"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26)
In this series, we've now discussed Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness from the pre-mortal life to Adam and Eve and why we need a Savior. We then discussed the role of prophets which allow Heavenly Father to continue to reveal things to us in this the last dispensation. Now I'll discuss some of the prophecies concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ that were given anciently and patterns of things to come.
**NOTE: If you wish to get in contact with missionaries of the Church to learn more, you can do so at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/requests/missionary-visit
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WAITING WITH FAITH
The Lord Jesus Christ has said concerning the day of His glorious return --- His Second Coming --- "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matt. 24:36). Nevertheless, He has told us to look forward to that day that we might be ready, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matt. 25:13), "...Hold fast and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee" (Rev. 3:3). We do not need to know the exact time of arrival of Jesus Christ in order to take advantage of every moment now to prepare ourselves spiritually. If we are prepared at any moment, it shouldn't matter too much when that day is.
Notorious with the anticipation of the Second Coming are the so-called "Signs of the Times" --- occurrences in the world that must precede the return of Jesus Christ. These are things that Jesus Christ admonished us to be mindful of so that we might not be deceived of any false Christs claiming to be Him. And so, these signs are in many ways a metric whereby we may know that His return nears but has not yet occurred until all have been fulfilled. While we indeed do watch for the signs as they come to pass, we do not have any control over their timeline. We cannot accelerate or delay the Second Coming by way of signs. God's timing is His own.
We are commanded to walk by faith in Jesus Christ and do not seek (in other words, "demand") signs (See "Falsehoods and Sign-Seeking"). Jesus said, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign…” (Matt. 12:38-39). Signs are not sufficient for the faith that endures. The feeding of the five thousand won the temporary interest of some insomuch that “they would come and take [Jesus] by force, to make him king” (John 6:15), but it was less than twenty-four hours later when they heard His “Bread of Life” sermon and took it to be “an hard saying” (vs. 60) and soon after “walked with him no more” (vs. 66). Furthermore, even false prophets are able to perform some signs and wonders, as did Pharaoh's servants like unto Moses at first (Exo. 7:10-13). Jesus warned His disciples, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matt. 24:24). Jesus always performed His wonders according to the faith of the people. Faith always preceded the miracle. Although we are told to recognize the signs of His coming, we do not depend on signs to believe.
LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRIST
Since the days of Adam and the human family embarked on mortality, the prophets have always taught the people to look towards the coming Savior who would redeem His people from "The Fall" (See "Return of the King --- Part 1" and "Return of the King --- Part 2"). It was always taught that the Son of God should come down among man and offer Himself up for a sacrifice for the sins of mankind; saving them from their sins, not in their sins (Alma 11:37). The Law of Moses was a preparatory law whose purpose was to point the people to Christ (Romans 10:4; Gal. 3:19,24).
When Jesus Christ performed the Atonement and completed it with His resurrection, the purpose of the Law of Moses was fulfilled and a new law, even a higher law, was instated (Matt. 5:17-48; 3 Nephi 9:17; See also "Great Sacrifice"). He gave priesthood authority to the Apostles whom He himself had called (Matt. 10:1-8) and taught them to follow Him in sacred apprenticeship (See "Christ's Ministry"). When He was gone, it would be the mandate of the faithful, namely the Apostles, to continue dispensing the gospel to the world, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28:19-20). There was much work to be done before He came again.
The disciples understood that the Lord would go away and return again one day, asked they, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matt. 24:3; Luke 21:7). They understood that His coming, His second coming, would be different from His resurrection and the visits that He made thereafter as a resurrected being. (Matt. 25:31; 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 2:19; 1 John 2:28; Rev. 1:7)
The Second Coming refers to the day that "All shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just." (Mos. 16:1)
WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
There were many people who saw the Lord personally after He rose from the dead, namely the faithful, but that is not to be confused with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Throughout the 40 days following His resurrection, Christ continued to instruct His disciples in "the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). He showed himself to multiple individuals including His 11 Apostles (Luke 24:33-48) on multiple occasions, Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-10; John 20:14) and other women (Matt. 28:9), two men of Emmaus (Mark 16:12; Luke 24:13-32), and "was seen of about five hundred brethren at once" on a mountain in Galilee. (1 Cor. 15:6)
It is also of great worth noting that the same resurrected Jesus Christ appeared to the faithful inhabitants of the western hemisphere, just as was prophesied of in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ 600 years before it came true (1 Nephi 12:1,6). Said the Lord to His Apostles concerning these inhabitants in the Book of Mormon, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: Them must I also bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" (John 10:16; 3 Nephi 15:11-24). They didn't know that He spoke of those across the ocean in a land unknown to them, but God remembers one nation like another and speaks the same words unto one nation like unto another (2 Nephi 29:7-14) and is God over all the earth (1 Nephi 11:6). He visited them after His resurrection and loved them and said unto those inhabitants of the Americas:
"Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.
And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come." (3 Nephi 11)
ASCENSION
The 11 Apostles, still imbued with their conception of the kingdom of God as an earthly establishment of power and dominion asked of Him, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus answered, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:7-8). Christ ascended into heaven and while the apostles stood gazing steadfastly upward, two personages, clothed in white apparel, appeared by them: these spake unto the Eleven, saying: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11). This is to say that Jesus Christ, who was resurrected, who ascended into heaven, will return physically and literally in the flesh one day and manifest Himself to all people.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
There is so much to say when it comes to the Second Coming which is why I decided to make this a series and not a single post. But let me give you some things to think about since I inevitably won't be able to write everything.
It has been said by many that history repeats itself. That's why the scriptures are so valuable because they're timeless. They are not just historical, they are incredibly relevant. You can find many patterns in the scriptures and things that were prophesied that came to pass years down the road. It is my belief that many of the things that happened anciently do happen and will happen in a similar fashion in the coming days, particularly leading up to the Second Coming.
I encourage you to read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. One of the recurring patterns is known as, "The Pride Cycle". When the people humble themselves before God and keep the commandments, they are blessed. After a while, because they're blessed, they become prideful, self-absorbed, and forget God. Then in order to humble them again and turn them back to God, they are called to repentance first by prophets and then, as necessary, other terrible signs which may be in the heavens above or in the earth. Pride was the cause of much destruction in the Book of Mormon, perhaps the greatest cause. Before Christ manifested himself to the righteous survivors in the flesh, there was much destruction because of the wicked. A thing which will recur come the Second Coming.
My thoughts turn to the book of Helaman chapter 13, and onward in the Book of Mormon. I invite you to read it in its entirety. There was a man named Samuel, a Lamanite, who came into the land of a people who were historically his enemy, preaching repentance. For the most part of the Book of Mormon, it was the Nephites who were generally righteous while the Lamanites were generally wicked and initiated the violence against them. But at this time and place, it was just the opposite where the Lamanites were more righteous and the Nephites were on the slippery slope. The birth of Jesus Christ is only at most 6 years out. And here comes Samuel, selflessly risking his life to warn the Nephites to repent and be saved. But his first attempt was futile and he was rejected and cast out of the city. As he was leaving, he was commanded by God to return and try again. He climbed onto the wall of the city and continued to preach, "Whatsoever the Lord put into his heart". He prophesies that unless the people repented, they would be destroyed. You could say that "Repent and be saved or don't and be destroyed" was the message of the Book of Mormon, in many instances literally but in all cases, spiritually, and it always came true even when the people did not believe that such great cities could be destroyed.
Samuel tells them of a sign to look forward to as evidence of Christ's birth in the distant land across the ocean in the Eastern Hemisphere:
"And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name. And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day. Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born." (Helaman 14:1-7)
There were other signs that would follow Jesus' death 33 years after that:
"But behold, as I said unto you concerning another sign, a sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you; and also the moon and the stars; and there shall be no light upon the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead.
Yea, at the time that he shall yield up the ghost there shall be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours, and the earth shall shake and tremble; and the rocks which are upon the face of this earth, which are both above the earth and beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part of it is one solid mass, shall be broken up;
Yea, they shall be rent in twain, and shall ever after be found in seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the face of the whole earth, yea, both above the earth and beneath. And behold, there shall be great tempests, and there shall be many mountains laid low, like unto a valley, and there shall be many places which are now called valleys which shall become mountains, whose height is great.
And many highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall become desolate.
And many graves shall be opened, and shall yield up many of their dead; and many saints shall appear unto many." (vs. 20-25)
And many more things does Samuel teach. Many of the people believe, repent, and are baptized (Hel. 16:1). Others don't believe and don't repent, and they even persecute those who believe, even to the point of death. The wicked make a plan to kill all the remaining believers who will not deny Christ, but the sign of Christ's birth, three days with no night, happens the next day and the believers are spared. There is a mix of righteous and wicked people in the land still.
At length, the sign of Christ's death comes true as well, and perpetual darkness and immense destruction fall upon all the land, destroying the wicked who did not repent. Those who repented, even though they had to pass through the same darkness and destruction, are spared. (3 Nephi 8)
It is only after the unrepentant are destroyed that the resurrected Jesus Christ appears to them. I believe that the same will be true with the Second Coming. Jesus told His Apostles many things that should happen, particularly but not exclusively, in Matthew chapter 24:
"For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Although we don't know the date of when He'll come, we know He will come and we are commanded to be ready and to prepare for His coming. We prepare for the Second Coming by keeping the commandments with love and repenting (See "Obedience: A Sign of Love" and "Repentance"). If we prepare, not just temporally, but also spiritually, we have nothing to fear and much to look forward to. (See "Power Outage")
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