Signs of the Lords Second Coming

Volume Three—Chapter Twenty-Four SIGNS OF THE LORD’S SECOND COMING—INTRODUCTION

There is nothing wrong with being interested in the signs of the Lord’s second coming, but there are some dangers lurking in this topic. Accordingly, it should be treated with wisdom and caution. The study of events of the “last days,” which goes by the rather unusual name of “eschatology,” is one that seems to attract more than its share of sensationalists, extremists, speculators, and doomsayers within the Church.

It would seem that an inordinate interest in any gospel topic sometimes leads to misunderstanding and a distorted perspective about what is important and what is not. Some people have become involved in the prophecies concerning the Lord’s second coming and have begun to see things that others don’t see and know things that no one else knows. A few have tended to find “special keys” of understanding that others have overlooked. They may manifest an urgency about eschatological things that is inappropriate. I pray that your author is not guilty of these excesses. I have attempted to approach this topic in a practical and “no-nonsense” way.

In the Church we commonly refer to the “latter days” or the “last days.” This terminology applies to the period of time between 1830 and the Lord’s second coming in glory. It should be immediately apparent that this period of time will be relatively brief relative to the history of the world. Whether it lasts two hundred, three hundred, or more years, it is frighteningly brief.

It is my wish that these chapters on the signs of the Lord’s second coming (chapters 24, 25, and 26) may help prepare you, the reader, to recognize the signs when they occur. I will attempt to set a firm base for your understanding of this topic based on scripture and the teachings of modern prophets. I desire that you not only possess a framework for understanding and future learning, but that you also become able to identify speculative and inappropriate ideas when you encounter them. It is my intent to be rather thorough in this summary, but I will attempt to avoid speculation. I’d like each of you to come away with a thorough grounding and an appropriate, healthy interest in the topic of the signs of the Lord’s coming.

#What is a “Sign of the Lord’s Coming”?

A sign of the Lord’s coming is a latter-day event—either natural or one divinely orchestrated. It involves men and angels and is foreseen by a prophet and foretold by him in the scriptures. The prophet, in his scriptural description, attaches to it special significance. He perceives that the event occurs shortly before the Lord’s second coming and is somehow a significant harbinger of that coming.

Should all occurrences prophesied to occur in the latter-days be considered “signs of the Lord’s coming”? Perhaps they should since they all, once they are observed to happen by the Lord’s faithful on earth, serve to confirm and strengthen testimonies. They enhance our confidence and spiritual witness of the validity of prophecy including and especially that important prophecy—that he will one day come again.

While it is not possible to be precise about the timing and sequencing of the signs of the Lord’s coming, the scriptural writings do seem to indicate at least a general and rough sequence in which they will occur. Coming to understand something about that sequence leads to better understanding of and a more informed and insightful anticipation of those signs. Learning to recognize the progression of the signs, from early to late, is certainly the anticipated result of the Lord’s foretelling.

There is another pertinent issue of timing: Is there anything of an absolute timeframe that can be derived from the scriptures describing these signs? In other words, do the scriptures indicate how much time will elapse from the first prophesied sign to the moment of his coming? The simple answer is no. It is not possible to place the latterday signs on an accurate or precise schedule. We are, however, given a rough idea of the amount of time involved in the occurrence of these latter-day events.

#The Seven Seals

While writing the book of Revelation, the apostle John had a vision of Jehovah. In the Lord’s hand was a book or scroll sealed with “seven seals”—it was divided into seven sealed sections. “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside [on both sides], sealed with seven seals” (Revelation 5:1). We are told that this book contains the written record of the earth, and that each seal represents a thousand years of the earth’s existence:

Q. What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals? A. We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence”

Q. What are we to understand by the seven seals with which it was sealed? A. We are to understand that the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years, and the second also of the second thousand years, and so on until the seventh (D&C 77:6-7).

In John’s vision, each of the seals of the book was opened for him in sequence and its contents were read. A common assumption is that Adam was placed on earth about 4,000 years before Christ. Thus, the sixth seal contains the events occurring on the earth between roughly AD 1000 and AD 2000, and the seventh seal describes those between AD 2000 and AD 3000. The events of the sixth thousand years are referred to in the book of Revelation as occurring “in the opening of the sixth seal.”

My intentions, in chapters 24 through 26, will be to provide a description of those events prophesied to occur in the “last” or “latter” days—those of the sixth and seventh thousand years.

It is clear that we are now living in the latter part of the sixth thousand years. It is also clear that the large part of the seventh thousand years, or the seventh seal, consists of the earth’s Sabbath or the Millennium. Wilford Woodruff stated: “We are living at the commencement of the Millennium, and near the close of the 6,000th year of the world’s history” (JD, 25:10-11).

#Why Must We Learn about the Signs?

The period of time just prior to the Lord’s coming will be characterized by great calamity, trial, wickedness, and danger. The Lord wants his people to be spiritually and physically safe and secure during this period. One of the important mechanisms he has set in place for the protection of his people in this great time of trial is to ensure that they are gathered to Zion. In Zion—within the community of the saints—the Lord’s people may live together in a safe and secure society in which the inhabitants are dedicated to caring for one another. They will have ready access to the Lord’s prophet. They have a divine promise that they will be protected from the vicissitudes of the outside world— they are protected from “Babylon.”

It is also the Lord’s desire to keep his people informed when these dangerous latter-day times draw nigh. Throughout the ages, he has thus revealed, to his prophets, several signs or events. When they occur, they indicate that the times of strife and danger and his second coming are imminent. These are the “signs of the times” or the “signs of the Lord’s coming.” They are intended to serve as “a word to the wise.”

They will occur in such a way that only those who are watching for them in faith, and have the advantage of the influence of the Spirit of God, will recognize them for what they are. They have been keeping watch and monitoring the words of the modern prophets. They will have read the prophecies concerning these signs. The Lord said to people in his earthly kingdom, “And unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times” (D&C 68:11).

The righteous and watchful already possess a resolve to look forward to the Lord’s coming and to remain prepared. The occurrence of the signs will serve simply as a confirmation of their testimony. It will also serve as a notice that they should warn others. Those unresponsive to the Spirit of God will either not recognize the signs, or they will rationalize them away and find alternative explanations. The signs may serve as a witness against them in the judgment.

#What Are the Lord’s Purposes in Orchestrating the Signs of His Coming?

We have considered in the previous section the question of why it is important that we study and learn of the signs of the Lord’s coming. A related, yet somewhat different, question is: What does the Lord intend to accomplish by orchestrating those events we call the signs of his coming? We have already established that he wishes to testify to his people that he is indeed coming, and we should gather and prepare ourselves in Zion.

There is a second important purpose from the Lord’s standpoint. The signs not only warn, but they also punish and cleanse and thereby purify the earth and prepare it for his coming. The prophesied events are often calamitous and destructive. The Lord will use these to cleanse the earth of wickedness. Wicked, unrepentant people will be removed from the earth, cutting short their wickedness so that they sin no more in this sphere. They will no longer be able to inflict their wickedness on others. They are also removed to cleanse the environment of earth for the blessing of the righteous.

Let us be reminded that when the Lord “punishes” an individual, his motives are never solely punitive. His central motive relative to all his children is their eventual spiritual betterment. We may be assured that any child of his “cleansed” from the earth by divinely orchestrated events stands to be ultimately benefited by that timely removal.

#Where Do We Learn of These Signs?

The Lord expects his people to learn of these signs from reading the scriptures and listening to his prophets. It is clear that the Lord wants his saints in this last dispensation to know what is coming. He doesn’t want to surprise them. He wants them to be prepared. He has provided the following scriptures that are helpful in coming to understand the signs of his second coming:

1. The most important of these revelations include Matthew 24 which contains the Savior’s “Olivet Prophecy” and deals with his second coming. It was delivered to his apostles on the Mount of Olives just three days prior to his crucifixion.

2. Also important is the JS-M which is Joseph Smith’s inspired revision of Matthew 24 (actually Matthew 23:39 through Matthew 24).

3. D&C 45 is an expanded version of the Savior’s Olivet Prophecy, and there are also helpful additional passages scattered throughout the Doctrine and Covenants, especially sections 29, 33, 77, 86, 88, and 133.

4. Other helpful scripture includes parts of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Joel, Zechariah, and Revelation.

There is no point foretelling woes from which there is no deliverance. The Lord does not leave his people helpless. Wisdom would dictate that the Latter-day Saints become acquainted with what the scriptures say on the topic of the last days, for in them is revealed what the Lord would have us know about the grand events of the future and what we must do.

#Be Cautious in Interpreting Prophecy

As we study the scriptural prophecies, we need to be cautious. Even when we know scriptural prophecies, it is often not possible to predict precisely how the future will unfold. The Lord seldom gives us all the details of a future event. He has said, for example, in reference to the return of the ten tribes, “An highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep [the ocean]” (D&C 133:27), but he has not told us whether the “highway” and “great deep” are literal or symbolic. He has not said where this highway will be found, or who will cast it up, or how it will all pan out. The Lord’s purpose often seems to be to give us impressions and general understandings rather than specific details. It is more important to know that the Lord will bring the ten tribes safely back from their long dispersion than it is to understand the exact nature of his methods.

Prophets have cautioned those who would “over interpret” the prophecies, that is, see specific detail in prophecies that the Lord does not intend. Elder John A. Widtsoe observed:

Much effort has been expended to reduce . . . general prophecies to exact dates, times, and persons. This has been a waste of time and energy, as prophecy uttered under divine inspiration usually contains all that the divine will desires to reveal. It behooves those to whom the prophecy is made to prepare for coming events, to watch for them, and to recognize them when they do appear. If more is needed, the power that gave the prophecy will no doubt furnish the interpretation” (Evidences and Reconciliations, 93-95).

#The Lord Will Come “Quickly”

One expression repeated often in the book of Revelation and in the Doctrine and Covenants is “I come quickly” (Revelation 2:16; 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20; D&C 33:18; 34:12; 35:27; 39:24; 49:28; 68:35; 88:126). Perhaps this expression, through the years, has resulted in the saints’ expecting the Lord to come soon, even in their own lifetimes. This was true of the saints in the meridian of time and even the saints in the early part of this dispensation. Does the expression “I come quickly” mean that he is coming soon? It does not. Rather it means that he will come unexpectedly. Implicit in this warning is the idea that we should remain constantly watchful and prepared for his second coming (Matthew 25:1-13).

Other scriptural passages supporting this idea include: “For the time is at hand; the day or the hour no man knoweth; but it surely shall come” (D&C 39:21; 49:7). “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). “And what I say unto one, I say unto all men: watch, therefore, for you know not at what hour your Lord doth come” (JS-M 1:46). “The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of” (JS-M 1:53).

#The Intent of Our Discussion

It is not our purpose to discuss all of the scriptural prophecies having to do with this latter-day dispensation. Rather, we will consider only the highlights, those prophecies that seem most directly intended to warn the Lord’s people or cleanse the earth prior to his second coming.

The general outline of this presentation is to consider first the individual signs. I will describe each as it has been foretold in the scriptures. I will then attempt to place these events in an appropriate temporal or time sequence. As discussed above, this can be done only generally, approximately, and tentatively. Wouldn’t it be exciting if we could establish a precise connection between our day and the sequence of the prophecies of events in this latter day? Then we might be able to form a notion of where we are in this sequence. We might then be able to ascertain what we might expect and what we might watch for in the immediate future. Unfortunately, that is not possible.

One of the major difficulties in trying to position ourselves and our day within the sequence of prophecies is that there is no way to precisely identify the onset of the seventh thousand years. That moment when the seventh seal is opened is elusive, hypothetical, and speculative. A statement in the Times and Seasons corroborates this notion: “But the chronology of time is so imperfectly kept that it is impossible for us to tell beforehand the exact time that the seventh thousand years will commence; but when the great rest [the Millennium] commences we shall certainly know it” (3:671). Nevertheless, I will attempt a temporal sequencing, at least in broad stokes, as that effort seems important in enabling us to better understand the signs.

I will consider those signs or events prophesied to occur in the sixth and seventh thousand years in some detail. In attempting to sequence them I will arrange them into the following categories:

1. Those signs that have occurred, are occurring, and will occur during this latter part of the sixth thousand years. These signs are said to occur “during the sixth seal” or “in the opening of the sixth seal” and are particularly intended to warn the Lord’s people that his coming is drawing nigh.

2. Those signs prophesied to occur after the onset of the seventh thousand years and just prior to the Lord’s coming. All of the signs of the seventh seal seem especially intended to punish and cleanse the people.

3. Those signs prophesied to occur simultaneously with the Lord’s coming. These also punish and cleanse.

Within each of these categories, the signs will be listed in a sequence that seems logical and correct, but, again, this sequencing should be taken with a grain of salt.