The Day of the LORD

(Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; 2 Peter 3:8–13)

7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD,

for the Day of the LORD is near.

Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice;

He has consecrated His guests.

8 “On the Day of the LORD’s sacrifice

I will punish the princes,

the sons of the king,

and all who are dressed in foreign apparel.

9 On that day I will punish

all who leap over the threshold,[fn]

who fill the house of their master[fn]

with violence and deceit.

10 On that day,” declares the LORD,

“a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,

a wail from the Second District,[fn]

and a loud crashing from the hills.

11 Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow,[fn]

for all your merchants[fn] will be silenced;

all who weigh out silver will be cut off.

12 And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps

and punish the men settled in complacency,[fn]

who say to themselves,

‘The LORD will do nothing,

either good or bad.’

13 Their wealth will be plundered

and their houses laid waste.

They will build houses but not inhabit [them],

and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.

14 The great Day of the LORD is near—

near and coming quickly.

Listen, the Day of the LORD!

Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.

15 That day will be

a day of wrath,

a day of trouble and distress,

a day of destruction and desolation,

a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and blackness,

16 a day of horn [blast] and battle cry

against the fortified cities,

and against the high corner towers.

17 I will bring such distress on mankind

that they will walk like the blind,

because they have sinned against the LORD.

Their blood will be poured out like dust

and their flesh like dung.

18 [Neither] their silver nor their gold

will be able to deliver them

on the Day of the LORD’s wrath.

The whole earth will be consumed

by the fire of His jealousy.”

For indeed, He will make a sudden end

of all who dwell on the earth.[fn]