The Day of the Lord
An Overview

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.Prov 25:2

What is the Day of the Lord?

The Day of the Lord (DOTL) is the major prophetic theme of the Bible. It is often referred to with other terms as well; 'that day', 'those days', 'the last days', 'at that time', the 'day of judgment', etc.. The Day of the Lord (DOTL) is the secret plan, designed from the creation of the world, which will end this age with cataclysmic events, usher in the Messianic age and put everything under Messiah's control. The DOTL could be called the millennium, a period of 1000 years, begining with the visible, bodily return of Messiah to Earth, during which He and his saints rule the Earth, culminating with the new heavens and new earth. It is called a 'day' because it is the seventh 'day' of mankind's history of 7000 years, 6000 representing the six working days of the week, leaving the DOTL to be the seventh day, the millennial day of rest.

This plan, hidden in the truths of God's revelation to man, will be discovered and put into effect when the time is right. Like a cut diamond it has many facets to it, many parallel plots and purposes. All of these events will serve to implement profound transformations in individuals and the insitutions of man. They are designed to do that. To reveal hidden character and motivations, to test and disclose the real nature of one's relationship to God - whether King, servant or rebel. It is a plan based on wisdom not power. The enimies of God will be defeated by the exercise of truth rather than the discharge of might.

What are the underlying Concepts?

There are four concepts that need to be seen and understood.

Administration -

Character

Destination

Stratagy

Other Questions:

When was it revealed?

Why use the term 'Day of the Lord'?

Why wasn't it revealed sooner?

How long will it last?

Why is this the time?

Is there danger?

What is the basis for the DOTL?

What are we supposed to do?

What are the goals or objectives?

Will it require change?

What is the first thing to do?

Who is involved?

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.Matt 13:44,45

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Matt 11:25

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world." Matt 13:34,35

The Lesser Day of the Lord...

Although the DOTL may offically be the 1000 year Millenium, in many places the Bible referes to pre-Millenium events as being part of the DOTL. That's easy to understand when one conciders that many Prophets were looking 2500 years into the future. To see some events that happen 10 years before the Millenium as part of the DOTL is a very minor point. But we are much closer to the period in question, so it is helpful for our discussion to make a distingtion between the two periods. I will use the term 'lesser DOTL' to indicate those few years just before the 1000 year DOTL begins. Most of the prophetic events recorded in the Bible occur during this period of time. There are literally hundreds of predicted events, many interrelated, many happening simultaniously during the lessor DOTL. But as an eternal testimony to the sovreign power of God, those hundreds of events, many involving God's enimies, will all be fully completed, in perfect timing, during this lesser DOTL. It's litle wonder then, that there should be such interest, study and debate about this short period of time. For the 2000 years of Christianity, teachers and scholars and lovers of the Bible have attempted to describe the lessor DOTL in great detail. Many events have been scrutinized and documented very accurately, but a viable framework into which they can all be fit has illuded discovery. The task is so complex that most students and teachers of prophecy succumb to a very simplistic framework with just a few towering events included in it. This lack of completness gives rise to more and more attempts and more and more theories offerd as solutions. But every honest attempt, given forth from a pure heart, is honorable, and probably serves God''s purposes towards a final solution. Many others have resigned us to never finding any coherent, realistic prophetic senerio. Many go so far as to say it can't be done, and was never meant to be done. They say we should just remaine obedient, and God will direct our steps and actions when the time comes. They are wrong for many reasons. First, being obedience is not our only command. As Christians we are called to be a people of faith, a people passionatly reaching for things we cannot see. A soldier could be absolutly obedient to every command and yet faithless in his passion for victory. There is a second danger for our friends that think 'obedience when the time comes' will work. God is not likely to trumpet commands from heaven. That leaves them dependant on the voice of some man, group, or movement. This is as it should be, and will be, but how will someone know which man to listen too. Some events will be so radical, dangeous, and unexpected that 'natural' thinging will not perceive that God could be speaking it. No, we are called to be prepared, and God has been faithful to give us what we need to do that, if we will.

So now we see that the Day of the Lord is really two distinct periods, with the primary focus of this article, and most prophetic study, being the lessor DOTL. But that does little to help us understand the period and the hundreds of events that are part of it. To understand this period, God must show us more detail.

Mankind's tenure on this earth can be characterized very simply. A journey and a destination. Remember that. The prophetic story of mankind begins with that simple truth. All past history and all near future events contribute to the prophetic states of either journey or destination. Every detail of prophetic truth must fit within those two defining framworks. The DOTL is essentially the destination phase of that equation. Today, in 1995, mankind is poised at the dividing line between those two states. Those sensitive to the Spirit of God are listening and watching for the signal to cross over into our promised land. The journey has taken a long time, and we are accustomed to it. In fact, many will argue against the idea of such a distinction. All of us have been born and raised along the journey, we have no exeriences with any thing else, therefore there is an inate tentency to concider the current state the normal state of our spiritual and earthly existance. If there was no prophetic scriptures it would be hard to believe anything else. Tommorrow would continue much like today, and the day after that. An optimist would only hope for slight improvements in the affairs of man. But God has more. Some truely unexpected surprises for the people of earth and in particular the body of believers. That is the value of the Bible and its prophetic content. Through it, God has chosen to reveal the possibility of an existance much different that we see today. The test that we face is first throught the work of the Spirit of God, to uncover the truth and than through faith to beleive him.

This book discloses a mystery. It reveals hidden treasure. It describes transforming truth. Asserting such things may sound very presumptuous, but should the conclusions put forth herein be even predominately correct those remarks will prove to be understatements. As we look around us at our world in the late twentieth century who would not welcome the knowledge that there is a detailed blueprint of the end of our age, and God has ordained that man should know what it is. That blueprint, mystery, treasure or truth is called herein the 'Day of the Lord'. The exact definition of the plan will be covered in Part II. Before the details of the DOTL can be explained we must look at how and why we came to those conclusions. More importantly than the plan, is the thinking or the method of coming to the conclusions expressed. Almost every one can remember their teacher in school stressing the importance of including with the answer the process one used to arrive at the answers. That is the purpose of Part I - to construct a prophetic 'language', with which we can think and write about the mysteries of the DOTL.

We must remember that God has intentionally obstructed the full disclosure of the DOTL. From the beginning he intended that man should know and understand the DOTL, but he also intended that man should not uncover its truths until the proper time. But why should God hide the plan? There are many reasons for doing so. One is that it will glorify God that he could do so. For all eternity mankind will marvel at a God who could devise such a plan, describe it so clearly (after the fact it will be clear) and yet hide it from ardent seekers and scholars for thousands of years. Hiding the plan is part of the plan, uncovering the plan is part of the plan. A plan 'open' to all would not work. After all God does have enemies - nateral and spiritual. How can a war be won when the enemy has your strategy in front of him. This 'wisdom war' of the DOTL will completly out class God's enemies. They have the Bible, they will even have a book like this, but because of a blindness of heart they will not percive what is comming upon them. That begins to reveal the nature of this war. In the beginning it will not be very overt. Of course, that sublty holds dangers for belivers as well. They, if they are not sensitive, could also act unfaithfully by not staying prepared with hearts passionate for truth.

Perhaps the prophetic truth of the DOTL can be thought of as being in a child-proof medicine bottle. The bottle is designed to be opened only by those who are mature enough to use it properly. Even when it is finally discerned by the mature, this truth is designed not to be discerned by those that harden there hearts toward God. The character of this truth will be intriguing and the object of much thought and study. How will it be able to guide the righteous into an ark of safety while the unrighteous will stay out side and perish. It is a myster of iniquity.

So the truth of the DOTL will be hidden from the unfaithful, but as it stands today it is also hidden from the faithful. That is the purpose of this book - to begin the process of revelation. It is a process. This book is not the truth. The truth lies somewhere out there, like an image towering over the earth. However you would like to picture this truth it is something that has been hidden and now is coming clear. This book points to that truth as best it can today. Judging by the past progression of new revelation it will be out dated within months as new revelation continues. It is a corporate effort.

The fact that its hidden truth is important to understand. After all, how do we know it even exists if its hidden. We wouldn't unless someone tells us to look for it. We can't see it. After centuries of study of the Bible surely someone would have discoved it. And if it has not been discovered in 1900 years, lets say, than who could discover it but only the most immenent schollar after a life of study. And what if those schollars say its not there at all. Or what if those schollars say they have found it, are happy to tell us the 'truth' they have found, but the 'truth' they have found doesn't really seem to answer the end-day puzzle. So still other experts find still other 'truths', but that doesn't stop the quest for completely new and different theories. We begin to see the problem of hidden truth. Would'nt the masses of believers just decide to drop out of the search, accept their favorite expert and believe that when God wants to change the situation he will. This book humbly puts forth (and waits for critique) a new theory or model that as far as the author is concerened, although not a schollar himself, transcends all other prophetic theories that he has ever heard. That isn't just a subjective statement, it will be shown to be true. This prophetic model , the DOTL, includes all known scriptural requirments and burst forth way, way beyond traditional prophetic truth. It is the big picture against which all smaller sub groups will fit - or will be proven untrue. Onece again that is an astounding statement. Please bear with the strech and see it it is not true.

Lets analyze this hidden truth further. We must keep in mind what is hidden - the truth of the Kingdom of God. Jesus expressed it:

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.Matt 13:44,45

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Matt 11:25

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world." Matt 13:34,35

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(Isa 13:1-11 NIV) An oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw: {2} Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. {3} I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath-- those who rejoice in my triumph. {4} Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war. {5} They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens-- the LORD and the weapons of his wrath-- to destroy the whole country. {6} Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. {7} Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt. {8} Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. {9} See, the day of the LORD is coming --a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger-- to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. {10} The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. {11} I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.

(Ezek 13:1-11 NIV) The word of the LORD came to me: {2} "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: 'Hear the word of the LORD! {3} This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! {4} Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. {5} You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD. {6} Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, "The LORD declares," when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. {7} Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, "The LORD declares," though I have not spoken? {8} "'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD. {9} My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD. {10} "'Because they lead my people astray, saying, "Peace," when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, {11} therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth.

(Ezek 30:1-4 NIV) The word of the LORD came to me: {2} "Son of man, prophesy and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'Wail and say, "Alas for that day!" {3} For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near-- a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. {4} A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.

(Joel 1:14-20 NIV) Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. {15} Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. {16} Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes-- joy and gladness from the house of our God? {17} The seeds are shriveled beneath the clods. The storehouses are in ruins, the granaries have been broken down, for the grain has dried up. {18} How the cattle moan! The herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering. {19} To you, O LORD, I call, for fire has devoured the open pastures and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. {20} Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the open pastures.

(Joel 2:1-18 NIV) Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-- {2} a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. {3} Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste-- nothing escapes them. {4} They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. {5} With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle. {6} At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale. {7} They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. {8} They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks. {9} They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows. {10} Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. {11} The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? {12} 'Even now,' declares the LORD, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.' {13} Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. {14} Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing-- grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God. {15} Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. {16} Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. {17} Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, 'Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'' {18} Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people.

(Joel 2:28-32 NIV) 'And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. {29} Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. {30} I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. {31} The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. {32} And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls.

(Joel 3:1-2 NIV) 'In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, {2} I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.

(Joel 3:14-16 NIV) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. {15} The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. {16} The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

(Amos 5:18-20 NIV) Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light. {19} It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him. {20} Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light-- pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?

(Oba 1:15-18 NIV) "The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. {16} Just as you drank on my holy hill, so all the nations will drink continually; they will drink and drink and be as if they had never been. {17} But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance. {18} The house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau." The LORD has spoken.

(Zep 1:7-16 NIV) Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited. {8} On the day of the Lord's sacrifice I will punish the princes and the king's sons and all those clad in foreign clothes. {9} On that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit. {10} "On that day," declares the LORD, "a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the New Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills. {11} Wail, you who live in the market district ; all your merchants will be wiped out, all who trade with silver will be ruined. {12} At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.' {13} Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine. {14} "The great day of the LORD is near-- near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of the LORD will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. {15} That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, {16} a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers.

(Zec 13:7-9 NIV) "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the LORD Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. {8} In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. {9} This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"

(Zec 14:1-4 NIV) A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. {2} I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. {3} Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. {4} On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

(Mal 4:4-6 NIV) "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. {5} "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. {6} He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

(Acts 2:15-23 NIV) These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! {16} No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: {17} "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. {18} Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. {19} I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. {20} The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. {21} And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' {22} "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. {23} This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.

(1 Cor 5:4-5 NIV) When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, {5} hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

(2 Cor 1:13-14 NIV) For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, {14} as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

(1 Th 5:1-9 NIV) Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, {2} for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. {3} While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. {4} But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. {5} You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. {6} So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. {7} For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. {8} But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. {9} For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2 Th 2:1-12 NIV) Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, {2} not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. {3} Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. {4} He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. {5} Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? {6} And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. {7} For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. {8} And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. {9} The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, {10} and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. {11} For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie {12} and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

(2 Pet 3:8-14 NIV) But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. {9} The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. {10} But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. {11} Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives {12} as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. {13} But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. {14} So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.