Throughout history, followers of Jesus Christ have eagerly anticipated the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, envisioning it as a time of peace and joy. How do we prepare for it and what are the signs of His coming?
In this episode of Gospel First, join Joe Cirillo as we explore the awe-inspiring prospect of Jesus Christ's return for the Second Coming. Discover the biblical prophecies and signs heralding this extraordinary event, from wars and natural disasters to the gathering of Israel and the preaching of the gospel. Learn how to prepare spiritually for this momentous occasion by taking the Holy Spirit as your guide, standing in holy places, and heeding the counsel of modern prophets. Embrace the hope and assurance that comes from being prepared for the glorious return of our Savior.
Transcription:
Can you imagine the day when Jesus Christ returns for the Second Coming? It will be an extraordinary event as the sky opens up and the barrier between heaven and earth is torn apart. Trumpets will sound from above, and you will witness the awe-inspiring sight of Jesus Christ, the most magnificent being your mind can comprehend, descending from heaven and landing on earth. Jesus Christ will radiate His glorious presence as He returns to establish His reign as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The intensity of His resurrected splendor, like blazing fire, will transform some individuals while engulfing others. In that moment, would you eagerly approach Him with joy, or would you flee and hide out of reverence for the Lord and the possibility of being consumed?
After Jesus' death and resurrection in Jerusalem, He appeared to His disciples and taught them for a short time. As mentioned in Acts 1:9-11, while He was with His disciples, Jesus ascended, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. As the disciples looked up into the sky, two angels appeared and asked why they were gazing there. The angels reassured them that the same Jesus, who ascended to heaven, will return in a similar manner.
Since that day, believers have eagerly awaited the Lord's return to earth, where He will rule and reign in power over the whole world. This event is known as the "second coming" of Jesus Christ.
The Second Coming of Christ will markedly differ from His initial arrival. During His first coming, Jesus was born to Mary and came to earth as a child, with the purpose of teaching God's children and fulfilling the Atonement. However, at the Second Coming, the Lord will descend "from the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" to enact vengeance upon the wicked and purify the earth from sin.
In a revelation to Joseph Smith, the Savior conveyed in D&C 34:7-8, "For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, the time is soon at hand that I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory. And it shall be a great day at the time of my coming." Undoubtedly, it will be a tremendous day. In fact, for the righteous, the return of Jesus Christ will be one of the most remarkable days ever experienced on earth.
Throughout history, followers of Jesus Christ have eagerly anticipated the Second Coming, envisioning it as a time of profound peace and joy. However, the prophet Joel, in Joel 2:31, described this event as both "the great and the terrible day of the Lord."
How can a single day be both great and terrible? The answer lies in what will occur when Jesus returns. For the righteous, it will be the most magnificent day imaginable, filled with unparalleled blessings. However, for the wicked and rebellious, it will not be a day of joy.
Yet, amidst the warnings, the Lord also reassures His faithful followers in 3 Nephi 25:2, stating that at the Second Coming, "those who fear my name, the Son of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings." In D&C 45:59, it is promised that "the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them." Additionally, D&C 45:71 declares that "the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy."
Sin will cease its hold, as D&C 45:55 affirms that "Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men."
Moreover, one of the most cherished aspects of the Second Coming is the resurrection of all our righteous loved ones who have passed away. We will be reunited with them once more. Doesn't that sound incredibly comforting? Undoubtedly, the Second Coming will be a day of immense joy—a day that surpasses all others in its goodness and blessings.
In His mercy, the Lord desires us to be prepared and righteous for His coming. To aid us in this, He has provided "signs" that serve as indicators and help us anticipate His glorious return. By being obedient and faithful, we can study the scriptures and gain knowledge of these signs.
Certain signs foretelling the Second Coming of Jesus Christ have already been fulfilled or are currently unfolding, while others are yet to be fulfilled in the future.
The scriptures outline several signs of the Second Coming. While some of these signs have already been fulfilled, others are still yet to occur. Here are just some of the signs.
Coming forth of the Book of Mormon - Isaiah 29; Ezekiel 37; 2 Nephi 3, 27, 29
The gathering of Israel - Isaiah 11:11-12; D&C 45:25, 43
Wars and rumors of wars - Matthew 24:6-7; D&C 45:26
The whole earth will be in commotion - D&C 45:26
People will despair in their hearts - D&C 45:26
Love of men will “wax cold” - Matthew 24:12; D&C 45:27
The Church will progress and fill the earth - Daniel 2:34-35; 1 Nephi 14:12
The Lord will pour out His spirit upon all flesh. People will begin to have visions and dreams and prophesy - Joel 2: 28-32
False Christs and false prophets will appear and deceive people, including some members of the Church - (JS Matthew 1:22; Matthew 24:24
People will reject the truth because of the philosophies of men - D&C 45:29
Widespread wickedness across the world - Matthew 24:37; D&C 45:27
The Gentiles will have great power and influence in the world - D&C 45:30; 1 Nephi 13:13-19
An overflowing scourge or desolating sickness shall cover the land - D&C 45:31
The righteous will be persecuted - Matthew 24:9
The righteous will stand in holy places and come unto Zion for protection - D&C 45:32
People will curse God - D&C 45:32
There will be earthquakes in many places - Isaiah 24:20; Matthew 24:7; Revelation 16:18-20; D&C 45:33
There will be famines and pestilences - Matthew 24:7
People will harden their hearts against God - D&C 45:33
Violence and murder will abound - D&C 45:33
Latter-day temples of the Lord will be built - Isaiah 2:2; Isaiah 19:19-20; Micah 4:1-7
The sun will be darkened - Joel 2:31; 3:15; Matthew 24:29; D&C 45:42; 133:49
The moon will have the color of blood - Matthew 24:29; D&C 45:42; 133:49
Stars will fall from heaven - Matthew 24:29; D&C 45;42; 133:49
A great war called Armageddon will erupt in the Middle East - Joel 3:14; Zechariah 12:11; Revelation 16:14-21
The righteous Saints who have died will be resurrected and be caught up to meet Christ - D&C 45:45
Christ’s foot will touch down on Mount of Olives and split it - Zechariah 14:4-7; D&C 45:48
The gospel will be preached to every nation - Matthew 24:14; D&C 133:37
The Jews will return to Jerusalem and receive their promised land - Amos 9:14; Zechariah 2:4-12; 2 Nephi 9:2
Christ will suddenly come to His temple - Malachi 3:1
Two prophets will minister in Jerusalem for more than three years, then be killed, lie dead in the streets for three days, and then be taken up into heaven - Revelation 11:3-11
Elijah the prophet will appear to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers - Malachi 4:5-6
Pools of living water will spring up in the barren deserts - D&C 133:29
Water will flow from under the temple at Jerusalem and heal the waters of the Dead Sea - Ezekiel 47:1-12; Zechariah 14:8
A great latter-day meeting with Christ, Adam, and other saints will take place in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman - Daniel 7:13-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; D&C 27:5-14;107:53-57; 116:1
The Lamanites will blossom as a rose - D&C 49:24-25; 2 Nephi 30:6
The lost ten tribes will return from the north countries - D&C 133:26-34
God will send angels to preach the gospel - Revelations 14: 6-7
People will say that Christ delays His coming - D&C 45:26
The city of Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be built upon the American continent - Isaiah 4:5-6; Ether 13:8; Articles of Faith 1:10
A great sign will be given in heaven that all the earth shall see together - D&C 88:93
Christ will appear in power and glory to rule and reign over the earth - Isaiah 63:1-4; Matthew 24:27; D&C 45:44; 133:46-48
The purpose of these signs is not to instill fear but to help us recognize and prepare for the Second Coming. As stated in D&C 38:30, "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear." So, let us understand these signs as tools that aid us in becoming more prepared for the glorious event of Christ's return.
So, when will the second coming be? Elder Dallin H. Oaks said: “What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow - through our premature death or through His unexpected coming - what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgiveness would we extend? What testimonies would we bear? If we would do those things then, why not now?”
To prepare for the Second Coming, let's focus on three essential keys:
Take the Holy Spirit as our guide.
Stand in holy places.
Look to the modern prophets to discern the signs and times of the Second Coming.
Take the Holy Spirit As Our Guide: In D&C 45:57, the Lord provided us with a key to preparing for the Second Coming. He said, “For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived - verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.” By living in accordance with the Spirit and remaining worthy of His guidance, we will be guided, strengthened, and protected as we approach the Second Coming.
Stand in Holy Places: D&C 45:32 gives us another key to preparing for the Second Coming. The Lord said, “My disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved.” Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained: “What are those ‘holy places’? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes.”
To clearly stand in holy places means actively avoiding anything that is evil in the world around us. By making this choice, we invite the Spirit to be more abundantly present in our lives. As we stand in these holy places, D&C 115:6 teaches that our lives, homes, wards, and stakes will serve as a defense and a refuge from the storms of life. In other words, by maintaining a commitment to righteousness and surrounding ourselves with goodness, we find strength, protection, and solace in the midst of challenging times.
Look to the Modern Prophets to Discern the Signs of the Times of the Second Coming: The scriptures, specifically 2 Peter 3:10, caution us that the Second Coming of the Lord will occur unexpectedly, likening it to a thief coming in the night. This means that many individuals will be caught off guard and unprepared when Jesus returns. It's important to be wary of anyone who claims to have the ability to predict or determine the exact timing of this event. Such assertions are misleading and can lead us astray.
The Apostle Paul provided an insightful analogy of the Second Coming in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, comparing it to a woman anticipating the birth of her child. Just as a mother-to-be may not know the precise day of delivery and the onset of labor can catch her off guard, she can still discern the approaching time by paying attention to signs and her body's changes. Similarly, Paul assures the Thessalonian brethren in 1 Thessalonians that they are not in darkness, so the day of the Second Coming should not take them by surprise like a thief. He emphasizes that they are children of light and day, not of darkness.
By embracing the teachings of the scriptures and following the guidance of modern prophets, we align ourselves as "children of light." As a result, the Second Coming will not catch us off guard. Through diligent study and obedience, we become attuned to the signs and prepared for this significant event.
Let us persist in our personal preparations and in our efforts to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Savior. Remember, if we are prepared, we shall not fear.
This concludes our lesson in this section of ACT 2. The next lesson, which is in ACT 2, will focus on “The Millennium. A 1000 years of peace.”
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