgment,
especially the first phase or investigative judgment, and has important implications to the others two
phases of the judgment (post-advent millennial and post-millennial destruction of sinners). The purpose
and final outcome of these events is the restoration of God’s people, who receive their reward and
eternal life through Jesus Christ. Sin is eradicated within the entire universe.
The eschatological application of the Day of the Lord, although closely related with the Second
Coming of Christ, is also connected with the final judgment and vindication of God’s people. God shows
his wrath upon the nations in defense of His people, and ultimately gives them deliverance and
restoration. The parallels between both eschatological events is obvious. They are explored in more
detail in the rest of this paper.

Connections Between the Day of the Lord and the

Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement and the Day of the Lord are presented in the Bible as typos of the last
judgment. While the former is the basis for the Adventist eschatology in relation to the judgment, the
latter is used to explain events related with the Second Coming. However, previous section
demonstrated that the judgment is the main characteristic of the Day of the Lord. This section tries to
establish some parallels of both ideas, for then attempts a harmony between both eschatological
applications.

Thematic Parallels
According to lo analyzed before, it is possible to find some thematic parallels between the
biblical description and eschatological application of the Day of Atonement and the “Day of the Lord”.
These parallels have to do with the sanctuary as the place of judgment, the description of these days as
days of affliction, and the vindicative aspect of the judgment on the people of God, along the retributive
aspect of the judgment on the enemies of the people. Some details are presented here.

16
The Sanctuary as the Place of Judgment
The clearer common reference between the Day of Atonement and the Day the Lord is the
Sanctuary. As mentioned, in the OT the presence of God in the temple refers a time of Judgment, and in
general this is considered in parallel with Day of Atonement. 68 As the holy priest appeared in the Most
Holy Place as representative of the people in the Day of Atonement, in the Day of the Lord God roars
since Zion (Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2; Mic 1:2; Hab 2:20; cf. Isa 2:3-4,12), a reference of his dwelling place in
the temple of Jerusalem (Ps. 9:11; 76:2; Isa 8:18; 18:7; 24:23; Joel 3:17). 69 Zion is, therefore, his place for
announcing his judgments, both on his people and other nations.
The presence of God in the sanctuary is confirmed because one of the main features of the Day of
the Lord is darkness, 70 which is a manifestation of his divine presence. According to the OT descriptions
of this day, the presence of God in the Day of the Lord produces alterations in the sun, moon, and stars,
bringing clouds, darkness, and gloominess (Isa 13:10; 24:23; 34:4; Ezek 32:7; Joel 2:10,31; 3:15; Amos
5:18,20; 8:9; Nah 1:8; Zeph 1:15). Indeed, These signs, for some scholars, “are in reality signs of
theophany (cf. Hab 3:6, 10; 1 Kgs 19:11; Ezek 32:7, 8),” 71 because God dwells in darkness in his
Sanctuary (1 Kgs 8:12; 2 Chr 6:1). In fact, He is sometimes described as surrounded by smoke, clouds,
and darkness (Exod 19:16; 20:21; Deut 4:11; 5:22,23; 2 Sam 22:10,12; Ps 18:9,11; 97:2). It is interesting
that in the description of the Day of Atonement, God says to Moses that in that day he “will appear in the
cloud upon the mercy seat” (Lev 16:2). Consequently, darkness in the context of the Day of the Lord
seems to suggest the presence of God in the Sanctuary, in the Most Holy Place, which would connect it
with the Day of Atonement. In both days God is in His Sanctuary, surrounded by darkness, judging his
creatures.

Days of Affliction
Other thematic parallel is the reference of both days as times in which the people should afflict
themselves in preparation for the events that will be happened those day. In the Day of Atonement, the
people should afflict their souls, and do no work at all, under penalty of be destroy from among the
people (Lev 16:29,31; 23:27-32). 72 As mentioned, this is the main feature of the Day of Atonement as a
Day of Judgment.
In the case of the Day of the Lord, along with references of it as a day of darkness, it is presented

68Shea, Selected Studies, 1-30.

69For Zion as a reference of the temple, see W. Harold Mare, “Zion”, The Anchor Bible Dictionary (TABD), ed. David Noel
Freedman (New York, NY: Doubleday, 1996), 6:1096.
70John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah. Chapters 1-39, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand

Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1986), 306.

71Douglas Stuart, Word Biblical Commentary: Hosea-Jonah, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 31 (Dallas: Word,

Incorporated, 2002), 251-252; See also Raymond B. Dillard, “Joel,” in Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, ed. Walter A. Elwell
(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1996), Joel 2:28.
72Alberto Treiyer suggests that the Hebrew words used for “afflict your souls” is a reference for fasting because they

are used always in that context (Isa 58:3,5; Ps 35:13). Treiyer, The Day of Atonement, 66.

17
as a day of wrath, distress, destruction and it is describe as terrible (Joel 1:15; 2:2,11; Zeph 1:15). Also, it
is in the context of wailing for the people of God (Amos 5:16-18; 8:9-10). For this reason, there is a
calling for repentance, “with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning”
(Joel 2:12; cf. Zeph 2:1-2). Again, this is done in the sanctuary, specifically “between the porch and the
altar” (v.17), where the priests should intercede for the people.
This call for afflicting and humbling is in relation with the results of the judgment, because in the
Day of the Lord the proud, lofty and everyone that is lifted up will be brought low (Isa 2:12; cf. Zeph 1:7-
18) and the meek will be hid (Zeph 2:3). This attitude seems to be what God is asking from the people to
be saved from condemnation. Eventually, “whosever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be
delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the
remnant whom the Lord shall call” (Joel 2:32; cf. Amos 9:11-12). The result of the judgment is salvation
for the people, because they accept the deliverance and forgiveness of God. He warns his people about
the coming of the judgment, given an opportunity of salvation, because the time of probation is not
closed yet.
In addition, Joel and Zephaniah say that the Day of the Lord is announced with sounds of
trumpets (Joel 2:1,15; Zeph 1:16; cf. Isa 27:13). The same occurred in the Day of Atonement, according
to Lev 25:9. In this sense, the use of the trumpets are related with the calling for preparation for the
judgment. 73

Vindicative Judgment on the People of God

Following the affliction of the souls of the people, it is established a remnant who are worthy to
reach salvation, and God acts to vindicate and save them. It was presented in the previous sections how
both the Day of Atonement and the Day of the Lord had the purpose of vindicating the people of God.
While in the former the emphasis is in the purification of sin, the latter stresses the liberation from their
enemies. In the eschatological application the first happens in heaven, before the intelligent beings of the
universe; the other one in the earth, before the enemies of the people. Both end in the complete
deliverance of the people of God from their sins and their oppressed powers.
This is clear in the books of Daniel and Revelation. In fact, the vindication of the saints is a basic
ingredient of the apocalyptic genre. 74 In Daniel 7, the scene of judgment in the verses 9-11 is described
in the verse 22 as the “judgment in favor of the saints” (NVI). 75 In Revelation the judgment is described
as the time to “give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy
name, small and great” (11:18).

73Ibid.,
312.
74Adams, The Sanctuary Doctrine, 250.
75In the Adventist understanding, the judgment’s scene of Dan 7 is parallel to the end of the 2.300 days of Dam 8:14,

which mark the beginning of the antitypical Day of Atonement.

18
 The character vindicative of the judgment highlights the real character of God and how He loves
His creatures. Although the judgment is a day of affliction, it is also a day of salvation and redemption.
God’s justice and wrath are not necessarily contradictory to His Love. It has been said that the antithesis
of Love is indifference, not wrath. Indeed, “wrath is the expression, not the antithesis of love.” 76 God’s
wrath is motivated by His love towards His people. He wants to save them, but to do it, He needs to
destroy sin and sinners, because they don’t allow the complete harmony within the universe.
Destruction of evil es an expression of love. 77 Because love needs to be reciprocal, it is possible to show
it to His people. Those who are destroyed, will have this happen to them for the sake of His people. It is
an expression of love for those who accept Him, His character and correspond His love. Love to His
people is God’s main motivation in the judgment.
Overall, judgment implies the application of the salvation provided by God for those who are
worthy of receive it. That is not judgment by works, but rather a balanced view of a real faith that
produces works. To investigate and review the life of who have accepted the gift of salvation it is related
with vindication in the sense that this investigation shows the effects of the grace and salvation in the
children of God, and not with their own merits to reach salvation. The Bible teaches clearly both truths:
salvation by grace, and judgment by works and they are not contradictory, rather complementary. Ivan
Blazen, after a review of the texts and the apparent contradiction between salvation by faith and
judgment by works, says:

While those who remain committed to Christ need to have no fear of God's judgment or anxiety
concerning salvation, three things, at least, are clear from these judgment passages. What is said
here will be clarified later on in this essay and set in relation to God's rich salvation. (1)
Christians, all those justified by faith, come into the judgment. (2) The judgment is made
according to their works. (3) Two destinies are possible to those who have professed Christ;
eternal life on the one hand, death on the other. In other words, people can be saved or lost as a
result of this judgment. 78

These both ideas, judgment and vindication, need to be understood in the context of the Great
Controversy, in which God’s character is in the stake in relation of how he is in his treatment with his

76Richard Rice, The Reign of God: An Introduction to Christian Theology from a Seventh-Day Adventist Perspective, Second

ed. (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1997), 197.

77The words of Hasel, “salvation and judgment reflect the twin characteristics of mercy and justice in the nature of

God,” (Hasel, “Divine Judgment,” 815) in this context seems not to be appropriated, because it puts the judgment only in the side
of justice, as being antithesis of love. The character of God is Love, and his justice is not necessarily a “twin characteristic”, but
rather his justice and all of rest qualities of his character are completely affected and contained by his Love, and therefore when
God decides to destroy sinners, it is also a demonstration of His love.
78Ivan T. Blazen, “Justification and Judgment,” in The Seventy Weeks, Leviticus, and the Nature of Prophecy, ed. Frank B.

Holbrook (Washington, DC: Biblical Research Institute, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist, 1986), 357-358.

19
creatures. 79 Thus, judgment has the purpose of giving or applying salvation for those who are found
living the gift of the grace of God. During the judgment, a remnant is established, and the rewards for
them are bestowed. This is the beginning of the final restoration and vindication of the people of God.

Retributive Judgment on the Nations

As a part of the vindication of the saints, the judgment includes a punishment over the nations
and powers that oppress the people of God. When in the judgment the fates of the righteous is
determined, those who are not approved in the judgment are punished. This happened in the Day of
Atonement, but also in the Day of the Lord. Shea comments how this fact is found in the book of Joel:
This judgment was to be twofold. God was going to judge on behalf of His people and against the
nations. For their part God’s people were to be delivered (2:32), returned to their land (3:7),
have their fortunes restored (3:1), and enjoy a future of peace and prosperity (3:18, 20). The
nations had been guilty of subjugating God’s people and lands (3:2), plundering that land and its
temple (3:5), and exiling His people (3:6). The nations who had brought all these troubles upon
God’s people were, therefore, to be judged accordingly. Their own populations would be
deported and their lands left desolate (3:8, 19). These judgments were to issue from God’s holy
mount Zion in Jerusalem, the place where He dwelt. 80
The parallels with the Day of Atonement are found, in first place, in the destruction of those who
are not prepared and the sending of the scapegoat, Azazel, to the wilderness. In addition, the
eschatological Day of Atonement judgment in favor of the people of God includes destruction for nations
that oppressed the people of God (Dan 7:11), in a clear parallel with the passages of the Day of the
Lord. 81 Also in Revelation, “the vindication of God’s justice is accomplished first, by the salvation of the
saints (Rev 15:3-4), and then by the plagues upon the transgressors (Rev 16).”82 This is seen also in the
three angels’ messages, in which the announcement of judgment is done for God’s people together a
warning: those who are not prepared for the judgment and don’t separate themselves of Babylon will
participate in the plagues of the wicked people (Rev 14:6-12). The same idea is in Rev 18:4, where the
people of God is invited to come out from Babylon to “receive not of her plagues.”

79For an explanation of the Great Controversy, see Frank B. Holbrook, “Great Controversy,” in Handbook of Seventh-Day

Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen, Commentary Reference Series (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing
Association, 2000), 969-1008.
80Shea, Selected Studies, 14.
81Shea highlights how major and minor prophets contain extensive material about judgments upon the nations outside

of Israel and declares that “this kind of prophecy provides the background for the judgment pronounced upon the beastlike
nations in Daniel (Ibid, 1-2).For a study about the judgment in Dan 7, see Arthur J. Ferch, “The Judgment Scene in Daniel 7,” in
The Sanctuary and the Atonement: Biblical, Historical, and Theological Studies, ed. Arnold V. Wallenkampf and W. Richard Lesher
(Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1981), 157-176; Shea, Selected Studies, 111-154.
82Treiyer, The Day of Atonement, 207.

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 Roy Adams makes this connection when reminds that the book of Daniel is the context of the
oppression of the people of God in hands of Babylon, and suggests, following Ballenger, that the not
confessed sins also defiled the sanctuary, and therefore are included in the purification of the Day of
Atonement. 83 This explains why the little horn appears defiling the sanctuary in Dan 8:11-14, and
therefore is included in the eschatological judgment. For him, “the state of the sanctuary/Temple… was
brought about by both the rebellious apostasy of God’s own people and the defiant sacrilege of hostile
pagan powers.” 84 While this concept of defilement is not acceptable at all for some Adventist scholars, 85
the inclusion of the nations in the judgment fits with the Day of the Lord’s view of judgment.
This pattern of vindication of the people of God through the punishment of their enemies is very
common in the OT. Hamilton highlights how God saves his people through the judgment and
punishment of the other nations, bringing deliverance to them in other parts of the Bible, including NT:

Salvation always comes through judgment. Salvation for the nation of Israel at the Exodus came
through the judgment of Egypt, and this pattern is repeated throughout the Old Testament,
becoming paradigmatic even into the New. When God saves his people, he delivers them by
bringing judgment on their enemies. This is not limited to Old Testament enemies such as the
Philistines. At the cross, the ruler of this world was cast out (John 12:31). At the consummation,
Jesus will come to afflict those who afflict his people (2 Thess. 1:6, cf. 6–10). 86

As a way of summary and clarification, the parallels between the Day of Atonement and the Day
of the Lord can be detailed in the following points: (1) Both are days of Judgment; (2) Judgment is done
from the Sanctuary; (3) the presence of God is manifested in a cloud in darkness; (4) people is invited to
afflict themselves, humbling and repent; (5) trumpets are used announcing the arrival of the judgment;
(6) the central point of the judgment is the vindication and purification of the people of God; (7) those of
the people who are not prepared, are eventually destroyed; (8) people of God’s vindication brings as
consequence destruction for enemy nations or oppressor powers of them; and (9) final outcome is the
elimination of sin and sinners, which means the definitive restoration of the people of God. These
parallels show that the connections between both ideas is undeniable. The reason for that is they are
talking about the same event, that is, the eschatological judgment.

83Roy Adams, The Sanctuary: Understanding the Heart of Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald,

1993), 85-96.
84Ibid., 99.
85For example, for Treiyer, although the unpardoned sins are alluded in the Day of Atonement, they are not included in

the purification. See Treiyer, The Day of Atonement, 157-167.

86Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation, 57.

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A Suggestion of Harmonization
This research has showed that the Day of Atonement, which has a clear eschatological
application in the Adventist understanding, has a strong thematic connection with the “Day of the Lord”.
While it is not possible to find a complete equivalence, the parallels allow an inclusion in the Adventist
eschatological view. This last section attempts a harmonization between the two eschatological
applications of these biblical images of judgment in the framework of the Adventist eschatology.
The Day of Atonement is understood as part of the eschatological judgment, which is a process
of three phases, starting with the pre-advent judgment, which has to do with the vindication and
purification of the people of God. This is the point of the beginning of the eschatological judgment.
According to the prophecies of Daniel, this judgment began in 1844. That date also marks the restoration
of the truth through the eschatological remnant. Adventist traditional view sees the end of this first
phase of the judgment in some moment before the Second Coming of Christ, when the time of probation
is closed, the triumphant remnant is established, and the great time of distress comes. This time of
distress consist in the seven last plagues of the book of Revelation, the fall of Babylon and ends with the
Second Coming of Christ, in where the people of God is rescued of the destruction of this world and
carried to heaven. In that place they carry on the Millennial Judgment on the wicked. After the millennial
they returns to the Earth for executing the judgment on the lost people and receive the earth as eternal
heritage. The following table illustrates this process. Some traditional events and ideas of Adventist
eschatology are adding for a broader understanding:
Pre-Advent Judgment Great Time of Distress Second Coming of
New Jerusalem
Persecution Close of Probation Christ
descends to the Earth
Shaking 7 plagues Saints are carried to
Executive Judgment
Time of probation Judgment on Babylon heaven
Saints inhabit the New
Remnant is established. and her daughters Beginning of the
Earth
Millennial Judgment

The Day of the Lord has a similar pattern. It is possible to see the same sequences of events in
the references to this day in the whole picture. According to what was seen from the biblical passages,
the purpose of the Day of the Lord is to restore the people of God. For do it, God judges his people to
establish a remnant, and then judges the nations for vindicating his people. As a result, the remnant is
delivered and receives his heritage. When this process is put together with the Adventist traditional
view, the parallel is very evident, as it is showed in this table:

22
 Judgment on Israel Judgment on Nations Final Restoration
Pre-Advent Judgment Great Time of Distress Second Coming of
New Jerusalem
Persecution Close of Probation Christ
descends to the Earth
Shaking 7 plagues Saints are carried to
Executive Judgment
Time of probation Judgment on Babylon heaven
Saints inhabit the New
Remnant is established. and her daughters Beginning of the
Earth
Millennial Judgment
Based in this interpretation, it is possible to see an eschatological interpretation of the Day of
the Lord based especially in the book of Revelation. Several points deserve to be clarified and are
mentioned now:
1. The eschatological Day of the Lord is not a single event. It is process of Judgment,
Vindication, and Restoration.
2. This process begins with the Pre-Advent Judgment. According to the Adventist
understanding of the prophecies of Daniel, this judgment started in 1844.87
3. The Great Time of distress, when the 7 plagues are poured and the Great Babylon is
destroyed, is part and a consequence of the judgment and vindication of the people of God.
They are necessary for delivering the remnant of the destruction of this world as part of its
restoration. All is part of the same process of complete restoration of God’s people.
4. Although the saints will already have received the reward of the eternal life in the Second
Coming, the complete restoration comes at the end of the millennial. They will be
vindicating God’s character through the judgment on the wicked.
5.
Conclusions
The first conclusion of this research is that there is a strong connection between the Day of
Atonement and the Day of the Lord. This connection is done in the Bible through the use of the
Sanctuary as place of Judgment, in which people needs to be prepared with humbled hearts to accept
forgiveness from God. The purpose of the judgment is to vindicate God’s people, which includes the
destruction of the enemies of them, resulting in the complete eradication of sin.
In second place, it is possible to see that the eschatological application of the Day of the Lord as a
process of judgment and vindication fits perfectly with the Adventist eschatological view. The sequence
of judgment on God’s people, judgment on nations, and restoration of the people and cosmos has a
parallel in the process of restoration of the eschatological Day of Atonement that begins with the pre-

87This point gives a renewed light on the cosmic signs, which to some scholars find senseless if they are set in 1755,

1780 and 1833, because they occurred 200 years ago, and the Second Coming did not take place yet. In this view, they announce
the arrival of the judgment, and not only the second coming of Christ, and therefore those dates are completely adequate as
fulfillment of the prophecy.

23
advent investigative judgment, millennial judgment, and executive judgment, including all the concepts
of Adventist eschatology (latter rain, shaking, great distress, etc.) and the interpretations of the
prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. The big picture of the Adventist eschatological view seems
strengthened with this harmonization.
Additionally, it is to mention some implications of these conclusions that deserve further
analysis and study. Two of them has to do with biblical studies. The first one is in relation to biblical
literature’s genders. The Day of the Lord belongs to what is known as classical prophecy, but sometimes
is seen as apocalyptic literature due to its eschatological application. Since the distinction of both kinds
of prophecy is strongly influenced by historical-critics methods of Bible interpretation, it is necessary a
canonical approach of this topic for a better interpretation of these passages.
The second one is in relation to the interpretation of the Day of the Lord in the book of
Revelation. The pattern of vindication of the people of God in relation of the judgment enriches the
interpretation with some important clues for the understanding of the book. The first part of Revelation
has to do with the announcement of the judgment, and the second part is the description of the
judgment itself.
Then, some theological implications appear in the sight. The Day of the Lord gives to Adventist
eschatology a new emphasis in relation to the Judgment. While the Day of Atonement highlights what is
going on in heavens, the Day of the Lord stresses the events that must to happen in the Earth.
Persecution, Shaking, Latter Rain, and the establishment of the remnant are figures taken of the imagery
of the Day of the Lord, which have the purpose of preparing the church for the last events of the times.
This view is strengthened and confirmed, and it is necessary see how the pioneers come into these
concepts and present them in a fresh scriptural understanding.
Finally, this study brings us to a practical application to Seventh-day Adventist Church’s
members. More than 170 years ago the fathers of this church understood the message of judgment, and
they embraced it as the present truth for this final time. Today this message is valid and in force. The
good news of the salvation and vindication of the judgment must be preached by the remnant to fulfill its
mission, and the Lord may can return to rescue His children. This is the duty of this church, and that is
the promise of the Lord.

24
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