GPC43: Comments and Resources

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Gospel Principles
Unit 9: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Chapter 43: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Comments and Resources

"But our testimony would not be complete if we did not reaffirm our faith in the second coming of Christ, in the millennium which is to come when he will reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords" (Hugh B. Brown, in Conference Report, Oct. 1960, p. 94).

During the study of this topic, we will learn about some of the events that will take place when the Savior comes again.

Resources
Gospel Principles, chapter 43.
Jesus the Christ, chapter 42.
Topical Guide: Jesus Christ, Second Coming'


Concept 1: Introduction

"Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus and his Apostles were gathered together on the Mount of Olives.  The time had come for Jesus to leave the earth.  He had completed all the work that he had to do at that time.  He was to return to our Heavenly Father until the time of his second coming.

After he had instructed his Apostles, Jesus ascended into heaven.  While the Apostles looked up into the heavens, two angels stood beside them and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go" (Acts 1:11).

From that time until the present day, the followers of Jesus Christ have looked forward to the Second Coming.

Discussion

Why is it important for us to know about the Second Coming?'


Concept 2: What Will Jesus Do When He Comes Again? 

'When Jesus Christ comes again to the earth, he will do the following things:

1.He will cleanse the earth. When Jesus comes again, he will come in power and great glory.  At that time the wicked will be destroyed.  All things that are corrupt will be burned, and the earth will be cleansed by fire (D&C 101:24-25
"24. And every corruptible thing, both of man, or of the beasts of the field, or of the fowls of the heavens, or of the fish of the sea, that dwells upon all the face of the earth, shall be consumed;
 25. And also that of element shall melt with fervent heat; and all things shall become new, that my knowledge and glory may dwell upon all the earth.").


2.He will judge his people (see chapter 46, "The Last Judgment" <http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,11-1-13-58,00.html> ).  When Jesus comes again, he will judge the nations and will divide the righteous from the wicked (Matthew 25:31-46
"31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 
32. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: 
33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 
35. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 
36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? 
38. When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? 
39. Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 
40. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.
41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 
42. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 
43. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 
45. Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me.
46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."). 

John the Revelator wrote about this judgment: "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God . . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."  The wicked he saw "lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:4-5; also D&C 88:95-98;
"95. And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled;
96. And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.
97. And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven--
98. They are Christ's, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.").

3.He will usher in the Millennium. The Millennium is the thousand-year period when Jesus will reign on the earth. At the beginning of this period of time, the righteous will be caught up to meet Jesus at his coming. His coming will begin the millennial reign. (See chapter 44, "The Millennium."  <http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,11-1-13-55,00.html> )

Brigham Young said:

"In the Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is established on the earth in power, glory and perfection, and the reign of wickedness that has so long prevailed is subdued, the Saints of God will have the privilege of building their temples, and of entering into them, becoming, as it were, pillars in the temples of God, and they will officiate for their dead. . . . And we will have revelations to know our fore fathers clear back to Father Adam and Mother Eve, and we will enter into the temples of God and officiate for them.  Then man will be sealed to man until the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there will be a perfect chain of Priesthood from Adam to the winding-up scene" (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 116).


'4.He will complete the Resurrection.  Those who have obtained the privilege of coming forth in the Resurrection of the Just will rise from their graves.  They will be caught up to meet the Savior as he comes down from heaven.

After Jesus Christ rose from the dead, other righteous people who had died were also resurrected. They appeared in Jerusalem and also on the American continent (Matthew 27:52-53; 
"52. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 
53. And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."; 
3 Nephi 23:9 "9 Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them.  And he said unto them: Was it not so?").  This was the beginning of the First Resurrection. Some people have been resurrected since then.  Those who already have been resurrected and those who will be resurrected at the time of his coming will all inherit the glory of the celestial kingdom (D&C 76:50-70
"50. And again we bear record--for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just--
51. They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given--
52. That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;
53. And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.
54. They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.
55. They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things--
56. They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory;
57. And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.
58. Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God--
59. Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
60. And they shall overcome all things.
61. Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet.
62. These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.
63. These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.
64. These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.
65. These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just.
66. These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all.
67. These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn.
68. These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all.
69. These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.
70. These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.").

After the beginning of the Millennium, those who will receive a terrestrial glory will be resurrected (D&C 88:99; "And after this another angel shall sound, which is the second trump; and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ's at his coming; who have received their part in that prison which is prepared for them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to men in the flesh.";
 D&C 76:71-80
"71. And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament.
72. Behold, these are they who died without law;
73. And also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh;
74. Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.
75. These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.
76. These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness.
77. These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father.
78. Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.
79. These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.
80. And now this is the end of the vision which we saw of the terrestrial, that the Lord commanded us to write while we were yet in the Spirit."). 
When all these people have been resurrected, the First Resurrection will be completed.

The wicked who are living at the time of the second coming of the Lord will be destroyed in the flesh. They, along with the wicked who are already dead, will have to wait until the end of the Millennium before they can come forth from their graves.  At the end of the Millennium, the Second Resurrection will take place.  All of the remaining dead will rise to meet God. They will either inherit the telestial kingdom or be cast into outer darkness with Satan (D&C 76:32-33, 
"32. They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;
33. For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity";

D&C 76:81-112
"81. And again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of the lesser, even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the glory of the moon in the firmament.
82. These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.
83. These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit.
84. These are they who are thrust down to hell.
85. These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work.
86. These are they who receive not of his fulness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial;
87. And the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial.
88. And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them; for they shall be heirs of salvation.
89. And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding;
90. And no man knows it except him to whom God has revealed it.
91. And thus we saw the glory of the terrestrial which excels in all things the glory of the telestial, even in glory, and in power, and in might, and in dominion.
92. And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things--where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
93. Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever.
94. They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;
95. And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.
96. And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.
97. And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.
98. And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;
99. For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas.
100. These are they who say they are some of one and some of another--some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch;
101. But received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant.
102. Last of all, these all are they who will not be gathered with the saints, to be caught up unto the church of the Firstborn, and received into the cloud.
103. These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.
104. These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth.
105. These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.
106. These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work;
107. When he shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father, spotless, saying: I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
108. Then shall he be crowned with the crown of his glory, to sit on the throne of his power to reign forever and ever.
109. But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore;
110. And heard the voice of the Lord saying: These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever;
111. For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared;
112. And they shall be servants of the Most High; but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end.").

5. He will take his rightful place as king of heaven and earth. When Jesus comes, he will establish his government on the earth.  The Church will become part of that kingdom.  He will rule all the people of the earth in peace for a thousand years.

When Jesus Christ first came to the earth, he did not come in glory.  He was born in a lowly stable and laid in a manger of hay.  He did not come with great armies as the Jews had expected of their Savior.  Instead, he came saying, "Love your enemies, . . . do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you" (Matthew 5:44).  He was rejected and crucified.  But he will not be rejected at his second coming, "for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess" that Jesus is the Christ (D&C 88:104).  He will be greeted as "Lord of Lords and King of Kings." He will be called "Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

Discussion

Discuss some of the things the Lord will do when he comes the second time.'


Concept 3: How Will We Know When Jesus' Coming Is Near?

'When Jesus was born, very few people knew that the Savior of the world had come.  When he comes again, there will be no doubt who he is.  No one knows the exact time that the Savior will come again. "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36).

The Lord used a parable to give us an idea of the time of his coming:

"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

"So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors" (Mark 13:28-29).

The Lord has also given us some signs to let us know when his coming is near.  After revealing the signs, he cautioned:

"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. . . .

"Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:42-44).

For more information about how we will know when Jesus' second coming is near, see chapter 41, "Signs of the Second Coming."  <http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,11-1-13-52,00.html>

Discussion

Read Mark 13:1-29. How can we know when the Savior's coming is near?'
"1. AND as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings [are here]! 
2. And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 
4. Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? 
5. And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any [man] deceive you: 
6. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am [Christ]; and shall deceive many.
7. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for [such things] must needs be; but the end [shall] not [be] yet.
8. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these [are] the beginnings of sorrows.
9. But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
10. And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
11. But when they shall lead [you], and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
12. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against [their] parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
13. And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14. But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 
15. And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter [therein], to take any thing out of his house: 
16. And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.
17. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 
18. And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
19. For [in] those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
20. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
21. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here [is] Christ; or, lo, [he is] there; believe [him] not: 
22. For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the elect.
23. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 
25. And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
28. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 
29. So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, [even] at the doors."


Concept 4: We Can Be Ready When the Savior Comes

'The best way we can prepare for the Savior's coming is to accept the teachings of the gospel and make them part of our lives.  We should live each day the best we can, just as Jesus taught when he was on the earth.  We can look to the prophet for guidance and follow his counsel.  We can live worthy to have the Holy Ghost guide us.  Then we will look forward to the Savior's coming with happiness and not with fear.  The Lord said: "Fear not, little flock, the kingdom is yours until I come.  Behold, I come quickly.  Even so.  Amen" (D&C 35:27).

Discussion

Matthew 25:1-13. 
"1. THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2. And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish.
3. They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 
4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9. But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

What are some things we can do to be ready when the Savior (the bridegroom) comes again?


Additional Scriptures 

John 14:2-3; Matthew 26:64 (Jesus to prepare a place and come again)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=John+14%3A2-3%3B+Matthew+26%3A64>

Malachi 3:2-3; 4:1; D&C 64:23-25 (earth to be burned)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=Malachi+3%3A2-3%3B+Malachi+4%3A1%3B+D%26C+64%3A23-25&search.x=19&search.y=7>

D&C 133:41-51 (wicked to be destroyed)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=D%26C+133%3A41-51>

Matthew 13:40-43 (the Judgment predicted)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=Matthew+13%3A40-43>

Romans 2:6-9; Revelation 20:12-13 (the Judgment)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=Romans+2%3A6-9%3B+Revelation+20%3A12-13>

1 Corinthians 15:40-42; D&C 78; 88:17-35 (degrees of glory)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=1+Corinthians+15%3A40-42%3B+D%26C+78%3B+D%26C+88%3A17-35&search.x=25&search.y=14>

2 Corinthians 12:2 (a man was caught up to the third heaven)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=2+Corinthians+12%3A2>

D&C 43:29-30; 29:11 (the Savior's coming will usher in the Millennium)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=D%26C+43%3A29-30%3B+D%26C+29%3A11>

Articles of Faith 1:10 (Jesus to reign)
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes;  that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

Alma 11:43-44; Alma 40 (the Resurrection explained)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=Alma+11%3A43-44%3B+Alma+40>

Helaman 14:25 (the dead to rise)
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=Helaman+14%3A25>

Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 11:15; 1 Nephi 22:24-26 (Jesus to reign as King)'
<http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/query?words=Zechariah+14%3A9%3B+Revelation+11%3A15%3B+1+Nephi+22%3A24-26+>


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Moroni 10:4-5
"4. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 
5. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

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