HE COMES TO RULE AND REIGN

One of the most chronicled events in scripture is an event which has yet to take place, the time when Jesus the Christ will come once again to reign and rule personally on the earth.

The prophets of the Old Testament were concerned and wrote about His second coming, long before He was born of Mary and dwelt among mortals and eventually offered His life as a token for their salvation.

His apostles and disciples wondered and questioned the Savior about His second coming while He was still teaching them and establishing the beginnings of His church during His mortal sojourn.

Along with receiving the authority, keys and ordinances for the restoration of His church and translating the Book of Mormon from the gold plates, Joseph Smith, in answer to His queries, received several revelations about the Lord’s return.

As we search the Holy Scriptures, we find that although Jesus the Christ has been very liberal when outlining the events and signs which would precede His coming, He has been far more prolific in His instructions as to what kind of people we should be striving to become as we fill our lamps with oil in anticipation of His coming.

Just as the events of His second coming were foreshadowed in the Book of Mormon, when He comes to dwell on earth again His ultimate coming will be preceded by a cleansing. This terrible and great day is essential and must happen in order to rid the earth of those who would disrupt and destroy His marvelous work which is to be done during His Millennial era.

This event carries with it both a warning and a blessing. Many have mistakenly thought that this fiery advent would take place in order to burn the evil from each of our lives, so that we would be pure enough to dwell during those 1000 years of peace. The truth is that we must have pre-purified ourselves to qualify for the privilege of being with Him is we hope to escape that day of burning.

I must pause to reflect on the marvelous and complete plan of our Heavenly Father, for just as He prepared a place where those of His children who perished in the flood at the time of Noah could be taught, we can rest assured that those of us who remain as the foolish virgins, with our lamps empty of oil, will likewise find a seat in the classroom on high where we can receive further instruction, which hopefully will at last wrought upon us those necessary changes.

The Lord has given us an ample view of the conditions of the Millennial Period, that hopefully we might be encouraged to be among the ranks of those who paid the price to be prepared prior to the coming of the Bridegroom.

The glorious Millennial Kingdom will be a place of peace because it will be inhabited by peaceful people!

The glorious Millennial Kingdom will be absent of crime because it will be inhabited by honest people!

The glorious Millennial Kingdom will be void of prejudice because it will be inhabited by people whose hearts are filled with love!

The glorious Millennial Kingdom will be a place of health because it will be inhabited by people who believe their bodies are temples!

The glorious Millennial Kingdom will be ecologically in tune because it will be inhabited by people who desire to care for Mother Earth.

The glorious Millennial Kingdom will be a place where the lamb and the lion can lie together because the created will have removed enmity from their hearts.

It would seem that the Pearl of Great Price the Lord has held out for us like a carrot to lead us towards righteousness, would be sufficient to draw us forward on the path He has given. Our days speed by and you would think our hearts would be filled with sadness because it looks more and more like we will not be privileged to greet our Lord at His coming and enjoy those paradisiacal times.

Almost immediately we are pulled by the Spirit to remember, the Lord has never put restrictions on any of Heavenly Father’s children, which would prohibit them from living ‘as if’ they were already in the Millennial Era.

We must stop to ponder what our world would be if we were prone to publish peace all of our days?

We must stop to ponder what our world would be if we were to choose to be totally honest in all our dealing?

We must stop to ponder what our world would be if we were to strive more diligently to develop universal love?

We must stop to ponder what our world would be if we were to care for our body as a temple?

We must stop to ponder what our world would be if we were to care for the earth as we would our mother?

We must stop to ponder what our world would be if we used godlike dominion with all living things?

Glory to Him who reigns on high – this day I can choose to have Him Reign in my heart!

As I awake from my pondering I am left to wonder if I have sufficient oil in my lamp and am prepared to meet the Bridegroom if He were to come today. Sadly, the last haunting thought which stirs in my heart as I end this writing, is I hope the Day of the Lord’s coming is yet a ways off!

THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY
EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY