The Great and Dreadful: Seeing the Full Spectrum of the Second Coming

When the discussion turns to the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ, what is the immediate emotional resonance? For many, the words 'great' and 'dreadful' are the first adjectives to surface. It is a concept that grips the soul, forcing us to reconcile the chaos described in the revelations with the overwhelming promise of glory.

We are disciples called to prepare the earth for the return of the King of Kings. This understanding, central to our covenant path, requires us to study the scriptures not just for comfort, but for profound, challenging truth. Section 29 of the Doctrine and Covenants serves as a powerful, early testament to this tension—a glimpse into the millennial zeal that has characterized the Saints since the dawn of our Restoration.

The Great and Dreadful: A Covenant Study

It is easy, when reading accounts of the signs—the plagues, the descriptions of physical decay—to become consumed by the dreadful aspect. The scripture is stark; the signs are vivid. But to focus solely on the decay is to miss the divine architecture supporting the promise. As we study these covenants, we must ask ourselves a deeper question than, 'Why do things have to get so bad?'

The Spirit guides us to ask: Why do things have to get so good? The revelation is not a monotone of decline; it is a dynamic portrait of preparation. We see the dreadful warnings, yes, but we must simultaneously behold the miraculous outpouring of the Spirit, the building of temples, the expansion of the Church, and the deepening of our covenants.

The early Saints, even when the Church was barely a nascent body, were laser-focused on this culmination. They understood that the current epoch is not merely a period of tribulation, but a period of intense, divinely mandated preparation. We are building the kingdom upon the earth so that the King may return in glory.

This balance—the acknowledgement of the encroaching darkness alongside the unparalleled light of the restored gospel—is the hallmark of a true disciple. It requires a scholarship that is both deeply scholarly and profoundly pastoral. We cannot afford to treat the doctrine of the Second Coming as either a source of paralyzing fear or a mere Sunday anecdote. It is the central axis upon which our entire covenant life turns.

A Call to Deeper Study

To wrestle with the full scope of D&C 29—the covenants, the gathering, the nature of the kingdoms—is to refine our understanding of what it means to live in the last days. It is to understand that our current efforts in the temple, in missionary work, and in personal righteousness are not merely good deeds; they are integral components of the divine plan unfolding.

I invite you to ponder this balance in your own study. When you feel the weight of the world’s wickedness, anchor yourself in the promise of the Lord’s glorious return, and in the tangible work the Spirit is accomplishing through the priesthood and the covenant path. The Lord has given us a revelation that demands we see both the shadow and the light.

Let us continue to build our understanding of these eternal truths. I encourage you all to submit your deepest insights or your most challenging questions regarding the progression between kingdoms or the nature of the gathering to the corpus. Let us refine the tools that will help us spread these divine truths when the time comes.