The Lord's Day 

Memory Verse: "For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day" (Luke 17:24).

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 2.

Introduction: John, the Revelator, used a term in his writing (Rev. 1:10) that is not found elsewhere in the Scriptures. Our English form of it comes from the Greek word "kuriake," and means "belonging to the Lord." It is a term ("the Lord's day") which has been the center of much controversy.
  Many nominal Christian groups believe and teach that this word, coupled with the Greek word for "day" (hence the phrase "the Lord's day"), has reference to the first day of the week. It is further believed and taught by them, that it has reference to the first day of the week, because (they say) it is the day upon which Christ was resurrected.
  Some Sabbath-keeping Christians believe that the phrase has a reference to the seventh-day Sabbath. For example, the Seventh Day Adventist Commentary states, regarding this verse: "On the positive side of the question is the fact that although the Scripture nowhere identifies Sunday as having any religious connection with the Lord, repeatedly it recognizes that the seventh day, the Sabbath, is the Lord's special day. God is said to have blessed and sanctified the seventh day (Gen. 2:3); He declared it to be the memorial of His act of creation (Ex. 20:11); He called it specifically "my holy day" (Isa. 58:13); and Jesus declared Himself to be "Lord also of the sabbath" (Mark 2:28), in the sense that as Lord of men, He was also Lord over that which was made for man, the Sabbath. Thus, when the phrase 'Lord's day' is interpreted in accordance with evidence prior to and contemporary with John's time, it appears that there is only one day to which it can refer, and that is the seventh-day Sabbath" (Vol. 7, pp. 735-736).

Lesson Questions:

1. Is it logical to say that "the Lord's day" and the "day of the Lord" refer to the same thing? Rev. 1:10; Zech. 14:1-4.

2. Did John, "in the Spirit," see things which Peter wrote about, and called "the day of the Lord?" 2 Pet. 3:10-13; Rev. 20:11-15; 21:1.

3. What is meant by "being in the Spirit?" Rev. 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; John 3:6-8. Did John necessarily infer that he was physically at a certain place at a then occurring time, or that he saw it by the Lord's Spirit? Consider also Luke 4:28-30 and Acts 8:39,40.

4. Do "the day of the Lord" and "the day of Christ" refer to the same period of time? 1 Thess. 5:2,3; 1 Cor. 1:7,8; Luke 12:37-40.

5. What shaking event must take place before the Day of the Lord comes? 2 Thess. 2:1-4.

6. How will the rise and reign of the antichrist turn out? 2 Thess. 2:5-12; Rev. 13:11-18; 20:10-15.

7. What is the underlying hope of the Lord's Day expressed in 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 1:6,10; 2:15,16; 2 Thess. 2:13,14; 1 Thess. 5:13-18; Mal. 4:5,6.

8. Consider 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 in comparison with Revelation 9:20,21. Is the purifying purpose of both Scriptures speaking of events important to "the Lord's day?"

9. What description is given of the "day of the Lord" in Zephaniah 1:14-18?

10. What admonition did Christ and Paul give regarding the "day of the Lord?" Heb. 10:25; Luke 21:34; Matt. 24:29-43. What is found in Revelation 6:14-17, about this day?