By Frank M. Keele
In the previous post we looked a sequence that John says will be in the sixth seal and will lead up to the Lord’s first appearance… the appearance where He gathers and appears to His elect, let’s take a minute to review, from Rev 6 we read:
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
This is the same sequence portrayed in D&C 88:87-93 but today we want to consider a different question, which is.
When the quaking starts and the sun is darkened and the moon turns to blood, will these great and tumultuous events motivate those of our friends and family who have fallen away and are on the wrong path to reconsider their ways and return? In April conference of 2019 President Nelson pleaded:
“Now, as President of His Church, I plead with you who have distanced yourselves from the Church and with you who have not yet really sought to know that the Savior’s Church has been restored. Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves, and please do it now. Time is running out.”
Now, I personally believe that time has all but run out as those of you who have followed my posts may know… but again… will they return and will the Lord still be willing to receive them? To answer that question we go to 3 Nephi 9 where we read:
12 And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
13 O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
We should never give up on those who have fallen off the path or let go of the iron rod and as difficult as the coming trials will be… one sliver lining I believe is that many will be humbled and turn their hearts once again to Christ, their savior and redeemer. We should continually hope and pray that they will.
We close with the words of Nephi:
19 O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.
20 O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.
21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. (2 Nephi 9:19-20)