The End of the World

With the recent attention in the media to claims that the world will end May 21, 2011, I thought I would write a thing or two about this subject. Actually, I only wish to highlight the doctrine on this subject. There are some things we do know about the end, and some things we do not know.

1. No man knows when it will happen.

Although many have tried to speculate and calculate when it will happen, based on what information we do have in the scriptures, it is still just speculation. And what does the Bible say about it?

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matt. 24:36

2. Some things have to happen first. Some of these have happened, and some have not.

--A falling away from the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" 2 Thess. 2:3

We believe that this great apostasy has already happened.

--A restoration of all things
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Matt. 24:21

We believe this restoration occurred through the prophet Joseph Smith. What was restored?
-Many plain and precious gospel truths were restored through the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon.
-The Priesthood authority was restored through John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
-The keys of the gathering of Israel were restored through Moses to Joseph Smith.
-The "sealing" keys were restored through Elijah to Joseph Smith.
-The temple ordinances were restored.

--All nations will gather together to fight against Jerusalem
"For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city." Zechariah 14: 2

--There will be false christs

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:5

--There shall be many sorrows including wars, and earthquakes:

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." Matthew 24:6,7

--Two prophets will be killed in Jerusalem and lie dead in the streets. (See Revelation 11)

There are other things mentioned in the scriptures, although I won't list them here. But suffice it to say that although some things have happened already, we still do not know when the end will come. What we do know is that those who are prepared, need not fear!
"35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." Luke 12: 35-40