Then he assures his disciples that they shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, but he assures them that will not be the end. For afterwards there will be those who will predict the coming of the Son of Man. He tells his disciples that they need not be deceived with regard to this great event, "For as the light of the morning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." That is, the indications of his coming will be so unmistakable that they need not be deceived.
One very significant sign of his coming, he stated would be, that his Elect should be gathered from the four quarters of the earth. Through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith and the Holy Priesthood, this great work is now going on: "And they," that is those who are being gathered, "shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars, * * for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famine, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places; and again, (for the second time) because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Again Jesus gave the assurance that he who was not overcome should be saved: "And again"—that is when the Elect are being gathered and judgments were being poured out upon the nations for the second time—"This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come," or the destruction of the wicked; "and again"—that is for the second time—"shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken; verily, I say unto you, this generation, in which these things shall be shewn forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled. * * * After the tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory;" P. of G. P., pages 38-40.
This translation of the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, commencing with the last verse of the twenty-third chapter, by Joseph Smith, the Seer, is both very interesting and instructive to the student of theology. It contains much more than can be made to appear in a short sketch like this.
Every dispensation of the Priesthood has been characterized by miracles, by signs, and wonders, and none more than this, the dispensation of the fulness of times. It was to be opened up by an angel who should fly through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to the nations of the earth; Rev. 14. 6.
An angel, named Moroni, has come and brought forth to the world the Book of Mormon, which contains the fulness of the everlasting Gospel; P. of G. P., pages 49-53. It is the same Gospel that was preached by Jesus and his apostles. Thus, the saying of the Savior to his disciples upon the Mount of Olives is being fulfilled: "This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached to all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come;" Matt. 24. 14. Israel is being gathered from the four quarters of the earth in fulfilment of numerous predictions of the ancient prophets.
Jesus, also, told his disciples that they should hear of wars and rumors of wars. "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places;" verses 6, 7. The world is witness that these sayings are being fulfilled.
These are only a few of the many signs and tokens that the coming of the Son of Man in power and great glory is near at hand. Signs and tokens will increase as manifestations that God is at work among the nations. Only those who have faith in God will comprehend their meaning. He has promised his saints that it should be given them to understand the signs of the times; Doc & Cov. 68. 11.
The wicked are ever seeking after signs, but they have no faith in the Giver, and therefore their motives are evil. Jesus said, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign;" Matt. 12. 39. We are promised that signs shall follow the believer; Mark 16. 17-20. This promise is not limited to any specified time or place; but extends to all believers. They are nowhere promised to the unbeliever except for a testimony against them; for the Lord has said, "He that seeketh signs, shall see signs, but not unto salvation;" Doc. & Cov., 63. 7.
Signs are a gift of God, and, to be beneficial to those who receive them, they must come by faith; "Signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God;" verse 10. Hence, they are a blessing to the believer, but not to those who would treat with contempt a manifestation of the power and goodness of God.
Bible.