March 29, 2007

The Meaning and Significance of Revelation 16:15

"Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." -Revelation 16:15

Some conclude that this verse appears in a most unusual place in the sequence of the book of Revelation. Because this verse occurs during the sixth bowl and "promises" the imminent arrival of Jesus Christ posttribulationalists determine that the rapture of the church must occur near the end of the Seventieth Week of Daniel.

G.H. Lang in his commentary, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (page 253-254), writes,

The exact epoch of this Bowl 6 is stated....If the coming of our Lord as a thief is to take place at any time prior to the point now reached in the End Day its mention here is beyond explanation; for their reminder would seem wholly irrelevant, the warning pointless, and the blessing beyond attainment. There can be no danger from an event already past. If the thief has come and gone the peril is already over and the loss sustained.

Lang's point is that Rev. 16:15 concerns the rapture of the church by Jesus Christ and that the Day of the Lord's wrath then follows. Lang bases his conclusion on the "as a thief" simile which occurs in Rev. 3:3. Lang's error stems from a poor understanding of the New Testament use of figures of speech and a lack of appreciation for the importance of context in the process of interpretation.

The sixth bowl judgment of God concerns the demonic spirits of Satan, Antichrist and the false prophet gathering the nations to the battle of Armageddon. This event transpires several weeks after the close of the Seventieth Week of Daniel during the 30 day reclamation period. The sequence goes something like this. First, the rapture occurs possibly a year or more earlier than this event during which Jesus will be seen coming on a cloud with angelic accompaniment. Secondly, the salvation of Israel follows after the Seventieth Week of Daniel concludes. Thirdly, Christ with the 144,000 (the first fruits of Israel) stands on the Mt. of Olives to deliver the inhabitants of Jerusalem to Azel before the bowl judgments of God begin. Beginning on or about the sixth day after the Seventieth Week of Daniel concludes, the first five bowls occur.

After all of this, in what sense can Christ come as a thief?

The avenue to understanding this important text begins with the figure of speech as a thief. This simile occurs four times in the New Testament:

1. "I am coming as a thief" - Rev. 16:15;

2. "I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you." - Rev. 3:3

3. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night," - 2 Peter 3:10;

4. "the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night," - 1 Thess. 5:2.

The Nature of a Simile

The basic nature of a simile is that of comparison. The comparison deals with specific issues which are indicated in the context. Unlike a metaphor which deals with more than one particular component, similes are much more restrictive. An example of a metaphor would be "I am the Door." There are many things that can be said about a door. Without more information, the reader would have to assume that the phrase means that the person has every attribute a door has.

A simile, on the other hand, provides more information. "The picture hangs like a door," is a good example. Without any other information one is able to discern that the way the picture hangs is compared to the way a door hangs. Instead of a wire and nail, this pictures hangs with hinges to one side the same way a door hangs. This is the only attribute of a door intended in this particular sentence.

The Modus Operandi of a Thief

The New Testament presents two aspects of a thief's modus operandi: the purpose of a thief and how a thief comes. The first question we must answer is "how does a thief come?" Matthew (24:43) and Luke (12:39) record the saying of Jesus, "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into." The point seems to be that a thief comes at an unknown hour. This is one aspect of a thief's modus operandi: he comes at an unknown hour. The Apostle Paul (1 Thess. 5:2-4) adds one other component--suddenness. The thief gives no warning or indication of his presence until he suddenly appears.

The purpose of a thief's unknown and sudden coming is explained in John 10:10. There Jesus says, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. The three characteristics or purposes of a thief are (1) to steal, i.e. to take what is not his; (2) to kill, i.e. to kill as one slaughters an animal; and (3) to destroy, i.e. to destroy in the sense of ruin. The thief comes to take your things, violently murder you or to destroy your things. Because of what a thief comes to do, he comes at an unannounced time and his presence is suddenly revealed. All of this information is necessary to understand Revelation 16:15.

New Testament Usage

In both instances where the Day of the Lord is used with this simile (2 Peter 3:10; 1 Thess. 5:2), the context is very important. 1 Thess. 5:1-11 gives the best help. Paul writing to the Thessalonians, reminds them that the Day of the Lord comes as a thief. It could be argued that the Day of the Lord will come suddenly and at an unknown time. God will then steal away the righteous, kill and destroy the wicked. The prewrath position is based on these conclusions.

Notice, For (This little Greek word indicates the reason for verse 2. Paul will now give the explanation concerning why the Day of the Lord will come as a thief.) when they (Unbelievers, the opposite of the brethren who have been taught by Paul as to what to expect and when.) say, "Peace and safety!" (This is the slogan of the wicked men days before the sign of the sun, moon and stars and is given to indicate the beginning of the Day of the Lord's wrath. Jesus indicated in Matthew 24:38 that wicked men will be eating, drinking, marrying and given in marriage up to the very day His parousia starts. After two and a half years of killing, enslaving and driving God's people to live in the wilderness, the wicked men of the earth will feel that Antichrist's program has worked. They will not have experienced any of God's wrath.) then sudden destruction comes upon them (Irreversible ruin is sudden. This is the way in which the Day of the Lord's wrath comes as a thief. One of the reasons a thief comes is to destroy. It is done suddenly without and notification.) as (Indicates another simile.) labor pains upon a pregnant woman. (Again, the emphasis is on suddenness, the sudden onset of delivery. The women is expecting the baby, but the time of delivery comes suddenly.) And they shall not escape. (Because they will not have time to escape).

Paul instructs the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord will come suddenly upon unbelievers and the result will be destruction.

Peter indicates the exact same thing in 2 Peter 3:10. The Day of the Lord will come suddenly for the "scoffers" who will experience total destruction. Peter explains in greater detail the destruction associated with the Day of the Lord.

In Revelation 3:3, Jesus states that He will come "as a thief." We learned earlier that a thief comes at an unknown hour and suddenly and that a thief comes to steal, kill and/or destroy. The reason Christ will come at an unknown hour for the Sardis church is because they would not repent of their sins nor engage in righteous deeds in anticipation of Christ's coming. Matthew 24:10-13 relates the fact that many believers will severely compromise their faith during the persecution of Antichrist. So much so that at Christ's coming they will be ashamed before Him rather than having confidence at His appearance, (1 John 2:28).

Revelation 16:15 is the last occurrence of the "as a thief" simile in the N.T. Christ states, "Behold, I am coming as a thief." Given that the Day of the Lord (Rev. 6:12-17) has been going on for at least five months (Rev. 9:5), and the wrath of God has fallen in the form of seven trumpets and five bowls, we can rule out "unknownness," in a general sense. Christ's coming at Armageddon, however, will be sudden. The second sentence in Rev. 16:15 is helpful: "Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." It supports the conclusion that the simile refers to "suddenness." Those who are watchful would know that the event is coming and would prepare for its any moment arrival. "Suddenness" is no disadvantage for those who are watching.

The suddenness of the event will prevent anyone from making arrangements. It will be too late to get ready once the armies of Christ appear. To walk naked and they see his shame is a figure of speech. The image is of a person who undresses for the night and goes to bed only to be suddenly awaken and taken away without being allowed to dress. The point of the verse is that only the prepared will escape the sudden coming of Christ.

The final question concerning Revelation 16:15 is the audience, that is, who is the intended audience? The hasty decision to associate this promise with the Church has lead some to argue for a traditional posttribulational rapture. Pretribulationalists argue that the verse applies to believers living on earth prior to Christ's coming at Armageddon. I personally have a hard time believing that any believer will be unfaithful to God once the bowl judgments start. This verse is not a promise, but a warning. A warning to the unbelieving world concerning the battle of Armageddon.

The suddenness with which Christ will come will leave no room for escape. Verse 15 focuses on suddenness and destruction. Rev. 16:15 begins with a Greek interjection which is a command. It is usually translated behold. It literally means "look!" It is primarily used in the N.T. to enliven a narrative by arousing the listener's attention or introducing something new. Sometimes the point is to call the reader to a closer consideration or contemplation of a matter. In Rev. 16:14, we are told that the whole world (many nations) are "gathered to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." The idea of the verb "to gather" is one of a building up. In other words, the nations do not all arrive at the same time, but slowly build up the numbers as the days pass. Some nations will arrive in a couple of days and some in a week, but some nations will take even longer to arrive. But the coming of Christ will be like a thief. It will be sudden. Jesus will not build up his forces. He will appear suddenly. Rev. 19:14 indicates that the armies of heaven follow Christ from heaven on white horses. The verb "to follow" means "to accompany someone who takes the lead in determining direction and route of movement." Jesus Christ sets the direction and movement of this great army. Unlike, the Day of the Lord which is introduced with the sign in the sun, moon, and stars, the battle of Armageddon will have no such introduction. Christ will suddenly come. His coming will be one of judgment. The unprepared will be put to shame.

Therefore, Revelation 16:15 is located in the right place. It is a warning concerning the coming of Christ at Armageddon. It will be sudden and the destruction will be sure. Only those who recognize the situation and does the right thing will escape. The right thing in this case would be to stay away from this battle. It will be too late to decide to leave once Christ appears.

March 20, 2007

How Should We Watch For Christ's Coming?

L. Berkhof sums it up well,

Now the question can be raised, How can we then be urged to watch for the coming? Jesus teaches us in Matt. 24:32,33 to watch for the coming through the signs: "when ye see all these things, know ye that He is nigh." Moreover, we need not interpret the exhortation to watch as an exhortation to scan the heavens for immediate signs of the Lord's appearance. We should rather see in it an admonition to be awake, to be alert, to be prepared, to be active in the work of the Lord, lest we be overtaken by sudden calamity. (emphases mine; Systematic Theology p. 697).

March 14, 2007

Thomas Ice Turns Down Debate Challenge from Charles Cooper

I would not be commenting on Thomas Ice's refusal to defend his pretribulational position in a public moderated debate with Cooper if he had simply wrote back to me saying, "Thank you, but I am not interested." Instead, his ostensible reasons for not debating Cooper and haughty comments about the Prewrath Rapture ensued into a half-dozen-email exchange between Ice and myself. Dr. Ice is Executive Director of The Pre-Trib Research Center.

I am not planning to reproduce our email conversation, but I do want to respond to some of his remarks, which should be instructive to learn who truly desires a God honoring, accurate, Biblical discussion that is for the edification of God's people.

For about twenty years these pretrib writers and teachers such as Tim LaHaye, Renald Showers, Arnold Fruchtenbaum, et. al. have been creating straw men of the Prewrath Rapture; they cannot even reproduce our charts correctly!

These misrepresentations cannot be accounted by simply mistakes. They have had the facts before them for twenty years; not to mention they have been corrected many times. Even in my email exchange with Dr. Ice, he repeatedly referred to the Prewrath position as the "three-quarters" view. I corrected him informing him that is not what the Prewrath view teaches. Yet he continued to use this distorted term to describe the Prewrath view.

There is only one conclusion: they do not desire to properly, honestly, and correctly represent our position. This is very telling. A responsible teacher of God's Word should represent the other side's view accurately, and want to engage in the best of arguments that the other side has to offer. Dr. Ice is not willing to do either.

To comment on a few of Dr. Ice's remarks to me, he writes,

"Why give him [Cooper] any publicity?" and "Tell me why I should give...[Prewrath teachers] our platform."

Perhaps the reason why Dr. Ice does not want to give him publicity is because Ice's memory might recall the Rapture debate in Dallas in the late 90's when Charles Cooper thoroughly dismantled Dr. Mal Couch's pretribulationism in front of about 700 people in attendance, resulting in Couch unhappily exiting after the debate choosing not to take questions--and Cooper receiving tremendous applause for his Prewrath presentation and people gathering around him after the debate wanting to learn more about the Prewrath position (including the post-trib participant!).

And given that it is pretribbers who are coming over to the prewrath camp, it is odd that Ice would be concerned about "sharing his platform" to prewrathers, since they have been leaping upon the prewrath platform.

"There are no sound exegetical arguments upon which to base the view."

Thinking people want more than mere assertions, such as that little thing called....support. It is evident that Ice does not want to subject his pretrib views under the scrutiny of a Prewrather.

"We have answered the pre-wrath view in writing many times and yet you and others like you will not pay attention."

Of course, this is simply absurd. It is prewrathers who have voluminously interacted with all that pretribbers have to offer (something that is not reciprocated). Further, most of the responses that I have read from pretribbers are simply caricatures, strawmen, and ad hominem. Why not attempt to accurately represent the Prewrath position? If the pretrib is supported Biblically, then why the convoluted descriptions of our view. When the pretrib and prewrath views are set side by side, it is the pretrib adherent that will go the direction of choosing prewrath. I have never ever heard of a prewrather going over to the pretrib camp, it is always the other way around.

"If Van Kampen were not a multi-millionaire it is likely that none of us would have ever heard of the view."

Boy! I have not heard that one before. Of course these types of statements are indicative of those who give desperate, vacuous attempts at discrediting the prewrath view. So all you prewrathers just so you are aware, you did not come to learn the prewrath view from studying your Bible and comparing it with its claims to make sure these things are so. Nope, somehow Van Kampen's bank account coerced your mind into believing what you do.

Ice and other pretrib teachers' misrepresentations of the Prewrath position cannot stand up to a public moderated debate under cross-examination. Their straw men would quickly burn before the audience. And in the arena of theological ideas, this can only discredit the pretrib position.

So for the record, Dr. Thomas Ice refuses to defend his pretribulational views in a formal debate under cross-examination with a Prewrather, in this case, Charles Cooper. The debate challenge remains open for Dr. Ice to accept.

March 11, 2007

Thessalonian Nuggets - 1Th 4:13b
Eschaton Hope!

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” (1Th 4:13)

1Thessalonians 4:13 is arguably the most important verse in this epistle because (1) it informs us of the purpose why Paul writes to the Thessalonians which is their ignorance of a defective eschatology (2) and it introduces Paul's teaching or corrective of the relationship between the resurrection and the Parousia (Coming) of Christ.

Paul received a report from Timothy on the situation of the church (1Thess. 3:6). He is informed that recently members of the church have died, and they have been grieving in such a manner that the apostle Paul finds incongruent with Christian eschatology.

There are two significant matters in this verse:

1. The Ignorance which is the cause of grief
2. Nature of hope

Though these two are related and needs to be seen together, we will address them one by one in separate articles. The Thessalonian ignorance will be taken up when we examine v.13a and vv. 14-18 asking what is the substance or cause of ignorance (agnoein) on the part of the Thessalonians.

Our concern in this article is the nature of "hope" (elpis), which some have seen as emphasizing a general hope of an afterlife; an objective hope found in Christ; and/or a Christian feeling of hope.

Paul contrasts the hope they should be experiencing with those who are most certainly pagans, “like the rest who have no hope” (kathos kai hoi loipoi hoi me echontes elpida).

The Roman pagan world at this time only had pockets of people (mystery cults and certain philosophers) who believed in the immortality of the soul. But the vast majority of people did not have any belief in an afterlife, but rather the disposition of most pagans was one of pessimism. This is demonstrated by inscriptions, epigrams, poems and other literature, and letters. (For some poignant citations of these sources see Gene Green’s commentary on the Thessalonians. pp. 217-19).

Given that the context of v.13 is followed by a discussion of our Lord’s resurrection as the basis of our own, I believe that the hope that Paul refers to is much more than a hope for an afterlife--it is the experiential hope based on the object of that afterlife, Christ, “without hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12). This hope the pagans do not possess and thus the exhortation not to grieve hopelessly but rather to "encourage each other with these words” (1Th 4:18; also, 2:19; 5:8).

As ancients in the Roman world faced the cold, pessimistic, and hopeless reality of death, postmoderns today deal with it in an opposite way: they don’t talk about it, and when it must be addressed they sugar coat it or mythologize death. Just go into your local Hallmark card shop and read the sympathy cards, even the "Christian" cards lack any Biblical substance. Here is a card titled, "Starry Sky,”

Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones shines down to let us know they are with us.

What? Our love ones are "openings in Heaven"? What a pitiful delusion! This is postmodernism my friends expressed in the denial of death.

Here is another one,

Seashells remind us that every passing life leaves something beautiful behind. May beauty live on in your memories and bring you peace. With Deepest Sympathy

Possibly this is why in our times we avoid taking walks in the cemetery and pretend it does not exist when we drive by them. The modern world cannot possibly understand why Paul would say it is better to be with the Lord. Paul lived in the light of the eschaton breaking into his present world. We must live likewise brothers and sisters.

And I dare say that the church lacks a proper eschatology as well. If you ever hear a fellow believer say that this subject is not important, please stand firm and correct them on their errant thinking. Both what Christ did for us in the past, and what he will do in the future must intersect with our present Christian life.

In the first century the Jews believed that the Messiah would come and mete out wrath on the nations; rather the Messiah had wrath meted out upon himself! But thanks be to God for his death and resurrection that will be the basis for our deliverance at Christ's Second Coming when he metes out wrath upon the nations. If your believing love ones die before the Parousia be hopeful and cling tightly to our promised hope--in which the pagans can only despair. It is not mere worldly hope with no promise of fulfillment. It is not simply a word of enouragement. Nor is it a temporal hope that only repeats itself. It is promise-fulfillment hope; it is the true Word; and it is eternal hope.

We must live daily with eschaton-love, eschaton-faith, and eschaton-hope!

March 3, 2007

Got Milk?
Pretribulationism on Rev. 1:7

In Dave Hunt's The Berean Call, in the Q&A section of this past month's newsletter titled, "Artificial Milk,” someone asks the question followed by Hunt's answer,

QUESTION: When will “every eye see Him” (Revelation 1:7) and every knee bow (Philippians 2:10)?

RESPONSE: This will not occur at the Rapture, because at that time Christ does not come to earth but catches up His espoused bride to meet Him in the air. Only the redeemed who are taken to heaven will see Him: “Looking for that blessed hope...the glorious appearing of...Jesus Christ...”

(Ti 2:13); “When he shall appear, we shall be like him” (1 Jn 3:2), etc. It will be at the Second Coming, when He returns to earth in power and judgment that “every eye shall see him...and all kindreds of the earth shall wail...” (Rv 1:7). Then “every knee should bow...and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil 2:10,11), etc.

Pretribulationism is often called the "secret rapture" view. That is, when Christ comes back it will be known only by those in the rapture, and the world will see only the effects of the rapture: empty running cars, piles of clothes on the ground with iPods playing "Jesus is coming to earth again, What if it were today?..."; and news of disappearing friends and relatives, etc.

Essentially this error stems from how Hunt and other pretribs unwarrantedly separate the rapture from the Second Coming. They just simply assume it with no meaningful explanation.

According to pretribs, the "first stage" of Christ's return (rapture) is contrasted with the "second stage of the glorious appearing" of his Second Coming seven years later at Armageddon and when Christ physically comes to earth.

Of course, you will never get a single Bible passage that teaches this seven year separation between the rapture and the Second Coming. You will get though numerous explanations, hoops to jump through, and unwarranted inferences.

Observe how the apostle Paul does not separate the rapture event from the Second Coming; rather he teaches that it is the rapture which is God's first divine purpose at Christ's Second Coming,

According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming [Parousia] of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (1Th 4:15-17)

Note the consistency to which Jesus' teaching connects the gathering of the elect (rapture) at the beginning of the Second Coming,

For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming [Parousia] of the Son of Man... At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matt 24:27; 30-31)

One is left wondering how Hunt and other pretribs can separate the rapture event from the Second Coming when both Jesus and Paul connect the two together? What possible motive or Tradition would lead to such conclusions in the face of the consistent teaching between Jesus and Paul?

I submit to you that this is motivated by the Tradition of the pretribulational Holy Grail: Imminency. This is the belief that no prophesied events must occur before the rapture. And therefore, according to pretribs, Christ can come back "at any moment."

Given that definition how do they account for Matthew 24 and all those events that Jesus' says must occur before his Coming? Their simple answer: the church is raptured before all of those events. And the Coming in Matthew 24 has nothing to do with the rapture or the church, but it applies to "Armageddon." However (the pretrib continues), the Coming that Paul teaches in 1&2Thessalonians refers to the Rapture event and not the Second Coming.

In other words, the pretrib, in an act of desperation by protecting "immimency," will build a brick wall between Jesus' teaching on his Second Coming and Paul's teaching on the Second Coming. Such an attempt will only persuade the uninitiated. I have responded to this assertion elsewhere.

In addition to the pretrib's claim that the rapture event is secret only to believers, Paul informs us that the rapture will be anything but "secret"; for we are told in 1Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

There is nothing in the text that would even suggest the notion that this event will be "heard only by believers" as some would attempt to argue a "secret rapture."

Further, we are told in Luke 21 when Christ comes back there will be two immediate responses from the world--both from the godly and ungodly. These responses are not separated by "7 years" as Hunt and other pretribulationists would have you believe. The text reads,

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21:25-28

So there is not only a response from the godly at the time Christ comes back, "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” But the ungodly will be very aware of his return and will "faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world.” (i.e. the impending Day of the Lord's wrath.)

This is consistent with Revelation 1:7, "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, [not just believers] even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen."

I will close with Cooper's Revelation commentary concerning this verse,

Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is (1) coming with the (2) clouds, and (3) every eye will see Him, (4) even those who pierced Him; and (5) all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen.

1. The first explicit prophecy of the book = coming (verb=erchomai); coming from one point to another. No explicit reference is given concerning what the Lord’s destination is.

2. Clouds = associated with the Lord’s return in Acts 1:9-11, I Thessalonians 4:17, and Matthew 24:30. This is the first indirect reference to the book of Daniel in the Revelation. Daniel 7:13-14 provides the backdrop for the return of the Son of Man. The Revelation presents a detailed exposition of Daniel 7. We shall discuss this in detail later.

3. Every eye = universalistic (both Jews and Gentiles as indicated by the phrase "those who pierced Him.")

4. Those who pierced Him = Israel and Romans - Acts 7:51-52; John 19:31, 37; ca. Zechariah 12:10

5. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him = refers to mourning out of despair at the return of Christ by the wicked. This is the sense of Matthew 24:30.

While some would argue that Revelation 1:7 is a reference to the Lord’s return at Armageddon, a closer examination supports the parousia of Christ. This is when He gathers His church to heaven and begins to punish the wicked on earth with His Day of the Lord’s wrath. John uses the future tense to refer to the mourning of the wicked, i.e. they will mourn. John indicates that the wicked begin to mourn when the Lord is seen coming with the clouds and not before. Question: wouldn’t the wicked have already experienced God’s wrath in the form of the trumpets and bowl judgments if this were an Armageddon return? It is inconceivable that the wicked have experienced the wrath of God before the Lord’s return at Armageddon, but have not mourned. The only indication in the book of Revelation of the wicked mourning occurs in Revelation 6:15-17, which depicts the beginning of the Day of the Lord. (See later discussion on Revelation 6:12-17.) John indicates that the response of the wicked to the trumpet and bowl judgments is either a lack of repentance or men blasphemed God, but no mourning.