For you my fellow SE Texan:
As I said earlier, you took Isaiah 13 out of its context. The whole thing can be read below to PROVE what I am claiming. The Day of the Lord usually connotates a judgment/punishment of sorts. Here are some examples.
I. Isaiah 2:5-18
5 Now, O house of Jacob; Come and let’s go to the light of Jehovah, 6 because He has forsaken His people (the house of Jacob). For, just as it was in the beginning, their [land] has become filled up with takers, and Philistine children have been born among them. 7 They’ve filled their [land] with silver and gold, and there’s no limit to all of their wealth. They’ve filled the land up with horses, and the numbers of their chariots have no limits. 8 They have filled up their land, with the disgusting works of their hands; they bow before things that they made with their fingers… 9 then all the people bow down before them, and this brings disgrace to each man. So there’s no way that I will now spare them! 10 So, go to the rocks and hide in the ground, in fear of Jehovah and the glory of His might, for He will arise to devastate the land! 11 Because, the eyes of Jehovah are very high, but the eyes of men are very low; so men will soon become low, and Jehovah will be then be raised high in that day. 12 For the day of Jehovah of Armies, is coming upon the insulting and proud. And those who [think themselves] high and important, will then be brought [to the ground]. 13 Then every tall Lebanese cedar; every tall oak tree of Bashan; 14 every high mountain and every high hill; 15 every high tower and every high wall; 16 every boat in the sea, and the beauty of [all their sails]; 17 and every man will be small. The pride of men will [fall] in that day, and Jehovah alone will be high.18 When He arises to wipe out the land, men will hide all [their idols], which they’ve made with their hands; 19 they’ll hide them in caves, in cracks between rocks, and in burrows that are under the ground, before the fear of Jehovah, and before the glory of His might. 20 Then men will toss all those disgusting things, that they’ve made with their hands (their worthless things made of silver and gold, which they made to bow down before), in front of the bats in their caves, and in the cracks between rocks, in fear of Jehovah and the glory of His might, when He arises to wipe-out the land.
II. Isaiah 13:1-19
1 This is the vision that IsaiJah (the son of Amoz) saw against Babylon. 2 On the crests of the mountains raise the flag, and before it shout aloud… do not fear! Open up O you rulers… put your hands [to your mouths] and call out for aid, 3 for I’m in command and I’m giving the order, to giants who are coming to fill up My rage. Together they’re coming in joy and shouting insults.’4 There’s a voice like the sound of many nations, that is [being heard from] the mountains. It’s like the sound of many kings, and an assembly of many peoples; for Jehovah of Armies has given the orders, to a nation of warriors with weapons, 5 and they’re coming from a land far away… from the extremities of the foundations of the sky. It’s the Lord and His warriors that are coming, to ruin the habitation of man.6 Shriek, for the day of Jehovah is near, and destruction by God swiftly approaches! 7 Because of this, all hands will go limp, and the lives of every man will be fearful. 8 All their elders will be disturbed, and they will have pains like women giving birth. So, they’ll sympathize with each other, and among each other they’ll be in shock… their faces will be changed into flames! 9 For, {Look!} the day of Jehovah is coming. It’s a day of incurable rage… the anger to destroy man’s habitation, and to wipe away all the sinners. 10 Then the stars in the sky (including Orion), and the arrangement of the heavens will not shine. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon won’t give out its light.11 I’ll give instructions to this evil world, and the sins of the irreverent I’ll destroy… I’ll destroy the insolence of the lawless, and I’ll abase the insolence of the proud. 12 Then those left behind will be rarer than gold… men will be rarer than Ophir’s [gold]. 13 For, the skies will then be enraged, and the foundations of the earth will be shaken, by the anger and rage of Jehovah of Armies, in that day when His wrath will arrive.14 Then the remaining will flee as though they were deer, and like sheep they will stray. No way will a man return to his people, for men will flee from their homes. 15 Then, whoever is captured will be [killed], and those who’re collected will fall by the sword. 16 Before them their kids will be dashed to the ground; their homes will be ruined and their women all tainted.17 {Look!} Against you I’m arousing the Medes… those who think nothing of your silver, and have no need of your gold! 18 They’ll break the bows of your young men, and show no mercy on your children… their eyes will spare none of your children.19 Then Babylon (the capital of the king of Chaldea), will be wiped out by God like Sodom and GomorRah.
III. Ezekial 30:1-12
1 And the word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 ‘O son of man; Prophesy and tell them that thus says Jehovah: The day is near… 3 the day of Jehovah approaches; it’s a day of clouds and a time of the nations, 4 for swords will come against the Egyptians, and to the land of Ethiopia will come a disturbance; and those slain in Egypt will fall… they will take all her abundance, and tear her down to her foundations. 5 ‘Persians, Cretans, and Lydians; Libyans, Ethiopians, and mixed peoples; will all fall with My Covenant people, 6 says Jehovah. And the supporters of Egypt will fall… they’ll go down with the insolence of her strength. From Migdol to Syene they’ll fall by the sword. 7 They’ll lie desolate amid places being wiped out, and the cities in her midst will be gone. 8 Then they will know that I am Jehovah, when I bring fire against Egypt, and all who helped her will be broken. 9 ‘In that day; Messengers will come in a hurry, to wipe out the hope of Ethiopia… in that day there’ll be disturbance in Egypt, and look, it has already come!’ 10 ‘Jehovah says, I will destroy many Egyptians, by the hand of NebuChadNezzar, king of Babylon. 11 He and all of his people, and the pestilent ones from the nations, are being sent to destroy the whole land. They’ll empty their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain. 12 Then I’ll make their rivers desolate places, and give their land to those who are bad. I’ll obliterate their land and empty it out, and give all of its fullness to strangers. For, I am Jehovah and I have spoken!
As illustrated in the above passages, the Day of the Lord is a time, not necessarily 1 day, but a time when His judgment is fulfilled. It is also NOT always used in reference to the end of time has most believe today. It was often written about in what can be termed as "apocalytical literature' that MAY have duel fulfillments with the immediate being what some call the "TYPE" and the future being the "ANTI-TYPE." Could these mini apocalyses be signs of a greater apocalyse that will occur at the end of days? Maybe, but as always if one wishes to study a text whether it is scriptural or not, context in key. Let us not make the mistake of pulling passages out of their historical contexts to fit into our modern dogmas.
