At the end of last week’s feature article “2012 … The End of the World?” you quoted Amos 5:18-20. Considering 2 Timothy 4:8, how are the two verses reconciled?
These verses are talking about two different things. Amos 5:18-20 concerns the day of the Lord, known to us as the Great Tribulation, the worst time of judgment the world has ever known. 2 Tim 4:8 says,
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
For the believer, this is the Rapture and the phrase “on that day” refers to the bema seat judgment which occurs directly thereafter when the Lord will award our crowns.
So one is a time of great judgment that takes place on earth to punish unbelievers, and the other is an award caremony that takes place in Heaven to reward believers. The two could not be more different.