Signs of the Times

Latter-day Saints believe the Second Coming of Christ is near. "Parting the Veil (The Second Coming)" vignette from Jon McNaughton

The Signs of the Times are events occurring during the Last Days which have been prophesied as leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The phrase "signs of the times" was used by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:3) when he "reproved certain antagonists for not recognizing earlier prophecies relative to his second advent. He said they understood signs pertaining to the weather, but did not understand the 'signs of the times.'"[2]

Jesus Christ taught His disciples that His coming was prophesied and that He would come again.

For I say unto you, that ye shall not see me henceforth and know that I am he of whom it is written by the prophets, until ye shall say: Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord, in the clouds of heaven, and all the holy angels with him. Then understood his disciples that he should come again on the earth, after that he was glorified and crowned on the right hand of God. (Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:1)

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:4; see Matthew 24:3 and Luke 21)

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have the prophesies from the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the prophets from Joseph Smith down to the current day.

The Lord Himself taught a few signs for His disciples to watch for, but He chose not to reveal the exact time of His second coming:

But of that day, and hour, no one knoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only. But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man; For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the flood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.(Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:40–43; see Matthew 24:36–39)

The flood is a type of the final destruction of the wicked. Noah preached to the people for many decades, but none would hearken to his warnings of impending doom except his own family. Prophets have warned and continue to warn that the earth will be cleansed of wickedness when Christ comes again. Though no one knew the exact date of the flood, they still had been warned to repent. The Lord has given signs that the Second Coming is approaching to prompt the righteous to prepare, and the wicked to repent.

Signs are given to help latter-day Israel prepare for His Second Coming and the great events that will precede it. "Recognizing such signs will enable discerning individuals to understand the unfolding of prophetic events in the final phase of the earth's history."[3] Jesus Christ said, "And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. . . . Therefore be ye also ready"(Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:37, 48).

Most anticipated and yearned for with the conclusion of the last days is the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will come again and personally reign upon the renewed "paradisiacal" earth(A of F 10).

There will be many false Christs that would lead away many. (Also see Revelation 13:13-14; Joseph Smith 1:22.)
False prophets will also arise, the apostles would be killed, and a general apostasy would occur.
Iniquity will abound, causing the love of men to wax cold.
Jerusalem would be overcome, leading to the "abomination of desolation."
There will be "wars and rumors of wars." ^[1]
There will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes.
The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light, the stars shall fall, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.

Latter-day Saints believe these are fulfilled

Ongoing (being fulfilled over time)

Forthcoming

Unknown (could have been fulfilled)

References

↑ In 1832, Joseph Smith received a revelation now recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 87 [1]: "Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place. For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations (Doctrine and Covenants 87:1-3)."

[1] In 1832, Joseph Smith received a revelation now recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 87 [1]: "Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place. For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations (Doctrine and Covenants 87:1-3)."

[1]

Signs of the Times

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