The Second Coming Of Christ Essay, Research Paper

The second coming of Christ

D&C 1:12

12 Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;

D&C 34:6

6 To lift up your voice as with the sound of a trump, both long and loud, and cry repentance unto a crooked and perverse generation, preparing the way of the Lord for his second coming.

D&C 34:7

7 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.

D&C 34:8

8 And it shall be a great day at the time of my coming, for all nations shall tremble.

D&C 34:9

9 But before that great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood; and the stars shall refuse their shining, and some shall fall, and great destructions await the wicked.

D&C 34:10

10 Wherefore, lift up your voice and spare not, for the Lord God hath spoken; therefore prophesy, and it shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.

D&C 34:11

11 And if you are faithful, behold, I am with you until I come—

Moses 7:47

47 And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me.

A Crown for the Righteous

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Two 1834–37, p.64

If the Saints are not to reign, for what purpose are they crowned? In an exhortation of the Lord to a certain Church in Asia, which was built up in the days of the Apostles, unto whom He communicated His word on that occasion by His servant John, He says, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” And again, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His Throne” (see Rev. 3). And again, it is written, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (1 John 3:2, 3). How is it that these old Apostles should say so much on the subject of the coming of Christ?

Signs of Second Coming Have Commenced

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Four 1839–42, p.160

Men profess to prophesy. I will prophesy that the signs of the coming of the Son of man are already commenced. One pestilence will desolate after another. We shall soon have war and bloodshed. the moon will be turned to blood. I testify of these things, and that the coming of the Son of Man is nigh, even at your doors. If our souls and our bodies are not looking forth for the coming of the Son of Man; and after we are dead, if we are not looking forth, we shall be among those who are calling for the rocks to fall upon them.

Destruction of the Wicked the End of the World

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Two 1834–37, p.100

Now men cannot have any possible grounds to say that this is figurative, or that it does not mean what it says: for He is now explaining what He had previously spoken in parables; and according to this language, the end of the world is the destruction of the wicked, the harvest and the end of the world have no allusion directly to the human family in the last days, instead of the earth, as many have imagined; and that which shall precede the coming of the Son of Man, and the restitution of all things spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began; and the angels are to have something to do in this great work, for they are the reapers. As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of the world; that is, as the servants of God go forth warning the nations, both priests and people, and as they harden their hearts and reject the light of truth, these first being delivered over to the buffetings of Satan, and the law and the testimony being closed up, as it was in the case of the Jews, they are left in darkness, and delivered over unto the day of burning; thus being bound up by their creeds, and their bands being made strong by their priests, are prepared for the fulfilment of the saying of the Savior—”The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” We understand that the work of gathering together of the wheat into barns, or garners, is to take place while the tares are being bound over, and preparing for the day of burning; that after the day of burnings, the righteous shall shine forth like the sun, in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

A Sleeping Christianity

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section One 1830–34, p.14

I think that it is high time for a Christian world to awake out of sleep, and cry mightily to that God, day and night, whose anger we have justly incurred. Are not these things a sufficient stimulant to arouse the faculties, and call forth the energies of every man, woman or child that possesses feelings of sympathy for their fellows, or that is in any degree endeared to the budding cause of our glorious Lord? I leave an intelligent community to answer this important question, with a confession, that this is what has caused me to overlook my own inability, and expose my weakness to a learned world; but, trusting in that God who has said that these things are hid from the wise and prudent and revealed unto babes, I step forth into the field to tell you what the Lord is doing, and what you must do, to enjoy the smiles of your Savior in these last days.

Zion and Jerusalem

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section One 1830–34, p.17

The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians; having been found through the ministration of an holy angel, and translated into our own language by the gift and power of God, after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years, containing the word of God which was delivered unto them. By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and that the land of America is a promised land unto them, and unto it all the tribes of Israel will come, with as many of the Gentiles as shall comply with the requisitions of the new covenant. But the tribe of Judah will return to old Jerusalem. The city of Zion spoken of by David, in the one hundred and second Psalm, will be built upon the land of America, “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads.” (Isaiah 35:10); and then they will be delivered from the overflowing scourge that shall pass through the land. But Judah shall obtain deliverance at Jerusalem. See Joel 2:32; Isaiah 26:20 and 21; Jeremiah 31:12; Psalms 1:5; Ezekiel 34:11, 12 and 13. These are testimonies that the Good Shepherd will put forth His own sheep, and lead them out from all nations where they have been scattered in a cloudy and dark day, to Zion, and to Jerusalem; besides many more testimonies which might be brought.

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843–44, p.306

“Add to your knowledge, temperance.” As Paul said he had to become all things to all men, that he might thereby save some, so must the elders of the last days do; and, being sent out to preach the Gospel and warn the world of the judgments to come, we are sure, when they teach as directed by the Spirit, according to the revelations of Jesus Christ, that they will preach the truth and prosper without complaint. Thus we have no new commandment to give, but admonish elders and members to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God, lest they come short of the glory that is reserved for the faithful. (May 22, 1843.) DHC 5:404.

The second coming of christ will be a glorious day for some and a disasterous day for others. D&C 1:12 says perpare for the which is to come. We must cry unto repentance (D&C34: 6). The lord tells us in D&C 34:7 that the time is soon at hand for his coming, and all nations shall tremble (D&C 34:8). The sun shall be darkened (D34:9) so lift up your voice and spare not for the lord god hath spoken (D&C 34:10). And if you are faithful I am with you until I come (D&C 34:11). The righteous is lifted up (Moses 7: 47) He shall appear, we shall be like him, and we shall se him as he is (Teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith) Smith also prophesized that the signs of the coming of the son of man are already commenced. Joseph Smith said that the righteous should shine forth like the sun at his coming. Joseph also tells us to enjoy the smiles of our savior in these last days. The city of Zion that is spoken of will be built upon the land of America (teachings of Joseph Smith). We must abomish our elders and members and live by every word that proceeded forth from the mouth of God (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith). The Prophet Joseph Smith had so many wonderful insights on this topic. The Second Coming of Christ is an incredible occurrence that I believe I will live to see. I realize all of the pressures that are upon my head being one of the chosen to live upon the earth in these last days. It is a great honor but I also know that I earned it in my preexistence. The coming of Christ should not be a day of fear but of anticipated glory and excitement