The Second Coming Won't Happen In Our Lifetime

[Maedros]

I've been thinking of the Second Coming lately and I've concluded that it won't happen in our lifetime, I predict another 100 years or more. Some prophecies are already being fulfilled though like wars and rumours of wars and earthquakes but the world is not fully ripe yet in my view - families are still the fundamental unit in society and people are still very much generally good - if it happened now it would be unfair (I think). The possibility for good is still so great and society is not so evil yet to warrant such mass destruction and loss of life. Also some prophecies allude to the joining of the continents and if that was to happen, I seriously doubt that it will happen within a hundred years or am I just too optimistic or naive to the evils out there?

[Robert F. Smith]

So what then does it mean to be a Latter-day Saint, if we don't really live in the latter-days?

 

Also, have you taken stock of all the Malthusian threats to humanity which may blossom in the near term (this century)?  Can you list some of those with potential to bring major debacles?

Here are some I can list:

 

1. global warming, resulting in

     (a) major flooding of low-lying areas of the planet, including Holland and Bangladesh, in which large populations exist now.

     (b) major drought in large areas over long periods, killing plant, animal, and human life

     © lack of snow pack and glaciers in major mountain chains (Himalayas, Rockies, etc.) resulting in dry rivers, mass death, and war

2. computers smarter than humans, which will take over the planet within 15 years, and exterminate useless humans

3. terrorists obtain weapons of mass destruction (biological and atomic weapons) and use them

4. alien invasion of planet

5. large asteroid collision with Earth

Edited June 8, 2015 by Robert F. Smith

[rodheadlee]

I thought the generation that saw the holocaust and the rebirth of Israel as a nation would not pass away before His 2nd coming.

[Robert F. Smith]

I thought the generation that saw the holocaust and the rebirth of Israel as a nation would not pass away before His 2nd coming.

And you base that on what?  Dead reckoning?

[Maedros]

I thought the generation that saw the holocaust and the rebirth of Israel as a nation would not pass away before His 2nd coming.

 

Exactly, every generation thinks that it will happen in their lifetime but it never does and the factors you mention Robert have to happen increasingly and dramatically to usher in the second coming, president Hinckley in 2001 or 2005 said that "I don't think that at all-consuming cataclysmic even will overtake us, there is still so much of the Lord's work to be done, we and our children after us must do it " So in as much as those things will lead to the Apocalypse I still don't think it will happen in the next 50 years - I think man has to still digress into more wickedness.

[thesometimesaint]

Live your life to the best of your ability so that whether the Lord comes to you or you go to him the result is the same.

Edited June 8, 2015 by thesometimesaint

[Maedros]

"14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." The gospel has not been preached unto all nations yet, so the end will not come yet. The lost tribes must come forth, the New Jerusalem must be build, the war of Armageddon, the city of New York must be destroyed according to Orson Pratt; the temple in Jerusalem must be rebuilt; there's still so much that must happen. 

[Maedros]

Live your life to the best of your ability so that whether the Lord comes to you or you go to him the result is the same.

Of course, we just have to endure to the end of ourselves and that will be good enough now as when the cataclysms do begin - I'm not talking about the spiritual preparation I'm talking about the abomination of desolation and the "great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." Those events will not happen in our lifetime nor the lifetime of the youngest child.

[Robert F. Smith]

Exactly, every generation thinks that it will happen in their lifetime but it never does and the factors you mention Robert have to happen increasingly and dramatically to usher in the second coming, president Hinckley in 2001 or 2005 said that "I don't think that at all-consuming cataclysmic even will overtake us, there is still so much of the Lord's work to be done, we and our children after us must do it " So in as much as those things will lead to the Apocalypse I still don't think it will happen in the next 50 years - I think man has to still digress into more wickedness.

So the hastening of the work isn't increasing fast enough to overtake some things which now take too long?  Missionaries are more and  more communicating with potential converts online through things like Skype, and then turning them over to local missionaries for baptism.  You really underestimate the digital age and the speed with which advanced technology is changing everything.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Robert F. Smith

[JLHPROF]

I've been thinking of the Second Coming lately and I've concluded that it won't happen in our lifetime, I predict another 100 years or more.

 

There is absolutely no way to know that.

Scriptures tell us even the angels in heaven don't know when it will happen, and that people will falsely claim that Christ delayeth his coming.

 

Basing estimates off of scriptural information is the best any of us can do, and nobody has been right yet.

Based on D&C 77 the earth has a temporal life (from Adam & Eve to the Final Judgement) of 7,000 years.  Subtracting the 1000 year millennial reign of Christ that leaves 6000 years from Adam and Eve to the Second Coming/Start of the Millennium.

 

Best estimates put 4000 years from Adam to Christ, and about 2000 years since Christ.  If we measure time from Christ's atoning death and resurrection around AD 33 instead of his birth (which makes more sense to me) we would be looking at somewhere around 2033. But all those dates are still just guesses.  We can't even get our calendars accurate back to Christ.

 

That's as close as we can determine in my opinion.

[Maedros]

You really underestimate the digital age and the speed with which advanced technology is changing everything

Modern technology is definitely playing its part - but here in the developing world its still very slow - the wickedness of the inhabitants of the earth will justify the calamities which will precede the second coming and are the people really all that wicked all over the world, I think not. The scriptures and the prophets are clear on the destruction which will lead to the wars and the abomination of desolation and that time I believe is not yet nor will be in our lifetime.  

[Storm Rider]

Anticipation of the second coming has been prevalent since the time of the first Apostles and disciples of Christ.  The refrain to not seek after signs works for me; the objective is not to seek after them, but to live every day as if it is our last.  We need to be actively engaged in life as a disciple of our Savior.  It matters how we speak to our families, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances; it matters how we act when no one can see us; it matters how we follow the Spirit.  To worry about what actual day is my last is a waste of effort and energy. 

[Maedros]

There is absolutely no way to know that.

Scriptures tell us even the angels in heaven don't know when it will happen, and that people will falsely claim that Christ delayeth his coming.

 

Basing estimates off of scriptural information is the best any of us can do, and nobody has been right yet.

Based on D&C 77 the earth has a temporal life (from Adam & Eve to the Final Judgement) of 7,000 years.  Subtracting the 1000 year millennial reign of Christ that leaves 6000 years from Adam and Eve to the Second Coming/Start of the Millennium.

 

Best estimates put 4000 years from Adam to Christ, and about 2000 years since Christ.  If we measure time from Christ's atoning death and resurrection around AD 33 instead of his birth (which makes more sense to me) we would be looking at somewhere around 2033. But all those dates are still just guesses.  We can't even get our calendars accurate back to Christ.

 

That's as close as we can determine in my opinion.

 

This is very interesting...and its what the general view is but it could equally be possible that that estimation is out by 70 years or more - we haven't reached the height of wickedness yet, the signs are for us and judging by the signs we are not there not by many years - also, there are major events that must happen before that which will take time. People will only say Christ delayeth his coming in a hundred years.

[Maedros]

Anticipation of the second coming has been prevalent since the time of the first Apostles and disciples of Christ.  The refrain to not seek after signs works for me; the objective is not to seek after them, but to live every day as if it is our last.  We need to be actively engaged in life as a disciple of our Savior.  It matters how we speak to our families, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances; it matters how we act when no one can see us; it matters how we follow the Spirit.  To worry about what actual day is my last is a waste of effort and energy. 

I understand what you are saying and it is important to live in the now and not to fear the second coming or seek after signs but the signs are for the elect and if the second coming were something that we refrain from discussing then it wouldn't be the subject of discussion by prophets, we wouldn't be taught it in our manuals. The prophecies are real and they won't all be fulfilled in out lifetime because of "how we speak to our families, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances...how we act when no one can see us...how we follow the Spirit."  

[bluebell]

I've been thinking of the Second Coming lately and I've concluded that it won't happen in our lifetime, I predict another 100 years or more. Some prophecies are already being fulfilled though like wars and rumours of wars and earthquakes but the world is not fully ripe yet in my view - families are still the fundamental unit in society and people are still very much generally good - if it happened now it would be unfair (I think). The possibility for good is still so great and society is not so evil yet to warrant such mass destruction and loss of life. Also some prophecies allude to the joining of the continents and if that was to happen, I seriously doubt that it will happen within a hundred years or am I just too optimistic or naive to the evils out there?

 

Our lesson in sunday school yesterday brought up the fact that we should pray for the 2nd coming, because we have been told that if it were to be delayed to long that no one would remain righteous until the end, eventually all would fall away.

[JLHPROF]

This is very interesting...and its what the general view is but it could equally be possible that that estimation is out by 70 years or more - we haven't reached the height of wickedness yet, the signs are for us and judging by the signs we are not there not by many years - also, there are major events that must happen before that which will take time. People will only say Christ delayeth his coming in a hundred years.

 

God can easily bring to pass all those "major events" in a week if he wanted.

As for "height of wickedness", I hear this claim all the time.  Exactly what wickedness from the days of Noah isn't being done in some way today?  Really not sure what wickedness we are waiting on.

[Tacenda]

Our lesson in sunday school yesterday brought up the fact that we should pray for the 2nd coming, because we have been told that if it were to be delayed to long that no one would remain righteous until the end, eventually all would fall away.

I can't believe this was actually taught in GD, just yesterday!  Yes, maybe in the time of JS when that's all they were thinking about nearly, I'm dumbfounded.  What about the youth?  Now they're going to get it from their parents.  Some young adults, (my nephew by marriage), thinks we have maybe 5 years at best before the world ends.  He isn't pursuing his life's dreams in the same way now.  Whoever put forth that we need to pray for the 2nd coming, is way off base.  That lesson, was perhaps overlooked by the leaders of the church, or if it was ok'd then the leaders are off base.  I know one leader, Boyd K. Packer, that would disagree.  And like I said in another post, it's cultish, IMO.  If we are praying for the Second Coming, aren't we stunting our growth?  Are we concerned with the earth?  Are we concerned about our future?  Or are we trying to bring about the Second Coming by living a law based religion?  Are we leaving it in the hands of the Lord?  What should we do, start a 3rd world war? That might bump it up, set off nuclear attacks?  This is so upsetting to me.   

Edited June 8, 2015 by Tacenda

[ERayR]

This is very interesting...and its what the general view is but it could equally be possible that that estimation is out by 70 years or more - we haven't reached the height of wickedness yet, the signs are for us and judging by the signs we are not there not by many years - also, there are major events that must happen before that which will take time. People will only say Christ delayeth his coming in a hundred years.

 

You obviously do not catch much news.

[ERayR]

I can't believe this was actually taught in GD, just yesterday!  Yes, maybe in the time of JS when that's all they were thinking about nearly, I'm dumbfounded.  What about the youth?  Now they're going to get it from their parents.  Some young adults, (my nephew by marriage), thinks we have maybe 5 years at best before the world ends.  He isn't pursuing his life's dreams in the same way now.  Whoever put forth that we need to pray for the 2nd coming, is way off base.  That lesson, was perhaps overlooked by the leaders of the church, or if it was ok'd then the leaders are off base.  I know one leader, Boyd K. Packer, that would disagree.  And like I said in another post, it's cultish, IMO.  If we are praying for the Second Coming, aren't we stunting our growth?  Are we concerned with the earth?  Are we concerned about our future?  Or are we trying to bring about the Second Coming by living a law based religion?  Are we leaving it in the hands of the Lord?  What should we do, start a 3rd world war? That might bump it up, set off nuclear attacks?  This is so upsetting to me.   

 

Why not praay for Christ to come again?  This time in glory. 

[Maedros]

Our lesson in sunday school yesterday brought up the fact that we should pray for the 2nd coming, because we have been told that if it were to be delayed to long that no one would remain righteous until the end, eventually all would fall away.

That's exactly what it says in Matthew:  22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Accept I've never thought about it that way before, that no one will remain righteous - it stands to reason, I always just thought it referred to loss of life.

[bluebell]

I can't believe this was actually taught in GD, just yesterday! Yes, maybe in the time of JS when that's all they were thinking about nearly, I'm dumbfounded. What about the youth? Now they're going to get it from their parents. Some young adults, (my nephew by marriage), thinks we have maybe 5 years at best before the world ends. He isn't pursuing his life's dreams in the same way now. Whoever put forth that we need to pray for the 2nd coming, is way off base. That lesson, was perhaps overlooked by the leaders of the church, or if it was ok'd then the leaders are off base. I know one leader, Boyd K. Packer, that would disagree. And like I said in another post, it's cultish, IMO. If we are praying for the Second Coming, aren't we stunting our growth? Are we concerned with the earth? Are we concerned about our future? Or are we trying to bring about the Second Coming by living a law based religion? Are we leaving it in the hands of the Lord? What should we do, start a 3rd world war? That might bump it up, set off nuclear attacks? This is so upsetting to me.

I guess I don't understand why this is so upsetting to you. Do you believe the second coming is a bad thing? Would you rather it be put off for as long as possible?

The idea that no one would remain righteous if the second coming was delayed comes from scripture. The world is spiraling into darkness. The second coming will save us from the worst, not bring about the worst.

[Maedros]

I can't believe this was actually taught in GD, just yesterday!  Yes, maybe in the time of JS when that's all they were thinking about nearly, I'm dumbfounded.  What about the youth?  Now they're going to get it from their parents.  Some young adults, (my nephew by marriage), thinks we have maybe 5 years at best before the world ends.  He isn't pursuing his life's dreams in the same way now.  Whoever put forth that we need to pray for the 2nd coming, is way off base.  That lesson, was perhaps overlooked by the leaders of the church, or if it was ok'd then the leaders are off base.  I know one leader, Boyd K. Packer, that would disagree.  And like I said in another post, it's cultish, IMO.  If we are praying for the Second Coming, aren't we stunting our growth?  Are we concerned with the earth?  Are we concerned about our future?  Or are we trying to bring about the Second Coming by living a law based religion?  Are we leaving it in the hands of the Lord?  What should we do, start a 3rd world war? That might bump it up, set off nuclear attacks?  This is so upsetting to me.   

 

This is what I'm thinking, that it will stunt our growth - what about the further advancement of technology for good and the hope for a future for our children - could it really happen so soon when the future shines so brightly in our little ones and our youth? It will come at a time when we doubt the truth of it not when we are expecting it in 18 years - by that time my youngest will be finished with high school. There are still so many good ones among us - despite all the sin there is a lot of good as well. The voice of the people collectively still choose good over evil and because of that such destruction will be unwarranted and unfair - the cataclysmic events will be the purge for wickedness of the people and we are not all that wicked not yet.

[JLHPROF]

That's exactly what it says in Matthew:  22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Accept I've never thought about it that way before, that no one will remain righteous - it stands to reason, I always just thought it referred to loss of life.

 

It makes perfect sense.  The longer a small group attempting to move to a Terrestrial level and eventually a Celestial level is forced to live in a Telestial society the more corruption is going to creep in.  We see it in the Church with more and more members accepting teachings that are popular in the world that have no resemblance to gospel truth.

 

The more we mingle with Babylon the further away we become.  We like to delude ourselves into believing that we are making Babylon more righteous, but in truth it is the exact opposite.

[JLHPROF]

Whoever put forth that we need to pray for the 2nd coming, is way off base.  

 

That would be the Bible and the Savior himself when he taught us to pray that the Father's Kingdom would come to earth.

And Peter when he said that we should be looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.

And John when implored "Come Lord Jesus".

 

That lesson, was perhaps overlooked by the leaders of the church, or if it was ok'd then the leaders are off base.  I know one leader, Boyd K. Packer, that would disagree.  And like I said in another post, it's cultish, IMO. 

 

Pres. Packer was right about not putting off our life because of the 2nd Coming, but declaring that it won't happen soon is no more correct than declaring that it will.  It's probably safe to say it won't happen in his lifetime, but anyone that preaches that it won't happen soon is ignoring scripture by stating "the Lord delayeth" or that "there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

 

If we are praying for the Second Coming, aren't we stunting our growth?  Are we concerned with the earth?  Are we concerned about our future?

 

Actually we are trying to hold off our own decline.  The earth is the Lord's and he has already declared its end.  And our future is Christ's return, not some alternative.

 

 Or are we trying to bring about the Second Coming by living a law based religion?  Are we leaving it in the hands of the Lord?  What should we do, start a 3rd world war? That might bump it up, set off nuclear attacks?  This is so upsetting to me.

 

No, the Second Coming is happening whether we are prepared or not.  We are seeking to be prepared and allowing Babylon to ripen in wickedness as prophesied.  Nothing man can do or not do will change the end events.  We can only pray that God won't allow us to wait too long and be led further astray than we already have.  We are already overgrown by tares.

Edited June 9, 2015 by JLHPROF

[Maedros]

It makes perfect sense.  The longer a small group attempting to move to a Terrestrial level and eventually a Celestial level is forced to live in a Telestial society the more corruption is going to creep in.  We see it in the Church with more and more members accepting teachings that are popular in the world that have no resemblance to gospel truth.

 

The more we mingle with Babylon the further away we become.  We like to delude ourselves into believing that we are making Babylon more righteous, but in truth it is the exact opposite.

This is exactly right - this is what is happening I could just never put it into those words - I really never thought of that verse in this way before...profound.