Godawa uses the various Day of the Lord REFERENCES from the Old Testament, and although he acknowledges that they are “END OF THE WORLD prophetic sounding statements”, yet, he disregards them as actually being what they are literally sounding like. He believes that they “in context” have a totally different localized ancient meaning fulfilled within that historic day in the past, in which they were written. Therefore he believes them not to be considered for prophetic significance, beyond that day.

Still, Godawa believes Scripture will interpret Scripture.

Isa. 7-14, has recorded within the passage that in that day a child was actually born (NOT BY VIRGIN BIRTH). Yet, the one, who fulfilled the prophecy of that ancient Assyrian invasion in that same day, did not fulfill the Virgin birth prophecy when it was given.

Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. (NASB1995)

We need to be able to discern when Scripture is interpreting Scripture, and to determine when hyperbole’s exaggeration is used, which is always meant to point us to a literal truth in the various passages where it is used.

When we stop taking literally the Scriptures that make perfect sense; then are we in danger?

In my book I stated that the only way (I believe) that we will become united as a body in the truth of the Word surrounding these prophesies, will likely be as they are being fulfilled during the days of the Great Tribulation.

Revelation 12:12b, “… Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

At what other time than the time of this Great Tribulation will we all come to know that these words are real for us all. That is to everyone who is “in Christ”, and, who is left upon this earth at that time.

But please know, I’m here trying to make sense of the Preterist understanding of end times.

If we do not believe Paul to be saying that Israel will eventually be saved in Romans 11; then it would be extremely difficult for us to understand his meaning of his Day of the Lord references in 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Listen:

1 Thessalonians 5:1 Now as to the periods and times, brothers [and sisters,] you have no need [of anything] to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. (NASB2020)

How does one know this, if he doesn’t even know what the day of the Lord means? Is this speaking of His return to earth, or His coming spiritually, which has already happened surrounding Pentecost, when these words in 1 Thessalonians were written?

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we ask you, brothers [and sisters,] regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. (NASB2020)

Some believe that the day of the Lord has come. They did back then , and some do now. What did Paul know of the Day of the Lord?

Joel 2:10 Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon become dark, And the stars lose their brightness. 11 The LORD utters His voice before His army; His camp is indeed very great, For mighty is one who carries out His word. The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it? (NASB2020)

Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it. 10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light. 11 So I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their wrongdoing; I will also put an end to the audacity of the proud And humiliate the arrogance of the tyrants. (NASB2020)

The day of the Lord has certain signs and characteristics relating to the darkening of the earth.

Matthew 24:29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. (NASB2020)

So why do these prophesies declare this day to be near? I’ll ask that you read the message that I posted a couple of years ago for one possible answer:

The Jesus’ Days — Is There Some Message? – And Then Messiah Shall Come

As you can see from this Jesus time was near even in the Old Testament days. There could be other answers, in both passages mentioned earlier (in Joel and Isaiah) there was a previous mention of the day of the Lord which did seemingly relate to that day and time, but these passages were for a specific time of darkness and were as Isaiah stated in verse 11, to be a punishment for the world. For us to conclude that God does not mean the world when He states the world: that is a slippery slope, leading us most likely downward and not upward.

There are other “day of the Lord passages in the Old Testament, and as Godawa has stated “they are last days sounding”, but you must seek and discern from Him. Not from someone else, certainly not just from me.

Our prayer must be for His truth to be the vehicle of our sanctification unto Him for He is the Truth and the life, may His Holy Spirit have full reign within us.