Monday, December 5, 2016

Signs of His Coming- 3 Nephi 1:8

3 Nephi 1:8
What
 8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for athat 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.

Hel. 14:4 (3–4)
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.

Why
They were looking for the sign of two days and a night when it would not be dark. Then they would know that the Savior was born. The enemies vowed to kill all the believers if the sign did not come so they were being persecuted for their beliefs.

Pattern

Immanuel

God with us. Also spelled Emmanuel. A name-title given in Isa. 7:14 and 8:8 as a sign of God’s deliverance. Alluded to in Micah 5:2–3. Specifically identified by Matthew (Matt. 1:18–25) as a prophecy of Jesus’ birth into mortality. It signifies that Christ as God will be born into mortality of a virgin and will be among the people to save and redeem them. This prophecy received its fulfillment in Christ. The name appears in latter-day revelation in 2 Ne. 17:1418:8D&C 128:22.


 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a adream, saying, Joseph, thou son of bDavid, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the cHoly Ghost.
Matt. 1:
 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his aname BJESUS: for he shall csave his people from their sins.
 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
 23 aBehold, a bvirgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his cname dEmmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his awife:
 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her afirstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

At 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 cleansed. While no man knows exactly when Christ will come for the second time, he has given us signs to watch for that indicate the time is drawing near (Matt. 24JS—M 1).
  • The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father:Matt. 16:27; ( Matt. 25:31; )
  • Of that day and hour knoweth no man, but my Father only:Matt. 24:36; ( D&C 49:7JS—M 1:38–48; )
  • This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven:Acts 1:11;
  • The Lord himself shall descend from heaven:1 Thes. 4:16;
  • The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night:2 Pet. 3:10;
  • The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints:Jude 1:14;
  • He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him:Rev. 1:7;
  • Jesus will stand to judge the world:3 Ne. 27:14–18;
  • Prepare ye, prepare ye, for the Lord is nigh:D&C 1:12;
  • I will reveal myself from heaven with power, and dwell on earth a thousand years:D&C 29:9–12;
  • Lift up your voice and cry repentance, preparing the way of the Lord for his second coming:D&C 34:5–12;
Christ
These prophecies are all about Jesus Christ, His coming and His purposes.
Conference
APRIL 2004 | Preparation for the Second Coming
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

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.

Another sign of the times is the gathering of the faithful (see D&C 133:4). In the early years of this last dispensation, a gathering to Zion involved various locations in the United States: to Kirtland, to Missouri, to Nauvoo, and to the tops of the mountains. Always these were gatherings to prospective temples. With the creation of stakes and the construction of temples in most nations with sizeable populations of the faithful, the current commandment is not to gather to one place but to gather in stakes in our own homelands. There the faithful can enjoy the full 
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).
Apply
I quote again from Elder Oaks
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 forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?
If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them.
We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming. And the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value.”


The signs are constantly all around us. We can watch and prepare ourselves. We can celebrate His birth and bear testimony of Him.
Hymns
203 Angels From On High
201 Joy To The World


Children
82-I Wonder when He Comes Again




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