Will I Be Ready When He Comes Again?-3 Nephi 1:4

3 Nephi 1:4

Will I Be Ready When He Comes Again?

What

 4 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the ninety and second year, behold, the prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be agreater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people.

Prophecies do come to pass.

Why

We are blessed to be given signs to show us that the Savior came and that He is coming again.

Pattern

Hel. 16:13 (13, 23)

13  But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signsgiven unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.

Hel. 14:3 (3–7)

3  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.
4  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.
5  And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.
6  And behold this is not all, there shall be many signs and wonders in heaven.
7  And it shall come to pass that ye shall all be amazed, and wonder, insomuch that ye shall fall to the earth.

8  But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.

Dead Sea — The Guide to the Scriptures

In fulfillment of prophecy and as one of the signsof the second coming of the Savior, the waters of the Dead Sea will be healed, and life will flourish there (Ezek. 47:8–9).
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Signs

See also Circumcision ; Holy Ghost, Gifts of ; Miracle ; Sign Seekers ; Token
• lights in the firmament … for signs: Gen. 1:14 . ( Moses 2:14 ; Abr. 4:14 . )
• they will believe the voice of the latter sign: Ex. 4:8 .
• when that company died … they became a sign: Num. 26:10 .
• shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand: Deut. 6:8 .
• giveth thee a sign or a wonder: Deut. 13:1 .
• Lord himself shall give you a sign: Isa. 7:14 . ( 2 Ne. 17:14 . )
• I and the children … are for signs: Isa. 8:18 . ( 2 Ne. 18:18 . )
• Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot … for a sign: Isa. 20:3 .
• be not dismayed at the signs of heaven: Jer. 10:2 .
• set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel: Ezek. 12:6 .
• I am your sign: Ezek. 12:11 .
• sabbaths … shall be a sign between me and you: Ezek. 20:20 .
• he worketh signs and wonders in heaven: Dan. 6:27 .
• can ye not discern the signs of the times: Matt. 16:3 .
• what shall be the sign of thy coming: Matt. 24:3 . ( Mark 13:4 ; Luke 21:7 ; D&C 45:16 ; JS—M 1:4 . )
• false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders: Matt. 24:24 . ( Mark 13:22 ; D&C 45:40 ; JS—M 1:22 . )
• then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: Matt. 24:30 . ( Luke 21:25 ; D&C 45:39 ; JS—M 1:36 . )
• what shall be the sign when all these things shall be: Mark 13:4 .
• these signs shall follow them that believe: Mark 16:17 . ( Morm. 9:24 ; Ether 4:18 ; D&C 58:64; D&C 84:65 . )
• this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes: Luke 2:12.
• many other signs truly did Jesus: John 20:30 .
• I will shew … signs in the earth: Acts 2:19 .
• many wonders and signs were done by the apostles: Acts 2:43 . ( Acts 5:12 . )
• sign of circumcision: Rom. 4:11 .
• tongues are for a sign: 1 Cor. 14:22 .
• signs of an apostle were wrought among you: 2 Cor. 12:12 .
• Satan with all power and signs: 2 Thes. 2:9 .
• God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders: Heb. 2:4 .
• given unto thee for a sign: 1 Ne. 11:7 .
• three days of darkness … sign given of his death: 1 Ne. 19:10 .
• signs given unto my people of his birth: 2 Ne. 26:3 .
• many signs … showed he unto them: Mosiah 3:15 .
• secret … signs and their wonders ye shall keep: Alma 37:27 .
• Kishkumen, and he gave unto him a sign: Hel. 2:7 .
• they did have their … secret signs: Hel. 6:22 .
• give unto you for a sign … of his coming: Hel. 14:3 .
• not believe in those signs … which they had seen: 3 Ne. 1:22 .
• began to forget those signs: 3 Ne. 2:1 .
• receive no witness until after the trial of your faith: Ether 12:6 .
• there shall be greater signs in heaven: D&C 29:14 .
• I will show miracles, signs: D&C 35:8 .
• he that feareth me shall be looking … for the signs: D&C 45:39 .
• all may be benefited … that ask and not for a sign: D&C 46:9 .
• faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow: D&C 63:9 .
• he that believeth shall be blest with signs: D&C 68:10 .
• there shall appear a great sign in heaven: D&C 88:93 .
• these signs shall follow him: D&C 124:98 .
Events or experiences that God gives to people to show that something important in his work has happened or will soon happen. In the latter days, many signs for the second coming of the Savior have been prophesied. These signals allow faithful 

Rumor — The Guide to the Scriptures

Satan spreads rumors and contentions—sometimes based partially on truth—to turn people against God and all good (Hel. 16:22; JS—H 1:1). One of the signs of the second coming of Jesus Christ is that people will talk of wars and rumors of wars (Matt. ...second Coming of Jesus Christ — The Guide to the ScripturesAt the beginning of the Millennial Era, Christ will return to the earth. This event will mark the end of the mortal probation of this earth. The wicked will be removed from the earth and the righteous will be caught up in a cloud while the earth is …

Christ

These signs are about His birth and His second coming. His mission to save us all. They are the biggest, most important events in all time.

Conference
Elder Dallin Oaks
Preparation for the Second Coming

The scriptures are rich in references to the Second Coming, an event eagerly awaited by the righteous and dreaded or denied by the wicked. The faithful of all ages have pondered the sequence and meaning of the many events prophesied to precede and follow this hinge point of history.

Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it. I wish to speak about the fourth of these great realities: the signs of the Second Coming and what we should do to prepare for it.

The Lord has declared, “He that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man,” signs that will be shown “in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath” (D&C 45:39–40).

Biblical and modern prophecies give many signs of the Second Coming. These include:

1. The fulness of the gospel restored and preached in all the world for a witness to all nations.
2. False Christs and false prophets, deceiving many.
3. Wars and rumors of wars, with nation rising against nation.
4. Earthquakes in divers places.
5. Famine and pestilence.
6. An overflowing scourge, a desolating sickness covering the land.
7. Iniquity abounding.
8. The whole earth in commotion.
9. Men’s hearts failing them.

(See Matt. 24:5–15; JS—M 1:22, 28–32; D&C 45:26–33.)

In another revelation the Lord declares that some of these signs are His voice calling His people to repentance:

“Hearken, O ye nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God who made you. 

While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.

A parable that contains an important and challenging teaching on this subject is the parable of the ten virgins. Of this parable, the Lord said, “And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins” (D&C 45:56).

Given in the 25th chapter of Matthew, this parable contrasts the circumstances of the five foolish and the five wise virgins. All ten were invited to the wedding feast, but only half of them were prepared with oil in their lamps when the bridegroom came. The five who were prepared went into the marriage feast, and the door was shut. The five who had delayed their preparations came late. The door had been closed, and the Lord denied them entrance, saying, “I know you not” (Matt. 25:12). “Watch therefore,” the Savior concluded, “for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 25:13).

...Brothers and sisters, as the Book of Mormon teaches, “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; … the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). Are we preparing?

In His preface to our compilation of modern revelation the Lord declares, “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh” (D&C 1:12).

The Lord also warned: “Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord” (D&C 133:10; see also D&C 34:6).

We are surrounded by challenges on all sides (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9). But with faith in God, we trust the blessings He has promised those who keep His commandments. We have faith in the future, and we are preparing for that future. To borrow a metaphor from the familiar world of athletic competitions, we do not know when this game will end, and we do not know the final score, but we do know that when the game finally ends, our team wins. We will continue to go forward “till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

“Wherefore,” the Savior tells us, “be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom—For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that I come quickly” (D&C 33:17–18).

I testify of Jesus Christ. I testify that He shall come, as He has promised. And I pray that we will be prepared to meet Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Apply

Ask yourself, “What is my plan for the next 5 years? Will it bring me closer to Christ? Will I be found better prepared to meet Him than I am today? How will I prepare myself? How can I help others to better prepare for this time?

Hymns

6- Redeemer of Israel

Children

82-I Wonder When He Comes Again