Difference between revisions of "Signs of the Times"
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(New page: The '''Signs of the Times''' are events occuring during the Last Days which have been prophesied as leading up to the Second Coming of Christ. Members of [[The Church of Jesus...) |
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The '''Signs of the Times''' are events occuring during the [[Last Days]] which have been prophesied as leading up to the [[Second Coming]] of [[Christ]]. Members of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], or [[Mormon Church]], have the prophesies from the [[Old Testament]], the [[New Testament]], the [[Book of Mormon]], the [[Doctrine and Covenants]], the [[Pearl of Great Price]], and the prophets from [[Joseph Smith]] down to the current day. | The '''Signs of the Times''' are events occuring during the [[Last Days]] which have been prophesied as leading up to the [[Second Coming]] of [[Christ]]. Members of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], or [[Mormon Church]], have the prophesies from the [[Old Testament]], the [[New Testament]], the [[Book of Mormon]], the [[Doctrine and Covenants]], the [[Pearl of Great Price]], and the prophets from [[Joseph Smith]] down to the current day. | ||
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As recorded in the Book of Matthew in the [[Bible]], the apostles desired to know the signs of Jesus' return: | As recorded in the Book of Matthew in the [[Bible]], the apostles desired to know the signs of Jesus' return: | ||
| − | :And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world (Joseph Smith translation of Matthew:4)? [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_m/1/40#40] | + | :And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world (Joseph Smith translation of Matthew:4)? [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_m/1/40#40] (Also see Luke 21.) |
In response, Jesus revealed to them some of the ''signs of the times'': | In response, Jesus revealed to them some of the ''signs of the times'': | ||
#There will be many false Christs that would lead away many. | #There will be many false Christs that would lead away many. | ||
| − | #False prophets will also arise, the apostles would be killed, and a general [[apostasy would occur. | + | #False prophets will also arise, the apostles would be killed, and a general [[apostasy]] would occur. |
#Iniquity will abound, causing the love of men to wax cold. | #Iniquity will abound, causing the love of men to wax cold. | ||
#Jerusalem would be overcome, leading to the "[[Abomination of Desolation|abomination of desolation]]." | #Jerusalem would be overcome, leading to the "[[Abomination of Desolation|abomination of desolation]]." | ||
| Line 21: | Line 22: | ||
Other signs of the times are as follows: | Other signs of the times are as follows: | ||
| + | *The Jews will be scattered among all nations; they will again be gathered prior to the Second Coming. | ||
| + | *Additional scripture will come forth (2 Nephi 3:12; 2 Nephi 27, 29) | ||
| + | *Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be established on the American continent and will be a place of refuge for the righteous ([[Articles of Faith]], 10). | ||
| + | *Two opposing kingdoms, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan, will exist in the last days. The kingdom of Satan utters great blasphemies against Christ. An [[anti-Christ]] will hold great power, upheld by the "Beast," for three and a half years (Revelation 15, 16). There will be a separation of the righteous and the wicked (see Alma 10:23). | ||
| + | *The kingdom of Satan and the anti-Christ will establish a world monetary system (Revelation 14, 15). | ||
| + | *Wars will rage worldwide. There will be wars on the American continent (Doctrinal History of the Church, 3:391; Doctrine and Covenants 45:66-71). | ||
| + | *Mormon missionaries will be called home. <ref>Heber C. Kimball, ''Deseret News'', Church Department, May 23, 1931, p. 3.</ref> | ||
| + | *The Ten Lost Tribes will return (Esdras 13:40-47). They will bring scriptures to add the canon of scripture (Doctrine and Covenants 133:26-33). | ||
| + | *144,000 missionaries, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel, will be called, protected (sealed in their foreheads) and sent forth to attempt one last gathering of the pure of heart (Revelation 7:2-8; 14:1-5; Doctrine and Covenants 77:11). <ref>See also, Orson Pratt, ''Journal of Discourses'', Volume 18:68, July 25, 1875.</ref> | ||
| + | *There will be a great council at [[Adam-ondi-Ahman]] whereat all the prophets will turn their [[keys]] of administration over to Christ (Doctrine and Covenants 27:4-14). <ref>See also, Joseph Fielding Smith, ''The Way to Perfection'', (Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, 1931), pp. 289-291).</ref> | ||
| + | *The waves of the sea will roar (Luke 21); the seas shall heave beyond their bounds (Doctrine and Covenants 88:90). | ||
| + | *First a portion of sea life dies, then all life in the sea dies (Revelation 16:1). | ||
| + | *There will be a plague of hail (Revelation 11:19; 16:21). | ||
| + | *There will be an "overflowing scourge" to afflict men (Doctrine and Covenants 45:31). | ||
| + | *The war of [[Armageddon]] will rage for three and a half years (Ezekiel 38; Revelation 16). | ||
| + | *Two prophets will prophecy in Jerusalem and protect the city for three and a half years, until they themselves are killed (Doctrine and Covenants 77:15; Revelation 11). | ||
| + | *A tremendous earthquake will change the face of the earth; the Mt. of Olives will cleave, the surviving Jews will escape through the cleft, and Christ will descend to save them from the destroying armies (Ezekiel 38; Zechariah 14:4, 5; Revelation 6:12-17). | ||
| + | *Christ will destroy Israel's enemies (Zechariah 14:12, 13). | ||
| + | *The Jews will recognize Christ and mourn (Zechariah 14:2-6; Doctrine and Covenants 45:48-53). | ||
| + | *Jerusalem will become a glorious and holy city (2 Nephi 14:2-6). | ||
| + | *The continents will become connected again—"He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; And the land of Jerusalem and the land of [[Zion]] shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like it was in the days before it was divided" (Doctrine and Covenants 133:21-24). | ||
| + | *A river of water will flow east and west from the Jerusalem temple mount, healing the Dead Sea. | ||
| + | *Absence of rainbows the year of Christ's coming.<ref>Teachings of Joseph Smith, p. 340.</ref> | ||
| + | *The earth will be cleansed by fire and the wicked consumed (Revelation 18:17, 18, 23, 24). | ||
| + | *There will be a day, a night without darkness, and a day (Zechariah 14:6, 7). | ||
| + | *The sun will darken, the moon turn to blood, the stars fall (Doctrine and Covenants 29:14; Acts 2:20; Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:33). | ||
| + | *Voices will be heard from heaven (Revelation 11:15; Doctrine and Covenants 45:48, 49; Doctrine and Covenants 88:92-94). The trump of God will announce the Second Coming. All men will witness it together. | ||
| + | *A resurrection of the just will occur. The righteous who are living will be caught up to meet Christ in the clouds (Doctrine and Covenants 88:95-98; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Lord has promised that those who seek him will be preserved and that the righteous need not fear. He has also said that men's hearts shall fail them : | ||
| + | :Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken (Luke 21:26). | ||
| + | :And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth (Doctrine and Covenants 45:26). | ||
| + | :And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people (Doctrine and Covenants 88:91). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Yet, the Lord will preserve the righteous and provide places of sanctuary for the pure in heart, and many will rejoice at His coming, which will usher in [[millennium|one thousand years of peace]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | <references/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Bible Topics]] [[Category:Scriptural Topics]] | ||
Revision as of 17:03, 3 June 2008
c Intellectual Reserve
The Signs of the Times are events occuring during the Last Days which have been prophesied as leading up to the Second Coming of Christ. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, have the prophesies from the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the prophets from Joseph Smith down to the current day.
The Lord has chosen not to reveal the exact time of the Second Coming:
- But of that day, and hour, no one knoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only.
- But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man;
- For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the flood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;
- And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
The flood is a type of the final destruction of the wicked. Noah preached to the people for many decades, but none would hearken to his warnings of impending doom except his own family. Prophets have warned and continue to warn that the earth will be cleansed of wickedness when Christ comes again. Though no one knew the exact date of the flood, they still had been warned to repent. The Lord has given signs that the Second Coming is approaching to prompt the righteous to prepare, and the wicked to repent.
As recorded in the Book of Matthew in the Bible, the apostles desired to know the signs of Jesus' return:
- And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world (Joseph Smith translation of Matthew:4)? [2] (Also see Luke 21.)
In response, Jesus revealed to them some of the signs of the times:
- There will be many false Christs that would lead away many.
- False prophets will also arise, the apostles would be killed, and a general apostasy would occur.
- Iniquity will abound, causing the love of men to wax cold.
- Jerusalem would be overcome, leading to the "abomination of desolation."
- There will be "wars and rumors of wars." [1]
- There will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes.
- The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light, the stars shall fall, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
- The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.
Other signs of the times are as follows:
- The Jews will be scattered among all nations; they will again be gathered prior to the Second Coming.
- Additional scripture will come forth (2 Nephi 3:12; 2 Nephi 27, 29)
- Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be established on the American continent and will be a place of refuge for the righteous (Articles of Faith, 10).
- Two opposing kingdoms, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan, will exist in the last days. The kingdom of Satan utters great blasphemies against Christ. An anti-Christ will hold great power, upheld by the "Beast," for three and a half years (Revelation 15, 16). There will be a separation of the righteous and the wicked (see Alma 10:23).
- The kingdom of Satan and the anti-Christ will establish a world monetary system (Revelation 14, 15).
- Wars will rage worldwide. There will be wars on the American continent (Doctrinal History of the Church, 3:391; Doctrine and Covenants 45:66-71).
- Mormon missionaries will be called home. [2]
- The Ten Lost Tribes will return (Esdras 13:40-47). They will bring scriptures to add the canon of scripture (Doctrine and Covenants 133:26-33).
- 144,000 missionaries, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel, will be called, protected (sealed in their foreheads) and sent forth to attempt one last gathering of the pure of heart (Revelation 7:2-8; 14:1-5; Doctrine and Covenants 77:11). [3]
- There will be a great council at Adam-ondi-Ahman whereat all the prophets will turn their keys of administration over to Christ (Doctrine and Covenants 27:4-14). [4]
- The waves of the sea will roar (Luke 21); the seas shall heave beyond their bounds (Doctrine and Covenants 88:90).
- First a portion of sea life dies, then all life in the sea dies (Revelation 16:1).
- There will be a plague of hail (Revelation 11:19; 16:21).
- There will be an "overflowing scourge" to afflict men (Doctrine and Covenants 45:31).
- The war of Armageddon will rage for three and a half years (Ezekiel 38; Revelation 16).
- Two prophets will prophecy in Jerusalem and protect the city for three and a half years, until they themselves are killed (Doctrine and Covenants 77:15; Revelation 11).
- A tremendous earthquake will change the face of the earth; the Mt. of Olives will cleave, the surviving Jews will escape through the cleft, and Christ will descend to save them from the destroying armies (Ezekiel 38; Zechariah 14:4, 5; Revelation 6:12-17).
- Christ will destroy Israel's enemies (Zechariah 14:12, 13).
- The Jews will recognize Christ and mourn (Zechariah 14:2-6; Doctrine and Covenants 45:48-53).
- Jerusalem will become a glorious and holy city (2 Nephi 14:2-6).
- The continents will become connected again—"He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like it was in the days before it was divided" (Doctrine and Covenants 133:21-24).
- A river of water will flow east and west from the Jerusalem temple mount, healing the Dead Sea.
- Absence of rainbows the year of Christ's coming.[5]
- The earth will be cleansed by fire and the wicked consumed (Revelation 18:17, 18, 23, 24).
- There will be a day, a night without darkness, and a day (Zechariah 14:6, 7).
- The sun will darken, the moon turn to blood, the stars fall (Doctrine and Covenants 29:14; Acts 2:20; Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:33).
- Voices will be heard from heaven (Revelation 11:15; Doctrine and Covenants 45:48, 49; Doctrine and Covenants 88:92-94). The trump of God will announce the Second Coming. All men will witness it together.
- A resurrection of the just will occur. The righteous who are living will be caught up to meet Christ in the clouds (Doctrine and Covenants 88:95-98; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
The Lord has promised that those who seek him will be preserved and that the righteous need not fear. He has also said that men's hearts shall fail them :
- Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken (Luke 21:26).
- And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth (Doctrine and Covenants 45:26).
- And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people (Doctrine and Covenants 88:91).
Yet, the Lord will preserve the righteous and provide places of sanctuary for the pure in heart, and many will rejoice at His coming, which will usher in one thousand years of peace.
References
- ↑ In 1832, Joseph Smith received a revelation now recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 87 [1]: "Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place. For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations (Doctrine and Covenants 87:1-3)."
- ↑ Heber C. Kimball, Deseret News, Church Department, May 23, 1931, p. 3.
- ↑ See also, Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, Volume 18:68, July 25, 1875.
- ↑ See also, Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection, (Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, 1931), pp. 289-291).
- ↑ Teachings of Joseph Smith, p. 340.
