HE WILL COME

 

Isaiah’s “King of Glory” prophecy foretells the Saviour’s Second Coming when He will come and subdue all Israel’s enemies under His feet; put down all kingdoms; will sit on the throne of ‘His father’ David; and ‘the government shall be upon his shoulder’ (Isaiah 9:6).

In the words of Bruce R. McConkie: “He came once – born in a stable, cradled in a manger – to redeem His people; to restore His everlasting gospel; to work out the infinite and eternal atonement; to bring salvation. He shall come again – with ten thousands of his saints, in all the glory of his Father’s kingdom – to slay the wicked by the breath of his lips; to cleanse the vineyard of corruption; to ransom those who love His appearing: to bring salvation.”  

(Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah, p 1)

He will come –

-          When we come out of every nation to Zion, the city of New Jerusalem, singing songs of everlasting joy (D&C 45:71);

-          When the Ten Tribes return from the land of the north (D&C 110:11; Jeremiah 3:18; D&C 133:26-34);

-          When the City of Enoch descends from the spiritual realm and ‘we fall upon their necks and we kiss each other’ in love and fellowship of Zion (Moses 7:63);

When He comes –

-          We will dwell in New Jerusalem, the city of our God, and Christ will be our light by day and the whole city will be lighted up by the glory of His presence (Isaiah 60:19-22);

-          Because of His presence there will be perpetual peace; there will be no illness, no tears, no suffering and no death.

It’s a time worth waiting for….and preparing for. In Section 105 of Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord spoke of the importance of preparation for the establishment of Zion which must be ‘redeemed’ before He comes:

1.      He wants His leaders to be prepared (vv 9-10);

2.      He wants the Saints to be taught more perfectly what He requires of them (v 10);;

3.      He wants the Saints to gain experience in knowing their duty and doctrine of God (v 10; John 7:17);

4.      He wants His Saints to be endowed with power from on high (v 11);

5.      He wants the Saints to be faithful, enduring in humility to the end (v 12).

It is clear by the very first requirement that the Church is built on leadership which will extend into the Millenium. I often wonder about the Church members who criticize the Church leaders and do not support them as prophets, seers and revelators. How will they be prepared to live a Zion life under leadership they are not trained to follow? Make no mistake, The Saviour will delegate the administration of His kingdom. If we are not prepared to take instruction now, we will not be able to accept it then.

The scriptures teach us that there will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven as the Saviour arrives (D&C 88:93; Matt 24:30). Joseph Smith has said that the people of the world will not recognize it and will say it is a planet or a comet etc…..”but the Son of man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning, cometh out of the east.” (History of the Church, 5:336-37; see also D&C 43:20-27).

 

When in clouds of glory You appear,

We the faithful will know Your name.

We will know Your angels and the host

Of heaven coming to testify of Your fame.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Parting the Veil by John McNaughton)