The Second Coming of Christ The Pearl of Great Price Lecture 11 by Hyrum Andrus

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Hyrum L. Andrus All rights reserved January 25-27, 1996 LECTURE – 11 THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST Again, my brothers and sisters, I appreciate this opportunity. I have some very deep and fond memories and feelings about this area, and about the people here. I probably feel more at home here than at any place that I have lived in the last 25 or 30 years. I feel a kindred spirit and a kindred commitment and dedication. I just want you to know that it has been a thrill for me. I want you to know I feel great, so don’t sit down there and think otherwise, okay? It has been a great time and a great privilege. Tonight I would like to discuss with you the theme of the second coming of Christ. I want to begin with the book of Moses and Enoch’s vision, where, he saw the ministry of Christ on earth and his earthly ministry. I hate to say mortal ministry--his earthly ministry. His ministry among mortals. Having seen all this Enoch wants to know if Christ will come again. “I ask thee if thou wilt not come again on the earth.” The latter part of verse 59, chapter 7. Verse 60: “And the Lord said unto Enoch; As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfill the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah;” Verse 61: “And the day shall come that the earth shall rest but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve;” And that is a point of emphasis. Verse 62: “And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men;” Let me stop there for just a minute and turn to the Teachings, page 84 where the Prophet Joseph Smith picks up this statement and gives us an interesting observation. He says, talking about the tabernacle of God being among men, and then he says: “And now, I ask, how righteousness and truth are going to sweep the earth as with a flood? I will answer. Men and angels are to be co-workers in bringing to pass this great work, and Zion is to be prepared, even a new Jerusalem, for the elect that are to be gathered from the four quarters of the earth, and to be established an holy city for the tabernacle of the Lord shall be with them.” Righteousness represents Heavenly ministry. Truth coming out of the earth is not limited to the Book of Mormon. Do you remember that the papyri from which the book of Abraham was translated came forth from the earth also? There will yet be records come from the earth and translated and given to the saints in Zion so that we will look back at our day and wonder how bare and barren we were in what we had. To that extent this will take place. Continuing Moses, chapter 7, verse 62: “.... and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, (and there is purpose in this) that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming;” You have to be a Zion people, founded on celestial principles if you are going to be ready for Christ’s coming. Those principles have to be called out and organized and established and we have to establish our lives upon them in order to be sanctified to the degree that is necessary to abide the presence of Christ when he comes. He goes on to say: “...for there shall be in my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.” Then the record goes on in verse 63 and says: “And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;” Verse 64: “And there shall be mine abode, and (note this) it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made;” Let me stop there for a minute. Christ’s second coming is not merely significant to this earth. Christ’s second coming is significant to this eternity. Remember how we discussed the idea of an eternity the other day. The Prophet Joseph Smith in a great discourse on the government of God and the designs of Jehovah, Teachings, page 250, said this: “It has been the design of Jehovah, from the commencement of the world, and is His purpose now, to regulate the affairs of the world in His own time, to stand as a head of the universe, and take the reins of government in His own hand.” To stand as the head of the universe. That is the purpose of the second coming, and h… Get the full transcription from www.hyrumandrus.com!