Assignment: How did the Twelve relate the “Day of the Lord” and Israel’s restoration?

“The day of the Lord” is a steady refrain throughout the books of The Twelve, being
addressed clearly in eight of them. These prophets present a consistent picture of this day as a
“day of calamity” (Amos 6:3), of “destruction and desolation . . . of darkness and gloom” in
which the blood of sinful man “will be poured out like dust . . . and all the earth will be devoured
in the fire of His jealousy” (Zeph 1:14-18). The prophets ask, “who can endure it?” (Joel 2:11;
cf. Nah 1:6; Mal 3:2). The Twelve picture a day of destruction, but they also picture a day of
restoration for Israel.
For a time, Israel had enjoyed the blessings of the covenant promise. She occupied the
land and God dwelled in her midst in the temple protecting her from the nations. Then she
prostituted herself to other gods and disobeyed God’s commandments, becoming stained with
impurity, and invited the Deuteronomic curses upon herself. The restoration promised in The
Twelve brings back to Israel those things that had been stripped from her, namely the land, the
covenant blessings, God’s presence, and protection from the nations.
Joel provides a vivid picture of God’s plan for the land. In the first chapter, the land is
under a curse for Israel’s disobedience, being plagued by drought and locusts. Chapter 2 brings a
picture of judgment upon Israel in the land. Here, the Lord’s army gathers and conquers the land.
Amos writes, “The land is like the garden of Eden before them but a desolate wilderness behind
them” (2:3). Following this, and following Israel’s repentance (18-20), the land will be restored
in its pristine state and produce abundantly to make up for the years it was cursed (21-29). Amos
writes of the land’s restoration and that God will “plant [Israel] on their land, and they will not
again be rooted out from their land which I have given them” (9:13-15).
God’s judgment against Israel will be multiplied against her enemies and the nations that
led her into sin or took up sword against her will be overwhelmed in the Day of the Lord. While
Israel is being restored, the nations will be gathered and judged (Joel 3:1-3, Amos 3:14). Obadiah
writes that the Day of the Lord—and judgment—draws near for all nations, and only from Mt.
Zion will some escape (Obad 1:15-21). This judgment will be so complete that it will “leave [the
evil nations] neither root nor branch” (Mal 4:1-6).
With Israel’s repentance, the curse will be lifted from the land and from God’s people.
His judgments will be removed from them and His blessings will be restored. This will come
when the house of David is restored (Amos 9:11). This will be the permanent restoration
promised by the prophets of old in which God “will give to the peoples purified lips, that all of
them may call on the name of the Lord” (Zeph 3:9). The remnant of Israel will be preserved and
made holy (10-13) and the Lord will remove His judgments from them once and for all (14-15),
the curse having finally been lifted (Zech 14:11). Malachi gives Israel a milestone they can look
for in anticipation of this day, when God sends Elijah to prepare the way and restore the hearts of
the people (Mal 4:5-6).
Micah prophesies of a day when the Lord will again dwell with His people. The language
seems to indicate a much more personal relationship than before with Israel—it seems to point to
something Edenic. In chapter 4, Micah writes about how the mountain of the Lord will be
established and people will stream to it from all nations. God will teach the people so that they
can follow His ways. God will also judge the people and render decisions for mighty nations.
The nations will be at peace in this day, and the lame and the outcasts will be made into a strong
nation. Zechariah 14:9 echoes this personal presence of the Lord: “And the Lord will be king
over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.”