End Times / Eschatology

[stephenpurdy]

How do LDS compare to other Christian faiths?

 

Would you say that we believe in a "post-tribulation rapture"?

 

 

-Stephen

[tagriffy]

No. I'd say LDS are premillenialists with some postmillenialist flavoring.

[Bobbieaware]

How do LDS compare to other Christian faiths?

Would you say that we believe in a "post-tribulation rapture"?

-Stephen

I'm sure you are already aware of the fact there are several verses in the Doctrine & Covenants that indicate the righteous saints will be "caught up" to meet Christ in the air at the time of the Second Coming. While the expression "rapture" is not used in these verses, they do speak to the idea that the deceased faithful believers will be resurrected and lifted off the earth to meet Christ or, in the case of the righteous mortal saints,"changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality" and THEN "caught up" to meet the Lord in the air. Here's just one example from the D&C:

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— (D&C 88)

I believe there is a possibility the false teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture will eventually bring many non-LDS Christians into the LDS fold. Once these Christians realize their leaders led them down the false path of making no preparations for the coming tribulation, and after observing that the Latter-day Saints had the foresight to make preparations for the last days by building Zion communities throughout the world, they will begin to realize the LDS people are led by living prophets of God.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Bobbieaware

[MDalby]

The LDS believe that there will be many tribulations that the Saints will have to endure before the Coming in Glory and the Saints are caught up to meet him.  Satan will make "war with the saints" and the Saints will have to "endure unto the end.".

 

http://LDSLastDays.com

 

 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

(1 Thes 4:17)

 

 96 And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.

(D&C 88:96)

[stephenpurdy]

I believe there is a possibility the false teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture will eventually bring many non-LDS Christians into the LDS fold. Once these Christians realize their leaders led them down the false path of making no preparations for the coming tribulation, and after observing that the Latter-day Saints had the foresight to make preparations for the last days by building Zion communities throughout the world, they will begin to realize the LDS people are led by living prophets of God.

 

 

I have had similar thoughts.   Then I had the funny notion of LDS homes having a "captive audience" , family home evenings and missionary discussions with non-members ...  because those homes are where the supplies are.   Hehe.

 

Do you know what I find very interesting?  The strongly anti-Mormon "Bible Answer Man", Hank Hanegraaff, is actually with the LDS on this one.  http://www.equip.org/eschatology/where-is-the-rapture-taught-in-scripture/

 

(However, obviously we believe in temples working in the restored church and he does not.)

 

But the point is ... I think that you can view Mormons to be pretty much on the "post-tribulation rapture" side of this debate.

 

-Stephen

Edited July 18, 2015 by stephenpurdy

[stephenpurdy]

Do most Mormons agree that one of the principle "tribulations" will be some kind of disease / pestilence that will wipe out large portions of the population?

 

-Stephen

[Sevenbak]

That is certainly a part of LDS teaching, that the cities will be left desolate without inhabitant, to which the returning lost tribes of Israel will then inherit.  

[MDalby]

Do most Mormons agree that one of the principle "tribulations" will be some kind of disease / pestilence that will wipe out large portions of the population?

 

-Stephen

 

 

When wars come we will have to flee to Zion. There will be one pestilence after another until Adam-ondi-Ahman.

I prophesy, that the man who tarries after he has an opportunity of going, will be afflicted by the devil. Wars are at hand: we must not delay; but are not required to sacrifice. We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object. When wars come, we shall have to flee to Zion. The cry is to make haste. The last revelation says, Ye shall not have time to have gone over the earth, until these things come. It will come as did the cholera, war, fires, and earthquakes; one pestilence after another. until the Ancient of Days comes, then judgment will be given to the Saints

(Joseph Smith, HC, 1:315)

 

And now I am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country.

(Joseph Smith, HC, 3:390-391)

 

All we have yet heard and we have experienced is scarcely a preface to the sermon that is going to be preached. When the testimony of the Elders ceases to be given, and the Lord says to them, "Come home; I will now preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth," all you now know can scarcely be called a preface to the sermon that will be preached with fire and sword, tempests, earthquakes, hail, rain, thunders and lightnings, and fearful destruction. What matters the destruction of a few railway cars? You will hear of magnificent cities, now idolized by the people, sinking in the earth, entombing the inhabitants. The sea will heave itself beyond its bounds, engulfing mighty cities. Famine will spread over the nations and nation will rise up against nation, kingdom against kingdom and states against states, in our own country and in foreign lands; and they will destroy each other, caring not for the blood and lives of their neighbors, of their families, or for their own lives.

(Brigham Young, JD 8:123)

 

http://www.ldslastdays.com/default.aspx?page=psc607.htm

Edited July 19, 2015 by MDalby

[stephenpurdy]

1 Nephi 13

 12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

 13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.

 14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.

 15 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.

 16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.

 17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them.

18 And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle.

19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.

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2 Nephi 1:5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

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3 Nephi 16: 10 And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.

 11 And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them.

 12 And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.

 13 But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.

 14 And I will not suffer my people, who are of the house of Israel, to go through among them, and tread them down, saith the Father.

 15 But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel.

 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, thus hath the Father commanded me—that I should give unto this people this land for their inheritance.

 17 And then the words of the prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled, which say:

 18 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion.

 19 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

 20 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.

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28 And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;

 29 But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.

 30 And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

 31 And there shall be men standing in that generation, that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.

 

Isa 28:18 Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.