GP:
A thousand years of peace, love, and joy
will begin on the earth at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This
thousand-year period is called the Millennium. The scriptures and the prophets
help us understand what it will be like to live on the earth during the
Millennium.
We
have little detailed information on the Millenium. Many of the scriptures use
metaphor to describe what will happen. I personally spend very little time
thinking about the Millennium as a time or experience.
I
think I will probably not be alive when the second coming happens so instead today
I want to try to focus on learning the principles taught in scriptures about
the Millenium and apply them to my life today.
In
the October 1971 Ensign, Elder Legrand Richards said:
Today I thought I
would like to say a few words about the kind of a foundation we have for our
faith, and what we live for, and what our aims and our ambitions really are. I
think of the time the beautiful temple here on this block was erected, over a
hundred years ago. When the foundation was being laid, we are told that it was
sixteen feet wide, and at one time President Brigham Young came and saw the
workmen throwing in chipped granite. He made them take it out and put in those
great granite blocks with this explanation: “We are building this temple to
stand through the millennium.” Isn’t that a good thought? Each one of us ought
to want to build our lives and help our families to build their lives so that
we can stand through the millennium.
Principle One: It won’t only be Mormons living on the earth.
GP: Because of the
destruction of the wicked at the Savior’s Second Coming, only righteous people
will live on the earth at the beginning of the Millennium. They will be those
who have lived virtuous and honest lives. These people will inherit either the
terrestrial or celestial kingdom.
The
“principle for today” is a reminder that there are many good people across many
faiths and life-philosophies who, although not of our faith, are still
disciples of Jesus Christ or followers of God’s will for them.
In October 2001 Conference (explain General
Conference), Elder M. Russell Ballard said:
“We must understand however that not everyone is going to
accept our doctrine of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For the
most part, our neighbors not of our faith are good, honorable people-every bit
as good and honorable as we strive to be. They care about their families, just
like we do. They want to make the world a better place, just like we do. They
are kind and loving and generous and faithful, just like we seek to be.”
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/10/doctrine-of-inclusion?lang=eng
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/10/doctrine-of-inclusion?lang=eng
In
April 1995, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said:
"We believe that
most religious leaders and followers are sincere believers who love God and
understand and serve him to the best of their abilities. We are indebted to the
men and women who kept the light of faith and learning alive through the
centuries to the present day... We honor them as servants of God."
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/04/apostasy-and-restoration?lang=eng
Joseph Smith said:
The inquiry is
frequently made of me. 'Wherein do you differ from others in your religious
views?' In reality an essence we do not differ so far in our religious views,
but that we could all drink into one principle of love. One of the grand
fundamental principles of 'Mormonism' is to receive truth, let it come from
whence it may.
Principle 2: The Work
of the Church during the Millennium teaches us about God's love for all his children
GP: There will be two
great works for members of the Church during the Millennium: temple work and
missionary work. Temple work involves the ordinances that are necessary for
exaltation. These include baptism, the laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost, and the temple ordinances—the endowment, temple marriage, and the
sealing together of family units.
Many people have died
without receiving these ordinances. People on the earth must perform these
ordinances for them. This work is now being done in the temples of the Lord.
There is too much work to finish before the Millennium begins, so it will be
completed during that time.
The other great work
during the Millennium will be missionary work. The gospel will be taught with
great power to all people. Eventually there will be no need to teach others the
first principles of the gospel because “they shall all know me, from the least
of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:34).
I
love the principle that we are taught in this. God loves all of his children
and will never give up.
In
the General Conference of April 1924, Elder Orson F. Whitney said:
"Our Heavenly
Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable than even the best of
his servants. And the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our
narrow finite minds can comprehend."
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/1987/10/a-champion-of-youth?lang=eng
Elder
Boyd K. Packer told of the following experience in a talk given in October 1995:
"Some years ago
I was in Washington, D.C., with President Harold B. Lee. Early one morning he
called me to come into his hotel room. He was sitting in his robe reading
Gospel Doctrine, by President Joseph F. Smith, and he said, “Listen to this!”
“Jesus had not
finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his
resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which
he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he?
Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam
that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except
the sons of perdition. That is his mission. We will not finish our work until
we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending
upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We
are called to this mission.”
“There is never a
time,” the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “when the spirit is too old to approach
God. All are within the reach of pardoning mercy, who have not committed the
unpardonable sin.”
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/10/the-brilliant-morning-of-forgiveness?lang=eng
Principle Three: Binding
Satan through righteousness.
GP: During the
Millennium, Satan will be bound. This means he will not have power to tempt
those who are living at that time.
D&C
43:
30
For the great Millennium, of which I have spoken by the mouth of my servants,
shall come.
31 For Satan shall be bound, and when he is
loosed again he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end
of the earth.
1
Nep 22:
25
And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he
numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one
shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture.
26 And because of the righteousness of his
people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of
many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell
in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth.
Principle
for today: How can we effectively start to bind Satan today?
Mosiah
5:1-2
4
Nephi 1:1-3, 15-18
Principle 4: Jesus to
Reign on the Earth
GP: During the
Millennium, Jesus will “reign personally upon the earth” (Articles of Faith
1:10). Joseph Smith explained that Jesus will “reign over the Saints and come
down and instruct”… The Lord will be king over all the earth, and all mankind
literally under his sovereignty, and every nation under the heavens will have
to acknowledge his authority, and bow to his scepter. Those who serve him in
righteousness will have communications with God, and with Jesus
Principle
for today: How can we make Jesus Christ our personal king and sovereign today?
In
November 2011, President Thomas S. Monson said:
“When you choose to
follow Christ, you choose to be changed… The world will shape human nature, but
Christ can change human nature, and changed men and women can change the
world.”
1
Peter 2:21
John
13:15
2
Nephi 31:10, 16-17
A new commandment I
give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you John 13:34
Ilove this lesson
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