Richardson Studies on Second Coming

[Stargazer]

23 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

People who are making predictions about the Second Coming like, the Savior Himself?  The Apostle Paul?  Joseph Smith?  Brigham Young?  Orson Pratt?  Spencer W. Kimball?  Ezra Taft Benson?  

Okay.   

You misunderstand. I'm not talking about prophets. I'm talking about private interpretations. I have them, and probably so do you, but I don't believe I have sufficient insight to justify my splashing those interpretations so as to recommend them to all and sundry. 

And I beg leave to doubt that these others can justify their doing so.

That being said, they might have a few valuable ideas. And it's a free country. 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Stargazer

[Kenngo1969]

22 minutes ago, Stargazer said:

You misunderstand. I'm not talking about prophets. I'm talking about private interpretations. I have them, and probably so do you, but I don't believe I have sufficient insight to justify my splashing those interpretations so as to recommend them to all and sundry. 

And I beg leave to doubt that these others can justify their doing so.

That being said, they might have a few valuable ideas. And it's a free country. 

OK.  Sorry for the misunderstanding.  I'll leave it to my readers to determine how well the authors I have cited, and will cite, here preserve context, don't wrest the scriptures, and so on and so forth.  Generally, I believe ... laying aside, for the moment, the issue that all of us "see through a glass, darkly" ... that they do a pretty good job.  Caveat lector.  You decide.  (And I'll add, also, that I heard things about the Second Coming at this morning's General Conference without anyone speaking, explicitly, about the Second Coming.  Was I hallucinating?   Again, you decide.)

[Kenngo1969]

Okay.  This next installment will do it for Elder Gerald N. Lund's The Coming of the Lord.  Still looking for a good free document hosting site for my notes in their entirety.  Scribd, maybe?  I dunno.  Help me out there, if you're so inclined.  Next up, I read Hoyt W. Brewster's Behold, I Come Quickly.  Not as in-depth as Bro. Lund's, but still has some interesting, worthwhile things to say.  More prone, I think, to speculation, and somewhat dated (it was written in 1994) ("Desolating scourge?  Definitely AIDS!")  From what I understand, though, if you're a virologist, certainly, I welcome correction, is that while AIDS hasn't been cured, antivirals can eliminate (?) risk of transmission and/or reduce someone's viral load to near zero/subclinical levels.  My $0.02?  Is AIDS a "desolating scourge"?  No, but it's certainly bad enough.  Is COVID-19 a "desolating scourge"?  Again, probably not, but, again, it's certainly bad enough.  His chapters are neither as long nor as detailed as Bro. Lund's.  The book is about the same length as Bro. Lund's, but contains more than twice as many chapters.  Frankly, if I hadn't seen it at Deseret Industries ($1.50?!  Boy, that sure broke the bank! ) I might not have sprung for it.  But I didn't think buying it was a total waste of that $1.50 or that reading it was a total waste of that week or two. Stay tuned!  Here's Bro. Lund's denouement.  

XII. ANXIETY . . . OR ANTICIPATION?

A. Calamities to Come—If They’re Not Already Here – Coming 217-218

1. “[H]ailstorms so widespread that the crops of the earth are destroyed” D&C 29:16

2. “[E]arthquakes so powerful that even the heavens tremble” D&C 84:118

3. “[P]lagues so terrible that men’s flesh will fall from their bones, and their yes from their sockets” D&C 29:18-19

4. “[T]hunders so loud that they reach to the very ends of the earth” D&C 43:21

5. “[B]lood, and fire, and vapors of smoke” D&C 45:41

6. “[T]imes so frightening that men’s hearts shall fail them” D&C 88:91

7. “[A] presence so brilliant that the sun hides its face in shame” D&C 133:49

8. “[T]he elements melt with fervent heat” D&C 101:24-25

9. “[T]he waters boil and the mountains fall down in the face of that presence” D&C 133:41, 44

B. Why We Should “Be Not Troubled,” Calamities Notwithstanding

1. Christ’s Answer: We Can Anticipate His Coming – “Be not troubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made to you shall be fulfilled . . . Even so it shall be in that day when they shall see all these things, then shall they know that the hour is nigh. And it shall come to pass that 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.” Doctrine & Covenants 45:35, 38-39, at Coming 218, ellipses in original.

2. Elder Marion G. Romney’s Answer: We May Have Part Coming Events – “Not only do I hope that we are familiar with these coming events, I hope that we keep the vision of them continually before our minds. This I do because upon a knowledge of them, and an assurance of their reality and a witness that each of us may have part therein, rests the efficacy of Christ’s admonition, ‘be not troubled. . . .’” Elder Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, October, 1966, 51- 52, italics removed, ellipses in Bro. Lund’s original at Coming 219.

3. Bro. Lund’s Answer: Signs are the Lord’s Assurance That He Will Fulfill His Promises – “The Lord instructed his disciples that when they saw all of these things which he had fortold come to pass then they would know that his coming was near and he would shortly fulfill his promises to them. It is faith in the fulfillment of these prophecies that allows one to ‘be not troubled,’ for the Lord has abundantly promised that through all of the strife and turmoil, he shall prevail and conquer at last. And with him in that conquest shall be those who have qualified as saints of the Most High God.” Coming 219.

4. How to Respond to Calamities: John Taylor – “[T]hese things are in the hands of God, he dictates the affairs of the human family, and directs and controls our affairs; and the great thing that we, as a people, have to do is to seek after and cleave unto our God, to be in close affinity with him and to seek for his guidance, and his blessing and Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in the right path. Then it matters not what it is nor who it is that we have to contend with, God will give us strength according to our day.” Coming 220, quoting John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 18, p, 281, November 5, 1876.

C. The Lord Protects His Own

1. Wilford Woodruff: Whence Protection? – “Can you tell me where the people are who will be shielded and protected from these great calamities and judgments . . . ? I’ll tell you. The priesthood of God who honor their priesthood and who are worthy of their blessings are the . . . ones who shall have this safety and protection.” Wilford Woodruff, “The Temple Workers’ Excursion,” The Young Women’s Journal, August 1894 512, ellipses added, quoted at Coming 221.

a. I Think Elder Woodruff’s Assurance of Protection Needs Some Caveats – For just a few of many examples:

i. Romans 8:28: Whatever happens to us—good or bad—if we are faithful, the Lord will ensure that it works for our good

ii. Matthew 5:45: “He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust”

iii. Daniel 3:17-18: “[O]ur God whom we serve is able to deliver

us”; “But if not”

iv. Matthew 10:28: “Fear not them which kill the body”; “[F]ear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell”

v. Job 19:28: “Though skin worms”—or anything else—“destroy this body, I know that in my flesh I shall see God”

D. The Last Days: A Choice Blessing

1. Will Our Progeny Regard Us With the Same Reverence that We Regard the Pioneers? – Will those who look back on the faithful who lived through the Last Days regard them with the same reverence that we regard the Pioneers for bearing up under all they endured? See Coming 223.

2. How Might We Participate in These Great Events? – Might we be among those privileged to build the Temple in Zion? To help build Zion otherwise? To have a special guest for dinner, at Family Home Evening, or in a Temple session? To witness the return of the Lost Ten Tribes, to meet and converse with them? To participate in the council at Adam-Ondi-Ahman? To be among the 144,000 missionary high priests? To see the face of the Lord? See Coming 224-225.

3. Future Generations Will Call Us Blessed – “Our name will be handed down to future ages; our children will rise up and call us blessed; and generations yet unborn will dwell with particular delight upon the scenes that we have passed through, the privations that we have endured; the untiring zeal that we have manifested; the all but insurmountable difficulties that we have overcome in laying the foundation of a work that brought about the glory and blessing which they will realize.” Joseph Smith, Documentary History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp. 609, 610, May 2, 1842, italics removed, at Coming 225.

E. Those Counted Worthy to Stand

1. The Worthy Will Stand – To withstand the trials that will come upon us in the last days, we must be worthy. See Coming 226-227.

2. The Five Who Are Wise – Remember the Parable of the Ten Virgins: Do you have sufficient oil for your lamp? “Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25:1-13. See Coming 227-228.

a. How Do We Get the Oil We Need? – Coming 228, quoting Doctrine and Covenants 45:56-57

i. Be wise

ii. Receive the truth

iii. Take the Holy Spirit for our guide

iv. Be not deceived

3. Unshakable Testimony Required – Elder Harold B. Lee warned that only an unshakable testimony of the divinity of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would allow one to withstand the trials of the last days. Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, October, 1950 129, quoted at Coming 228.

4. Anxiously Prepare to Withstand the Signs, Don’t Be Anxious to See the Signs – Don’t be anxious to see the signs of the times, be anxious in preparing to withstand the signs of the times. See Coming 228-229.

5. Four—Actually Five—Steps to Prepare for the Second Coming and the Millennium: Harold B. Lee – Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, October 1956 61-62 at Coming 229.

a. Learn “the personality and the nature of God and his son, Jesus Christ”

b. “[A]ccept the divinity of the mission of Jesus as the Savior of the world”

c. “[B]e cleansed and purified and sanctified to be made worthy to receive and abide that holy presence”

d. “[A]ccept the divine mission of the prophet Joseph Smith as the instrumentality through which the restoration of the gospel and the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ was accomplished”

e. Heed the prophet’s words as though they had come from the Lord’s own mouth: 5^th step – President Harold B. Lee, “Uphold the Hands of the President of the Church,” The Improvement Era, December 1970 126, italics removed, at Coming 230.

F. “If Ye Are Prepared, Ye Shall Not Fear”

1. Don’t Fear, Prepare – If the primary emotion we feel when contemplating the Second Coming is fear, perhaps we should examine our relationship with the Savior: “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear”—Doctrine and Covenants 38:30 at Coming 230.

2. Elder John A. Widtsoe’s Counsel for Overcoming Fear Relating to Last Days – Coming 231, citation unclear.

a. Fear is borne of weakness and sin

b. “Many a blessing is withheld because of our fears”

c. The key to overcoming fear is to trust God more than we trust man

d. Righteous living is the way to banish fear

e. We must have trust, faith, hope, and charity

f. Remember Christ’s promise: “Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord God am with you, and will stand by you” (D&C 68:6)

[Stargazer]

4 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

OK.  Sorry for the misunderstanding.  I'll leave it to my readers to determine how well the authors I have cited, and will cite, here preserve context, don't wrest the scriptures, and so on and so forth.  Generally, I believe ... laying aside, for the moment, the issue that all of us "see through a glass, darkly" ... that they do a pretty good job.  Caveat lector.  You decide.  (And I'll add, also, that I heard things about the Second Coming at this morning's General Conference without anyone speaking, explicitly, about the Second Coming.  Was I hallucinating?   Again, you decide.)

I think we hear things about the SC every General Conference, without it being mentioned directly. You weren't hallucinating.

[Kenngo1969]

Hoyt W. Brewster (1994) Behold, I Come Quicky, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book

PREFACE

A. WATCH AND BE READY

1. Bishop Glenn L. Pace: We Must Be Participants, Not Spectators, in the Winding Up Scene – “We need to overcome fatalism. We know the prophecies of the future. We know the final outcome. We know the world collectively will not repent and consequently the last days will be filled with much pain and suffering. Therefore, we could throw up our hands and do nothing but pray for the end to come so the millennial reign could begin. To do so would forfeit our right to participate in the grand event we are all awaiting. We must all become players in the winding up scene, not spectators. We must do all we can to prevent calamities, and then do everything possible to assist and comfort the victims of tragedies that do occur. Glenn L. Pace, Ensign, November 1990 8, at Quickly, unnumbered page immediately preceding table of contents.

2. Patience in Tribulation – “Be patient in tribulation until I come. And behold, I come quickly.” Doctrine and Covenants 54:10 at Quickly, unnumbered page immediately preceding table of contents.

3. The Last Days: A Trying Yet Wonderful Time

a. The Last Days: A Trying Time – “The last days [are] a time filled with cataclysmic events and marvelous heavenly manifestations. That we are already living in such a time seems validated by the daily diety of increasing calamities and catastrophes fed to us by the news media.” Quickly xix.

b. The Last Days: A Wonderful Time – The last days are a time not only of “disasters and distresses”, but also of “marvelous blessings and wonderful events.” Quickly xix.

c. Elder Neal A. Maxwell Contrasts the Two – “Yes, there will be wrenching polarization on this planet, but also the remarkable reunion with our colleagues in Christ from the City of Enoch. Yes, nation after nation will become a house divided, but more and more unifying Houses of the Lord will grace this planet. Yes, Armageddon lies ahead, but so does Adam-Ondi-Ahman!” Ensign, November 1981 10 at Quickly xix.

4. President Joseph Fielding Smith: We May Rejoice, Even Absent Prospects for Immediate External Peace – “Trouble in the earth will continue; there will be distress, calamity, and perplexity among the nations. [¶] We need not look for [external] peace in the immediate future because peace will not come. Nevertheless, we may look forward with rejoicing; we need not be downcast, but in the spirit of faith and hope, and in the fear of the Lord, we should look to the future with feelings of joy, of humility, and of worship, with the desire in our hearts, stronger if possible than ever, of serving the Lord and keeping his commandments, for the day of his coming draws near.” Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation Vol 3, pp. 51-52 at Quickly xx, bracketed material added.

5. Elder M. Russell Ballard: Jesus Christ is Our Hope – Living in these difficult times . . . requires each one of us to maintain a positive, hopeful perspective about the future. . . . [¶] My message to you today, my brothers and sisters, is simply this: the Lord is in control. He knows the end from the beginning. He has given us adequate instruction that, if followed, will see us safely through any crisis. His purposes will be fulfilled, and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all of these events. Therefore, today we must be careful to not overreact, nor should we be caught up in extreme preparations, but what we must do is keep the commandments of God and never lose hope! [¶] But where do we find hope in the midst of such turmoil and catastrophe? Quite simply, our one hope for spiritual safety during these turbulent times is to turn our minds and our hearts to Jesus Christ. (Ensign, November 1992 31, 32).” Quickly xxi, ellipses in original.

[Kenngo1969]

I. WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED ABOUT THE SECOND COMING

A1. Chapter 1: Alarmists and False Prophets

1. Tragedy in Texas

a. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians: an Example of a False Prophet and of Priestcraft – See Quickly 3-4. See also Matthew 24:3-8: “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” Nephi defined priestcraft: “priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.” 2 Nephi 26:29. Another definition I have heard: Priest-hood says “Follow Christ.” Priest-craft says “Follow me.”

2. False Expectations

a. Other Examples of False Prophets and Their Followers: Addam Swapp and John Singer – The former revered the latter as a prophet and hoped to bring about his resurrection by bombing a Church of Jesus Christ meetinghouse in Marion UT in 1988. See Quickly 4.

b. Some “Look Beyond the Mark” (My Phrase) – Since the ascension recorded in Acts 1:11, people have awaited Christ’s return. “Many . . . expectant people have sold their homes or forsaken their jobs, and even their families to follow false prophets and teachers into the mountains, wilderness, or faraway places in anticipation of these long-awaited events.” Quickly 4, ellipses added.

c. How Soon? Soon—But Not Too Soon – Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that we should not prematurely expect the second coming by overemphasizing some prophecies while neglecting others. See Quickly 5 and Ensign, May 1988 7.

3. False Prophets

a. Foolish or Wise? – Am I like a foolish virgin who says, “He delayeth his coming,” thus failing to keep my lamp ready? See Quickly 5 and Matthew 24:48, 25:1-13.

b. Elder Delbert L. Stapley: Be Alert to Counter Satan’s Schemes – “Satan is stirring up the hearts of men to do iniquity continually; and to thwart, if possible, faith in the great event of Christ’s second coming to earth, which I testify is sure to come to pass. Satan is alert and active. We must be more alert and perceptive of the false and insincere schemes”—or of the sincere-but-mistaken schemes of the sincere-but- unwitting—“of his agents among us.” Quickly 5, quoting Delbert L. Stapley, Conference Report, October 1961 22.

c. Accuracy More Important Than Sincerity – “No matter how well- intentioned or sincere another person may appear to be, we should always be careful about placing our temporal or spiritual welfare in his or her hands.” Quickly 6.

4. Beware of Priestcrafts

a. False Prophets’ Motives – “False prophets and teachers are usually motivated by the desire for either some tangible gain (usually monetary) or praise and popularity.” Quickly 6.

b. False Prophets’ Motives: Elder Dallin H. Oaks – “[A] man or woman might serve in Church positions or in private acts of mercy in an effort to achieve prominence or cultivate contacts that would income or aid in acquiring wealth. Others might serve in order to obtain worldly honors.” Quickly 6, quoting Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Conference Report, October 1984 14.

c. Follow the Prophet, Not the Profit – “When one without authority purports to speak for the Lord or His church in promoting products or philosophies for personal gain, we simply say, ‘Let the buyer beware!’ Follow the Lord’s true prophet rather than the profit seeker.” Quickly 6- 7.

d. Beware “Special” Revelation: Elder Boyd K. Packer – “Claims of special revelation or secret authority from the Lord or from the Brethren are false on the face of them and really utter nonsense!” Quickly 7, quoting Elder Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, May 1985 34.

e. Beware the Counterfeit to the Real Thing: Elder Boyd K. Packer – “There is safety in learning doctrine in gatherings which are sponsored by proper authority. Some members, even some who have made covenants in the temple, are associating with groups of one kind or another which have an element of secrecy about them and which pretend to have some higher source of inspiration concerning the fulfillment of prophecies than do ward or stake leaders or the General Authorities of the Church. Know this: There are counterfeit revelations which , we are warned, ‘if possible . . . shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant.’ (JS-M 1:22.).” Quickly 7, quoting Elder Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, November 1991 21, ellipses in original.

5. Follow the Duly Designated Leaders

a. Revelation Occurs Only Within Stewardships – People don’t receive revelation for those outside their own stewardships. For example, a ward member does not receive revelation for the bishop, and a stake member does not receive revelation for the stake president. Joseph Smith said, “It is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves [sic]; therefore, you will see the impropriety of giving heed to them; but if any person have a vision or a visitation from a heavenly messenger, it must be for his own benefit and instruction.” Quickly 8-9, quoting Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith 21.

b. One Who Claims or Seeks Revelation Outside Designated Channels is Liable to be Misled: Joseph F. Smith – “We can accept nothing as authoritative but that which comes directly through the appointed channel, the constituted organizations of the Priesthood, which is the channel that God has appointed through which to make known His mind and will to the world. . . . [¶] And the moment that individuals look to any other source, that moment they throw themselves open to the seductive influences of Satan[.]” Quickly 9, partially quoting Joseph F. Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 24, pp. 188-190, ellipses added.

c. No One is Ordained, Anointed, or Appointed in Secret – “[I]t shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church. Doctrine and Covenants 42:11 at Quickly 9.

[Kenngo1969]

B1. Chapter 2: The Timing of the Second Coming

1. “No Man Knoweth” – “I, the Lord God, have spoken it;”—therefore, we know the Second Coming is certain to occur—“but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes.” Doctrine and Covenants 49:7, quoted at Quickly 11.

2. The Restitution of All Things

a. “He Shall Send Jesus Christ” – “Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out . . . and he shall send Jesus Christ [the second time], which before was preached to you: Whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-

21 at Quickly 11, italics removed and bracketed material in original.

i. Apostasy Implied – Bro. Brewster points out that something cannot be the subject of restitution unless, first, it has been removed. Thus, this scripture implies that an apostasy will occur. See Quickly 11.

ii. Apostasy to Precede Second Coming – “That day”—the Second Coming—“shall not come except there come a falling away first.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 at Quickly 11.

iii. The Restoration Through the Prophet Joseph Smith – See Doctrine and Covenants 13:1, 20:1, 27:8, 12; 115:4 at Quickly 12.

3. Another Testament of Jesus Christ is Revealed – The coming forth of the Book of Mormon, as another testament of Jesus Christ, marked the opening of the heavens and the resumption of divine revelation to man (part of the “restitution of all things”). See Quickly 12.

4. The Messenger to Precede the Messiah’s Coming: Moroni’s Appearance to Joseph Smith Heralded the Fulfillment of a Prophecy in Malachi – When the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith he “first quoted from [Malachi 3 and 4]. (See JS-H 1:36-39). This Old Testament Prophet foretold of a messenger who would be sent to prepare the way before the Lord, who Himself ‘shall suddenly come to his temple.’ (Malachi 3:1.)” John the Baptist came and bestowed the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. See Doctrine and Covenants 13. Quickly 13.

5. Elijah the Prophet’s Return – Malachi also foretold the return of “Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. (Malachi 4:5).” This prophecy was fulfilled when Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836, delivering Priesthood keys to him. See also Doctrine and Covenants 110:13-16. Quickly 13-14.

6. An Ensign to the Nations – Malachi also quoted Isaiah 11 to Joseph. “Verse twelve tells of an ‘ensign to the for the nations’ that shall be set up and to which the outcasts of Israel shall be gathered. This ensign is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[.]” Quickly 14.

7. Those Who Will Be Cut Off: Those Who Will Not Hear the Lord’s Voice – “In a . . . revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1831, the Lord declared that’the arm of the Lord shall be revealed, and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people.’ (D&C 1:14).” Quickly 15, ellipses added.

8. Joel’s Prophecy of the Last Days: Joel 2:28-32 – “Wonders in the Heavens and in the Earth” – “Do we not see airships of various kinds traveling through the heavens daily? Have we not had signs in the earth and through the earth with the radio, railroad trains, automobiles, submarines and satellites, and in many other ways? There are yet to be great signs; the heavens are to be shaken, the sign of the Son of Man is to be given; and then shall the tribes of the earth mourn.” Quickly 16, quoting (in part) Joseph Fielding Smith, Take Heed to Yourselves 428-429.

9. Nearness of Second Coming

a. Doctrine of Second Coming Integral to Restoration – “That the doctrine of the Second Coming is integral to the restored gospel is underscored by the fact that twelve times between October 1830 (see D&C 33: 18) and July 1837 (see D&C 112:34), the Lod declared ‘I come quickly!’ On other occasions he spoke of his coming as being ‘soon at hand.’ (D&C 29:9).” Quickly 16.

b. The Earth’s Saturday Evening: Elder Orson F. Whitney – Approximately four millennia “had passed before Christ was crucified; while nearly” two millennia “have gone by since. Consequently . . . we stand . . . in the Saturday Evening of Time[.] Is it not a time for thought, a season for solemn meditation? Morning will break upon the Millennium, the thousand years of peace, the Sabbarth of the World! ([Elder Orson F. Whitney], Saturday Night Thoughts, Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1921 12)” at Quickly 16-17, ellipses and bracketed material added.

c. “No Man Knoweth” – Speaking of the exact timing of His return, the Savior said, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my father only.” Matthew 24:36, quoted at Quickly 17.

10. Prepared, We Need Not Fear

a. Gordon B. Hinckley: We Need Not Fear His Coming – “Let us . . . live each day so that if the Lord does come while we are yet upon the earth we shall be worthy of that change which will occur as in the twinkling of an eye and under which we we shall be changed from mortal to immortal beings. And if we should die before he comes, then—if our lives have conformed to his teachings—we shall arise in that resurrection morning and be partakers of the marvelous experiences designed for those who shall live and work with the savior in that promised Millennium. . . . (“We Need Not Fear His Coming,” 1979 Devotional Speeches of the Year, Provo [UT]: Brigham Young University Press 83).” Quoted at Quickly 19, ellipses and bracketed material added.

b. Spencer W. Kimball: Parable of the Ten Virgins Refers to Members of the Church – “I believe the Ten Virgins represent the people of the Church of Jesus Christ . . . All of the virgins, wise and foolish had accepted the invitation to the wedding supper; they had knowledge of the program and had been warned of the important day to come. They were not the gentiles or the heathens or the pagans, nor were they necessarily corrupt and reprobate, but they were knowing people who were foolishly unprepared for the vital happenings that were to affect their eternal lives.” Quickly 19-20, quoting, in part, Elder Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Preceeds the Miracle, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972 253-54, ellipses added.

c. Bruce R. McConkie: The Day of Christ’s Coming is Set, and Can Neither Be Hastened by Righteousness Nor Delayed by Wickedness: Those Attuned to Spirit Can Read the Signs of the Times – “The appointed day” of the Savior’s Second Coming “can be neither advanced nor delayed. It will come at the decreed moment, chosen before the foundations of the earth were laid, and it can be neither hastened by righteousness nor put off by wickedness.” Elder McConkie goes on to say that “all men may read the signs of the times, and those whose souls are attuned to the things of the Spirit know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the door. But they also know there are many things yet to be done before earth’s rightful King comes to change the kingdoms of this world into the kingdom of our God and of his Christ.” Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith 591, at Quickly 21, transitions between quotations added.

i. My Own Reflection: We Should Succumb Neither to Alarmism Nor to Complacency – We should succumb neither to alarmism nor to complacency. We should simply do our best to prepare. Thus, we will be ready whenever the Savior comes.

d. Events that Must Occur Before the End of the World – Per Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Quickly 21-22

i. The return to Jackson County MO

ii. The building of a temple there

iii. The building of a temple in Old Jerusalem

iv. The full return of Judah to Israel

v. The gospel preached to all the world

vi. The return of the lost tribes

vii. The gathering of prophets to Adam-Ondi-Ahman

viii. The raising up of two great prophets to minister to Israel

ix. The Battle of Armageddon

x. The sun darkened, moon turned to blood, stars fall form the heavens, and many other wonders and signs

[Kenngo1969]

II. COMMOTION, CONSPIRACIES, AND CONTENTION

A2. Chapter 3: The Elements in Commotion

1. God Will Use the Forces of Nature to Testify – “For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes. . . . And also comth the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And All things shall be in commotion.” Quickly 25 quoting Doctrine and Covenants 88:89-91, ellipses in Bro. Brewster’s original.

2. Disasters of Nature – Times when God has used the forces of nature to express his displeasure (Quickly 25)

a. In Noah’s Time – See Genesis 6 and 7

b. Before the Savior Came to the Americas – 3 Nephi 8

i. The People in the Book of Mormon Knew What the Destruction Was All About – “O, that we had repented before this great and terrible day.” 3 Nephi 8:24, quoted at Quickly 26.

3. Earthquakes in Diverse Places

a. Christ Predicted Earthquakes: Matthew 24:7 – “There shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. [S]ee also Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11; JS-M 1:29). This declaration is repeated in a revelation given in 1831 (see D&C 45:33) and was mentioned by the ancient prophet Moroni as one of the signs of the last days.” Quickly 26.

b. Isaiah Predicted Earthquakes – “The writings of Isaiah as revealed in the Book of Mormon warn that the Lord would visit the wicked with earthquakes. See 2 Nephi 27:1-2; compare Isaiah 29:6.” Quickly 26.

c. Elder Melvin J. Ballard: “God is Speaking Through the Elements” – “God is speaking through the elements. The earthquakes, the sea heaving itself beyond its bounds, bringing such dire destruction as we have seen are the voice of God crying repentance to this generation, a generation that only in part has heeded the warning voice of the servants of the Lord (Conference Report, October 1923 31).” Quickly 26.

d. When Disasters Strike a Wide Area, Righteous Not Necessarily Spared – “It is well to add a caution here. The impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes general affects an entire population of an area, and one must be careful about judging the victims of such disasters.” Quickly 26.

i. Ezra Taft Benson: The Saints Not to be Spared – “Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they somehow will be set aside because of the righteousness of the saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion. (Ensign, November 1980 34).” Quickly 27.

4. Earth Movements During the Millennium

a. Earthquake to Cleave Mount of Olives at the Beginning of the Millennium – “The Doctrine and Covenants refers to a time when the ‘earth shall . . . reel to and fro’ like a drunkard. (45:48; 49:23; 88:87). These citations [refer to] the Millennium, in that at least two great shakings of the earth will occur in this time period: one at the beginning of the thousand years and one at the conclusion. . . . When the Savior stands on the Mount of Olives, it will be . . . when the Jewish people are about to be destroyed. At this moment, a great earthquake will cleave to the mount in twain . (See Zechariah 14:4; Revelation 11:13; 16:17-20; D&C 45:48).” Joseph Fielding Smith points out that this earthquake will be felt worldwide, not only at Jerusalem. Quickly 28, ellipses added.

b. “Earth Shall Remove Out of Her Place” (Isaiah 13:13) at End of Millennium – This will occur “as a prelude to [the earth] becoming a celestial sphere.” Quickly 28-29.

5. Thunderings, Lightnings, and Tempests

a. Brigham Young: The Lord Will Call His Missionaries Home, and Will Preach His Own Sermons – President Young prophesied that “the testimony of the Elders [would] cease[ ] to be given” and that “the Lord [would] say[ ] to them, ‘Come home. I will now preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth.’” President Young prophesied that the Lord’s “sermons” would consist of “fire, sword, tempests, earthquakes, hail, rain, thunders and lightnings, and fearful destruction,” and that “the faithful of God’s people will see days that will cause them to close their eyes because of the sorrow that will come upon the wicked nations. The hearts of the faithful will be filled with pain and anguish for them. [Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 123].” Quickly 30, bracketed material added.

6. Destruction by Waters – “Behold, I, the Lord in the beginning blessed the waters; but in the last days, by the mouth of my servant John, I cursed the waters. Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters. (D&C 61:5, 14-15).” Quickly 31.

a. Possibilities for “Destruction by Waters” – See Quickly 31.

i. Floods, hurricanes, and typhoons

ii. Mines, missiles, and submarines

iii. Contaminated water

A. John the Revelator said that the waters would be contaminated by wormwood, an extremely bitter plant. (See Revelation 8:8-11).

7. Volcanic Eruptions: Signs in the Heavens – “Ash and heat spewed into the atmosphere have altered the jet streams [sic] and have had significant impact on where and when moisture has fallen. Certainly these are signs in the heavens.” Quickly 32.

a. Fire and Vapors of Smoke and “Thick Darkness” Volcanic in Origin? – “The Apostle John saw ‘a great mountain burning with fire [being] cast into the see’ in the last days. (Revelation 8:8). The Savior spoke of one of the signs of His coming being ‘fire and vapors of smoke.’ (D&C 45:41.) . . . [I]t seems probable that much of the destruction brought upon the ancient Nephite civilization at the time of Christ’s crucifixion was volcanic in origin. For example, the ‘thick darkness’ that came upon the land following the violent storms and upheavals of the earth might well have been volcanic cloud and ash. No light could penetrate those ‘mists of darkness.’ (3 Nephi 8:20-23.)” Quickly 32.

b. Mount Tambora Eruption (1815) – “On . . . April 10, the whole mountain exploded. Three fiery plumes shot skyward, merging into one massive blast. Liquid fire flowed down the mountainside, enveloping the village at its base. Whirlwinds raged through the region, pulling up trees and sweeping away homes [footnote omitted]. [¶] The chaos continued all that night and into the next. Ash blanketed miles of land and sea, piling two feet high in places. Midday felt like midnight. Rough seas heaved over shorelines, spoiling crops and drowning villages. For weeks, Tambora rained cinders, stone, and fire [footnote omitted]. . . .” The volcano’s ash had deadly effects “as it circled the earth. In the coming year the weather turned unpredictable and devastating [footnote omitted]. [¶] The eruption caused temperatures in india to drop, and cholera killed thousands, destroying families. In fertile Chinese valleys, summer snowstorms replaced a normally mild climate and flooding rains destroyed crops. In Europe, food supplies dwindled, leading to starvation and panic [footnote omitted]. The eruption of Tambora affected weather in North America through the following year. Spring gave way to snowfall and killing frosts, and 1816 passed into memory as the year without a summer [footnote omitted].” Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter-days, (2018), Vol. 1, pp. 3-4, 5 Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ellipses, transition, and bracketed material added.

8. Great Hailstorms, Fire, and Brimstone

a. Hail Destroys Crops – “Modern revelation speaks of ‘a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.’ (D&C 29:16.)” Quickly 33.

b. A “Talent” of Hail – “John the Revelator saw ‘a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent.’ (Revelation 16:21.)” Quickly 33.

c. “Pestilence, Blood, Rain, Hailstones, Fire, and Brimstone” – “Speaking of Gog, the enemy of God, the prophet Ezekiel proclaims: ‘And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.’ (Ezekiel 38:22).” Quickly 33.

9. Famine and Drought

a. Famine a Sign of God’s “Wrath and Indignation” – “Famine has been prophesied as one of the disasters of the last days. The Savior said ‘there shall be famines, and pestilences.’ (Matthew 24:7.) The Lord uses famine as one of the means whereby ‘the inhabitants of the earth [are] made to fee the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God.’ (D&C 87:6). The ‘voice of famines and pestilences of every kind calls the nations of the earth to hear the words of God and his servants. (See D&C 43:23-25).” Quickly 34.

b. Bruce R. McConkie: No Promise of Safety, Security Except for Those Who Love & Obey the Lord – “We do not say that all of the Saints [of the last days] will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say that there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and also are seeking to do all that he commands. (Ensign, May 1979 93)” Quickly 35, bracketed material in original.

c. Spencer W. Kimball: The Lord Uses Famine to Discipline – “The Lord uses the weather sometimes to discipline his people for the violation of his laws. He said to the children of Israel: ‘If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them, then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: . . . neither shall the sword go through your land.’ (Lev. 26:3-6). . . . Perhaps the day has come when we should take stock of ourselves and see if we are worthy to ask, or if we have been breaking the commandments, making ourselves unworthy [to receive] the blessings. (Ensign, May 1977 4).” Quickly 34-35, first set of ellipses in original, second set of ellipses added.

d. M. Russell Ballard: God is In Charge of the Elements – Elder Ballard and Bishop Glenn L. Pace visited Ethiopia when it was experiencing severe drought. He related, “I knew that if we called upon the Lord to bless the land, the elements would be tempered. We prayed, brethren, for rain. During the balance of the time we were in Ethiopia it rained every day wherever we traveled. We were grateful to our Heavenly Father because the rain was a special witness to us that he was aware that his sons, bearing his holy priesthood, were about his business in that part of the world. (Ensign, May 1985 41).” Quickly 36. Note: If I remember correctly, a Church-wide fast was held that year to petition the Lord to relieve the African famine.

10. The Hurricane of Disobedience

a. Spiritual Death is the Greatest Disaster – “Mankind can survive all forms of natural disaster: houses can be rebuilt, bones can be mended, supplies can be replenished. And even where death has occurred, there is the hope—even the absolute reality—of resurrection and of life beyond the grave. But to lose one’s faith and turn from the ways of the Prince of Peace to the wickedness of the master of misery is a disaster of eternal consequences.” Quickly 37.

[Kenngo1969]

Okay, here's the scoop, troop!

I realize I need to get the next installment of Brother Brewster's Behold, I Come Quickly: The Last Days and Beyond up, but I was also looking for someplace else which would host the documents containing my notes in their entirety.  I didn't know what would happen if I tried to slap an almost-50-page document up on my blog in one fell swoop.  (Others are even longer than that, so it may yet be an issue: we'll see).  But, it worked with my notes from Brother Lund's The Coming of the Lord.  So, knock on wood!!!  (I should mention that there are a couple of formatting snafus I need to fix, but, overall, it worked pretty well.)

Stay tuned for more from Brother Brewster.  Give me a few minutes.

Edited October 9, 2020 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

B2. Chapter 4: Plagues and Pollutions

1. People in Peril

a. Scriptural Warnings of Moral Pollution – “Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that but darkness for light, and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. (Isaiah 5:20.) . . . ‘[W]ickedness never was happiness.’ (Alma 41:10.) . . . [Satan] seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself (2 Nephi 2:27).” Quickly 38, ellipses added.

b. Neal A. Maxwell: “Love of Many Shall Wax Cold” – “Some of the coarseness and cruelty present in the time of Noah will be replicated [in our day], for ‘the love of many shall wax cold’ (Matthew 24:12). Also, peace will have been ‘taken from the earth’ (D&C 1:35). (Ensign, May 1988 7.)” At Quickly 39.

c. Joseph Fielding Smith: Our World as Corrupt and Violent as Noah’s – President Joseph Fielding Smith testified that, in our day as in Noah’s day, all flesh is corrupt and the world is filled with violence. Then, he went on to say, “The Lord promised that he would never again destroy the entire world with a flood of water, but he did promise to cleanse it the second time with the sword and with fire. [See Moses 7:50-51, 58-62]. (Take Heed to Yourselves 173.)” Quickly 39.

2. Without Natural Affection

a. Is Ability More Important than Morality, or Knowledge than Wisdom? – “Commenting on Paul’s description of our day, Elder Russell M. Nelson said: ‘Paul’s warnings describe apostasy and other dangers of our day. Some of those perils are contrary to God’s purposes and are championed by persuasive people possessing more ability than morality, more knowledge than wisdom.’ (Ensign, November 1992 8).” Quickly 40.

b. Even if the Rights of the Moral are Trampled Socially and Politically, They Cannot Yield – “[T]he rights of moral people are trampled upon to accommodate the lifestyles of the immoral minority. . . . Political pressure, demonstrations, threats, and man-made legislation will not change what God and His prophets have unalterably declared to be immoral.” Quickly 40, 41, ellipses added.

c. Boyd K. Packer: Social and Legal Pressure to Normalize Certain Behaviors Ignores Their Moral and Spiritual Dimensions – “Growing numbers of people now campaign to make spiritually dangerous life- styles legal and socially acceptable. Among them are abortion, the gay- lesbian movement, and drug addiction. They are debated in forums and seminars, in classes, in conversations, in conventions, and in courts all over the world. The social and political aspects of them are in the press every day. [¶] The point I make is simply this. There is a moral and spiritual side to these issues which is universally ignored. . . . (Ensign, November 1990 84).” Quickly 41, 42, ellipses added.

3. The Plague of AIDS

a. Russell M. Nelson: No Asterisk on Chastity, Violations Cause Innocent to Suffer – “An epidemic has been forecast—a plague fueled by a vocal few who exhibit greater concern for civil rights than for public health—aplague abetted by the immoral. Some live in lust as though God’s commandment to be chaste was written with an asterisk, exempting them from obeying. And regrettably, as in previous plagues, ma ny innocent victims are doomed to suffer. (Ensign, November 1992 8.)” Quickly 42.

b. Gordon B. Hinckley: Chastity Would Greatly Reduce AIDS Spread – “We, with others, hope that discoveries will make possible both prevention and healing from this dread affliction [AIDS]. But regardless of such discoveries, the observance of one clearly understandable and divinely given rule would do more than all else to check this epidemic. That is chastity before marriage and total fidelity after marriage. (Ensign, May 1987 46-47.)” Quickly 43.

c. Gordon B. Hinckley: We Can Make Choices, But We Cannot Choose Consequences – “Each of us has a choice between right and wrong. But with that coice there inevitably will follow consequences. Those who choose to violate the commandments of God put themselves at great spiritual and physical jeopardy. (Ensign, May 1987, 46-47.)” Quickly 44.

d. My Own Reflection on “Desolating Scourges” – Is AIDS the prophesied “desolating scourge”? Is COVID-19 such a scourge? What about a particularly virulent, incapacitating strain of simple influenza for which no effective vaccine exists? I doubt any of these, in particular, is the prophesied “desolating scourge,” but, certainly, each of them is bad enough. Nephi was told that his brothers’ seed would be a scourge to his seed to “stir them up in the ways of remembrance.” (See 1 Nephi 2:24, 2 Nephi 5:25.) In order for something to be a scourge, it seems to me that one must know it’s a scourge rather than simply classing it as yet another vicissitude among life’s endless vicissitudes. I haven’t done an exhaustive study, but it does seem to me that, in the Book of Mormon, any time the Lamanites gained the upper hand on the Nephites who had turned wicked and rebellious, prophets tied the turn of events, specifically, to Nephite misbehavior. While modern-day prophets have hinted, in our own day, that such maladies as AIDS might serve the same purpose, it seems to me that they have been less explicit than were the prophets who called the Nephites to repentance. I wonder if we can expect today’s prophets, seers, and revelators to be at least somewhat less oblique as the hour draws nearer.

4. General Decline in Morality

a. Moral Decay in Our Day Foretold – “The general decline in morality in the last days is very evident. Nudity, illicit sexual liaisons, pornography, perversion, and filthy language can all be found not only in movie theaters, but also on public television. Ears and eyes are constantly assaulted in public places by vulgarity in conversation, music, advertising, and the printed word . . . [¶] In writing about several world conditions that would prevail during the last days, the ancient prophet Moroni foresaw ‘a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be murders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it mattereth not.’ (Mormon 8:31.)” Quickly 44.

5. The Loss and Lessening of Standards and Values

a. God’s Way vs. The World’s Way – There is an ever-widening gap between the Lord’s standards and the world’s standards.

i. Like Cars Speeding in Opposite Directions (Maxwell) – “‘[T]he Church and the world are parting company like two speeding cars going in opposite directions.’ ([Neal A. Maxwell, Deposition of a Disciple, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co. 1976 63.)” Quickly 48.

ii. Can’t Go in Same Direction as World, Even if More Slowly (Larsen) – {W]e must clearly understand that it is not safe to move in the same direction the world is moving, even [if] we remain slightly behind the pace they set. Such a course will eventually lead us to the same problems and heartaches.” Quickly 49, quoting, in part, Elder Dean L Larsen, Ensign, May 1983 34-

35, material in brackets added.

b. “Safe Sex” vs. Chastity and Fidelity – An athlete who contracted AIDS through promiscuity was held up as a hero for promising to promote “safe sex,” with no mention of chastity or fidelity. See Quickly 46.

c. Values of Those Who Shape Pop Culture Different from Many of Those in Their Audience – Many Hollywood television writers and executives say they grew up in religious homes but are no longer religious, and see no problem promoting such things as homosexuality, adultery, and abortion. “This group has a major role in shaping the shows whose themes and stars have become staples in our popular culture.” Quickly 47, quoting John Dart, Los Angeles Times, February 19, 1983, part 2, p. 5; as quoted in Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, November 1983 45.

d. Much Suffering Comes from Self-Destructive Behavior – “The challenges to the health and well-being of America’s youth are not primarily rooted in illness or economics. Unlike the past, the problem is not childhood disease or unsanitary slumps. The most basic cause of suffering is profoundly self-destructive behavior. Drinking. Drugs. Violence. Promiscuity. A chrisis of behavior and belief. A crisis of character.” Dan Coats, “As the Twig is Bent: The Conflict Over Teaching Values in Our Schools,” presentation delivered at Center for Constructive Alternatives Seminar, as reprinted in Imprimis (a publication of Hillsdale College in Hillsdale MI), Vol. 20, no. 9 (Sept. 1991), as quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign May 1992 at 69-70, at Quickly 48.

6. Blasphemy and Mockery of Sacred Things – “Those persons who promote the values and wickedness of he world today often mock that which is held sacred by the righteous. Sacred covenants, ceremonies, clothing, words, books, buildings —none have escaped the finger of scorn nor the tongue of blasphemy of the wicked.” Quickly 49.

a. All That is Sacred is What the Devil Demeans Most – “The [Adversary] is busy blaspheming all that is held sacred throughout the earth today. Of particular interest to [him] is anything or anyone connected with God’s kingdom on earth. Prophets are scorned, ordinances are ridiculed, and the righteous are belittled. The holy name of deity is belittled . . . [and t]he sacred functions of procreation are spoken of in filth[.]” Quickly 50, ellipses and bracketed material added.

b. What We Should We “Turn Away” From, as Paul Counseled Timothy, Includes Much in the Media – In addition to “turning away” from all that Paul counseled Timothy to avoid in I Timothy 3:1-7, “[p]erhaps the ‘turning away’ also means that we should turn our eyes and ears away from movies, television, and music that mock and blaspheme God and that should be held sacred.” Quickly 50.

c. We Should Not Only Avoid Blasphemy or Mockery, We Should Actively Promote the Sacred – While we should neither do nor advocate for anything that mocks or blasphemes the sacred, we should advocate affirmatively for that which upholds and uplifts the sacred. See quote from President Spencer W. Kimball in Ensign, November 1978 6, at Quickly 51.

[Kenngo1969]

I just finished Robert L. Millet's Living in the Eleventh Hour: Preparing for the Glorious Return of Our Savior, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2014.  He doesn't take the same approach as a couple of the other authors on from whose books I have taken notes and posted those notes here. 

While I don't think there's anything wrong with the approach of the former, Brother Millet's approach is more of a down-to-earth, where-the-rubber-meets-the-road, how-does-living-in-the-Last-Days-affect-the-average-Latter-day-Saint? take on the topic, and, certainly, there's nothing wrong with that.  Because of that, his work is shorter, less detailed (and, perhaps, less given to speculation), more succinct, and, as I say, of a more practical bent.  I'll post those notes when I'm done with Brother Brewster's work.  I just purchased Understanding the Signs of the Times by Donald and Jay Parry, and you can expect notes from them at some point, as well. 

I have no idea why this thing has formatted my notes the way it has.  I can only extend my apologies and hope that it isn't too distracting.  Here's a link to my notes, in their entirety, from Brother Lund and The Coming of the Lord.  (There are a couple of things I need to fix; I'll do that ... eventually! )

Ken's Notes: The Coming of the Lord, By Gerald N. Lund

In the meantime, onward and upward with Brother Brewster.  Here's the next installment of my notes from Behold, I Come Quickly: The Last Days and Beyond.

 

C2. Chapter 5: Satan’s Assault on the Family

1. The Father of Lies

a. Satan’s Assault on the Family a Significant Sign of the Last Days – Satan’s all-out assault on the family is a significant, dangerous sign of the last days. “He has an intense hatred of anything associated with the family—marriage, mother, father, children—for he will never be a true father. . . . [T]he adversary takes pleasure in the destruction of the family. Quickly 52, 53, ellipses and brackets added.

b. Characteristics of Satan and His Plan – Quickly 52.

i. Displace our Father in Heaven (“Give me thine honor”)

ii. Denial of agency

iii. Employment of force

iv. “[O]ne soul should not be lost” is a lie, because Satan could not force us to follow him

v. He could not have carried out the Atonement because he could not have borne the suffering required

vi. “A liar from the beginning” (D&C 93:25), “The father of all lies” (2 Nephi 2:18, Moses 4:4)

c. Victor L. Brown: Satan’s Arsenal of Weapons – Of Satan and those who followed him, Bishop Victor L. Brown said, “In their battle to enslave mankind, they use weapons such as selfishness; dishonesty; corruption; sexual impurity, be it adultery, fornication, or homosexuality; pronography; permissiveness; drugs; and many others. . . . (Ensign, January 1974 108.)” Quickly 53, ellipses added.

d. Evidence of Assault on the Family – “[D]ivorces, spouse and child abuse, broken homes, absentee parents, and abortions all bear witness to the assault being made on the family.” Additional evidence: Single parents, illegitimacy. Quickly 53.

2. The Breakdown of the Family

a. Family Responsible for Moral Education, So Morals Break Down as the Family Breaks Down: William Barr – “[The] breakdown of the family is particularly distressing because it is the family that is the principal institution by which we conduct moral education—by which we transmit moral values from generation to generation. [¶] As the family is weakened, so is our ability to transmitvalues to the next generation. [¶] And, it is the breakdown of the family that is the root of most of our social problems today.” William P. Barr (October 6, 1992), “The Judeo- Christian Tradition vs. Secularism,” speech to the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights at Quickly 54.

b. New Zealand Minister of Police John Banks on the Importance of Families – “It is within the family that children learn such values as love, responsibility, communication, respect for authority and faith in God. They learn about living up to one’s potential, leaving the world a better place, doing the right thing and doing things right . . . [¶] The destruction of the family unit provides the setting which leads young people to the treadmill of drug abuse and crime. Children need mothers and fathers. A welfare cheque [sic] is not a husband. The State is not a father. Where there are not mature, responsible parents around to teach boys how to be good citizens, gangs often serve in their place.” John Banks (September 1, 1993), “Make Our Country Good and Great,” Vital Speeches of the Day 682 at Quickly 55, ellipses in original.

3. Absentee Parents

a. The Importance of Fathers in the Home – “Among the most difficult social problems of our day is the rise in juvenile crime and violence. It is of interest to note that recent statistics show that ‘the most accurate predictor of violence crime and burglary in neighborhoods is not race or income but rather the percent of households without fathers.’ . . . ‘[S]eventy percent of all juveniles in long-term correctional facilities did not live with their fathers while growing up.’ (Richard Witmire, ‘Life Without Father Breaking Hearts, Homes, Across U.S.,’ Salt Lake Tribune, June 19, 1993 A1.” Quickly 55.

b. Increase in Possessions and the Quality Thereof Insufficient to Compensate for Absent Parents or Deficient Parenting – See Quickly 56.

c. Mothers Should Seek Divine Approbation of the Decision to Work Outside the Home – See Quickly 56-57.

4. Genocide of the Unborn

a. Russell M. Nelson: Abortion Has Claimed More Lives than All U.S. Wars Combined – “Elder Russell M. Nelson has noted that this war on the unborn [i.e., prevalence of abortion] ‘annually claims more casualties than the total number of fatalities from all the wars of this nation.’ (Ensign, May 1985 11).” Quickly 57.

b. Two Scriptures and a Vision (See Quickly 57) – Is abortion a manifestation of:

i. People being “without natural affection” (2 Timothy 3:3)?

ii. People being “without affection [and] . . . hat[ing] their own blood” (Moses 7:33)?

iii. Joseph Smith’s vision of “women killing their own daughters” (History of the Church Vol. 3, p. 391)?

c. “Soft Words to Describe Hard Deeds” (My phrase): Elder Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, November 1982 59 (See Quickly 58)

i. “Alternate lifestyle” ==> Adultery, homosexuality

ii. “Freedom of choice” ==> Abortion

iii. “Meaningful relationship” and “self-fulfillment” ==> Extramarital sex

d. First Presidency Statement (Official Declaration) on Abortion – “LDS [sic] Position on Abortion,” Deseret News, January 12, 1991 B6, at Quickly 58-59.

e. Elder Neal A. Maxwell: The Womb Shouldn’t Be a Tomb – “Elder Neal A Maxwell[ ] expressed his feelings on abortion in connection with his gratitude for the Atonement: “I thank the Father that His Only Begotten Son did not say in defiant protest at Calvary, ‘My body is my own!’ I stand in admiration today of women who resist the fashion of abortion, by refusing to make the sacred womb a tomb’ (Ensign, May 1978 10).” Coming 59.

5. An Eternal Perspective on the Family

a. Dallin H. Oaks Encouraged Those in Less-than-Ideal Life Circumstances – Elder Oaks encouraged those dealing with singleness, childlessness, death and divorce when he said: “[T]hese frustrations are only temporary. The Lord has promised that in the eternities no blessing will be denied his sons and daughters who keep the commandments, are true to their covenants, and desire what is right. [¶] Many of the most important deprivations of mortality will be set right in the Millennium, which is the time for fulfilling all that is incomplete in the great plan of happiness for all of our Father’s worthy children. . . . (Ensign, November 1993 75).” Quickly 60, ellipses added.

 

[Kenngo1969]

Note: I did the best I could to update some of Brother Brewster's statistics relating to tobacco use, alcohol use, and drug use.  I think I was able to find relatively reliable, relatively recent sources.  Caveat lector.

D2. Chapter 6: Conspiracies of the Last Days

1. Conspiring Men – “In this revelation [Doctrine and Covenants Section 89], known as the Word of Wisdom, the Lord warned against the ‘evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days (D&C 89:4; italics removed).” Quickly 61.

a. How They Conspire – Bro. Brewster points out that advertisers employ cunning strategies to sell their products to the unwary, downplaying the dangers of those products and making them seem desirable. See Quickly 61.

i. Alcohol – Source: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-facts-and-statistics, last accessed September 19, 2020. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health:

A. 14.4 million people have Alcohol Use Disorder

B. An estimated 88,000 people annually die from alcohol- related causes annually, and alcohol-related death is the third leading preventable cause of death (behind tobacco use and poor diet and physical inactivity)

C. In 2014, alcohol-related traffic fatalities accounted for nearly a third (31.4 percent) of all traffic fatalities

D. In 2010, alcohol misuse cost the United States $249 billion dollars

ii. Alcohol, Continued – The so-called “angels’ share,” ethanol emitted during the production of bourbon, leads to the formation of Baudoinia compniacensis, a black fungus which collects on on buildings located in the vicinity of distilleries. While the health effects of the fungus are unknown, it creates an unsightly mess for property owners, many of whom spend hundreds or thousands of dollars each year attempting to eradicate it. See Anne Marshall (October 30, 2019), “The Dark Side of the ‘Angel’s Share,’” Atlas Obscura, accessed on line at https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-whiskey-fungus on September 19, 2020.

iii. Drugs – In 2018, nearly 70,000 people died in the U.S. of drug overdoses.  Source: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html, last accessed September 19, 2020.

iv. Tobacco –. Source:  https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/index.htm#:~:text=Cigarette smoking is responsible for,or 1%2C300 deaths every day.  Last accessed September 19, 2020.

A. “Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body.”

B. “More than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking.”

C. “For every person who dies because of smoking, at least 30 people live with a serious smoking-related illness.”

D. “Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.”

E. “Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.”

F. “Smoking is a known cause of erectile dysfunction in males.”

G. “Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death.” H. “Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including more than 41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure. This is about one in five deaths annually, or 1,300 deaths every day.”

I. “On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.”

J. Note: The foregoing do not include rates of death and disease caused by use of other forms of tobacco.

2. The Terrible Toll of Drugs

a. Ezra Taft Benson: Spiritual Powers Inhibited – “[I]f you partake [of drugs], your spiritual powers will be inhibited and you will be in their evil power. . . . (Ensign, May 1983 54-55).” Quickly 63, material in brackets and ellipses added.

b. Revelation: “Sorceries” = Drugs – “As part of the scenario preceding the Second Coming, the Apostle John described the wicked who did not repent ‘of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.’ (Revelation 9:21.) The word [translated] sorceries has its origin in the Greek pharmakeia, which means ‘pharmacy’ or ‘drugs.’” Quickly 63-64.

c. The Illicit Drug Trade “Threatens the Very Foundations of Freedom” – “One official of the United States government commented on the drain that drugs are having on worldwide resources. ‘I know from firsthand knowledge what a scourge illicit narcotics are to this country and others. The drain on the human and monetary resources of the world being caused by this dilemma is inestimable and threatens the very foundations of freedom.’ (As quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley in Ensign, November 1989 49.)” Quickly 64.

3. Satan’s Slavery

a. Russell M. Nelson: “Disconnected from One’s Own Will” – “‘Through chemical means, one can literally become disconnected from his or her own will!’ (Ensign, November 1988 7)” Quickly 64.

b. Neal A. Maxwell: Intended Return from Babylon Rebellion Not So Easy – “Why do some of our youth risk engaging in ritual prodigalism, intending to spend a season rebelling and acting out in Babylon? . . . Though planning to return later, many such stragglers find that alcohol, drugs, and pronography will not let go easily. Babylon does not give exit permits gladly. It is an ironic implementation of that ancient boast: ‘One soul shall not be lost.’ (Moses 4:1.)” (Ensign November 1988 33.)” Quickly 64, ellipses in original.

c. Russell M. Nelson on the “Enslaving Shackles of Habit” – Elder Russell M. Nelson warned that the grasp of addiction is so gradual that “[e]nslaving shackles of habit are too small to be sensed until they are too strong to be broken. . . . (Ensign, November 1988 6).” Quickly 65, ellipses added.

4. Other Conspiring Men

a. Pornographers – See Quickly 65.

5. Secret Combinations – “Secret combinations are formed to gain unrighteous power over others and have existed on this earth from the day that cain entered into an evil alliance with Satan against his brother Abel. (See Moses 5:29-31.)” Quickly 66.

a. Moroni Warned Against Secret Combinations – See Ether 8:20, 22-25

b. Ezra Taft Benson Warned Against Secret Combinations – President Ezra Taft Benson added his own insights regarding the secret combinations of the last days. “I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. (See D&C 1:14-16; 84:49-53.) It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing . . . (Ensign, November 1988 87).” Quickly 67, ellipses added.

c. More from Ezra Taft Benson on Secret Combinations – “Yes, there is a conspiracy of evil. The source of it all is Satan and his hosts. He has a great power over men to ‘lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken’ to the voice of the Lord. (Moses 4:4.) His evil influence may be manifest through governments; through false educational, political, economic, religious, and social philosophies; through secret societies and organizations; and through myriads of other forms. His power and influence are so great that, if possible, he would deceive the very elect. As the second coming of the Lord approaches, Satan’s work will intensify through numerous insidious deceptions.’ (Ensign, May 1978 33).” Quickly 67.

c. Bro. Brewster Defines Secret Combinations – “The secret combinations of the last days are not confined to one group nor to worldwide organizations, but include any combination of people whose purpose is to get unrighteous gain and power over others.” Quickly 67.

d. Potential Purposes of Secret Combinations (This is MY List, Not Bro. Brewster’s)

i. Manufacture, distribution, and sale illegal drugs

ii. Distribution and sale of illegal weapons

iii. Distribution and sale of other contraband

iv. Organized crime

v. Terrorism

vi. Street gang activity

6. Enemies in Secret Chambers – See D&C 38:13, Matthew 7:15, Acts: 20:29-30, 1 Timothy 4:1-2; See Quickly 68-70.

a. Examples of Machinations of Enemies of the Church of Jesus Christ

i. See Hoyt W. Brewster Jr., Martyrs of the Kingdom, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft 1990)

ii. Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith

iii. Assassinations of missionaries (Bro. Brewster specifically mentions those in South America)

iv. The supposed “loyal opposition” of the Church of Jesus Christ, the members of which, actually, are wolves in sheep’s clothing

A. President Harold B. Lee on Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing – “There are some as wolves among us. By that, I mean some who profess membership in this church who are not sparing the flock. And among our own membership, men are arising speaking perverse things. Now perverse means diverting from the right or correct, and being obstinate in the wrong, willffully in order to draw the weak and unwary members of the Church away after them.’ (Ensign, January 1973 105; second italics added.)” Quickly 69.

B. Bishop Richard C. Edgley on a Similar Subject – “There are the so-called ‘learned’ that have let their intellect undermine their spiritual moorings and who would also attempt to lead the faithful away from those who are appointed by the Lord to lead. There are those who feel that our leaders are out of touch with the realities of the day. They would attempt to lead the members by substituting their own knowledge for the revelations from God to His prophets. And, unfortunately, there are those who would so follow. Christ warned, ‘Beware of false prophets, whic h come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matt. 7:15.)’ Ensign, May, 1993 12)” Quickly 69.

C. Bishop Edgley’s Comment Reminded Me of This, from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland – “I say with all the fervor of my soul that never in my personal or professional life have I ever associated with any group who are so in touch, who know so profoundly the issues facing us, who look so deeply into the old, stay so open to the new, and weigh so carefully, thoughtfully, and prayerfully everything in between. I testify that the grasp this body of men and women have of moral and societal issues exceeds that of any think tank or brain trust of comparable endeavor of which I know anywhere on the earth.” Jeffrey R. Holland, (October 2006) “Prophets in the Land Again,” accessed on line at the following address on September 19, 2020: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2006/10/prophets-in-the-land-again?lang=eng

7. God’s Work Will Not Fail

a. Joseph Smith’s Testimony of the Ultimate Destiny of God’s Work – “‘No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing: persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, and calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.’ (History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 540.)” Quickly 71.

b. No Weapon Formed Against You Shall Prosper – “He who is the Head of the Church, even Jesus Christ, declared: ‘Verily thus saith the Lord unto you—there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper.’ (D&C 71:9).” Quickly 71.

c. Neal A. Maxwell: God’s Purposes Will Finally Triumph – “[T]he faithful know something about divine determination. They know that the Lord’s purposes will finally triumph, for ‘there is nothing that the Lord thy God shall take in his heart to do but what he will do it.’ (Abr. 3:17.) Of that divine determination and divine love I gladly and publicly testify . . . (Ensign, May 1991 91, italics removed.)” Quickly 71, ellipses added and italics removed.

d. Heber J. Grant: Any Latter-day Saint Who Thinks the Work Will Fail is Not Truly Converted – “‘Any Latter-day Saint who thinks for one minute that this Church is going to fail is not really a converted Latter-day Saint. There will be no failure of this Church. It has been established for the last time, never to be given to another people and never to be torn down.’ (‘Message of Inspiration,’ Church News, October 27, 1962 2.)” Quickly 72.

Edited October 12, 2020 by Kenngo1969

[Scott Lloyd]

On 10/3/2020 at 12:21 PM, Kenngo1969 said:

OK.  Sorry for the misunderstanding.  I'll leave it to my readers to determine how well the authors I have cited, and will cite, here preserve context, don't wrest the scriptures, and so on and so forth.  Generally, I believe ... laying aside, for the moment, the issue that all of us "see through a glass, darkly" ... that they do a pretty good job.  Caveat lector.  You decide.  (And I'll add, also, that I heard things about the Second Coming at this morning's General Conference without anyone speaking, explicitly, about the Second Coming.  Was I hallucinating?   Again, you decide.)

Thank you for adding to my Latin vocabulary. I can see that, in some instances, caveat  lector is an expression I can use with more nuanced precision than caveat emptor. 

Edited October 15, 2020 by Scott Lloyd