Introduction
The subject of the last days and its accompanying judgments has evoked more fear, excitement, and speculation than perhaps any other scriptural topic, but the details are often misunderstood. The records of prophets who speak of judgment are not typically studied as often as other scripture, but that does not negate our responsibility to understand and heed their warnings.
Receiving divine laws and covenants increases our responsibility tremendously. God’s word is given to explain, not entertain. Scripture is a gift to be read for understanding and preached for a warning to avert a terrible, damning judgment. Judgment is a heavy and difficult subject. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain salvation and be delivered from spiritual death, yet humanity repeatedly ignores or exchanges His gospel to pursue pleasures of the world.
While it may seem harsh to point out errors of the Gentile world, we cannot apologize for declaring hard words because sin keeps us from favorable judgment. Hard hearts require hard words. We must recognize our error to turn from it.
The Lord will come “quickly to judgment to convince all of their ungodly deeds which they have committed against” Him (Doctrine & Covenants 99:5, hereafter D&C). All will stand before God “to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works” (Alma 33:22). Judgment will affect all of humanity. Blessings associated with honoring His covenant with exactness are greater than we can comprehend, but severe curses result from disobedience.
Judgment is favorable only if we come to Christ. Any transgression or deviation from the only path to God skews our understanding and hinders our progress. Altered forms of worship ensnare many in the world that Satan rules. Only power that comes from real faith in Jesus Christ can expose the deception and overcome condemnation.
Faith is founded on the law of obedience, a law that all entering mortality were willing to observe. God is bound to reward faithful adherence or invoke penalties if laws are broken, so judgment is connected to the doctrine of faith intricately. To understand judgment we must understand faith, for “the doctrine of eternal judgments belongs to the first principles of the Gospel in the last days.” Joseph Smith taught, “The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment are necessary to preach among the first principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
To gain a deeper understanding of the fulness of His gospel, it is essential to first read the introductory volume in the One Eternal Round Series Strange Things Among Us before reading the first volume Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These volumes prepare the reader to better understand Judgment: God’s Wrath. This imperative foundation will increase understanding of the massive but pertinent subject of judgment and prepare the willing for greater doctrines discussed in subsequent volumes.
The subject of judgment weighed heavily on the minds and hearts of all God’s prophets since the beginning of time. His judgments “are always just,” offering salvation and eternal life to the righteous but everlasting misery to the wicked.
For the righteous, the day of judgment can happen in mortality, as those whom the Lord has proven and judged to be true and faithful, making their calling and election made sure. This sacred, holy privilege to attain knowledge of God during our earthly existence is the purpose of mortality, but the necessity of this ordinance has again become lost.
Holy prophets testify that the Lord is angry “with this people because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.” For many generations, “few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look [to Christ], therefore they perished” (Alma 33:16, 20).
When we refuse knowledge of God, our heart remains hard and “a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day” (2 Nephi 9:33). “Those who will not hear His voice must expect to feel His wrath.”
The Lord has mercifully and repetitively declared these truths so many times, and in so many ways, that humanity is simply left without excuse. His fiercest judgments will be poured out “without measure” on all people and nations who do not uphold His covenant. “It shall be more tolerable for the heathen” (D&C 75:22) than for those who have access to, but refuse to honor, His gospel and covenant.
The faithful are to “labor diligently . . . to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come” (D&C 88:84). But what happens if we are not prepared? Millennia ago, Mormon lamented the demise of a choice people on this land, hoping that future generations would “learn to be more wise than we have been” (Mormon 9:31).
Receiving divine laws and covenants increases our responsibility tremendously. God’s word is given to explain, not entertain. Scripture is a gift to be read for understanding and preached for a warning to avert a terrible, damning judgment. Judgment is a heavy and difficult subject. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain salvation and be delivered from spiritual death, yet humanity repeatedly ignores or exchanges His gospel to pursue pleasures of the world.
While it may seem harsh to point out errors of the Gentile world, we cannot apologize for declaring hard words because sin keeps us from favorable judgment. Hard hearts require hard words. We must recognize our error to turn from it.
The Lord will come “quickly to judgment to convince all of their ungodly deeds which they have committed against” Him (Doctrine & Covenants 99:5, hereafter D&C). All will stand before God “to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works” (Alma 33:22). Judgment will affect all of humanity. Blessings associated with honoring His covenant with exactness are greater than we can comprehend, but severe curses result from disobedience.
Judgment is favorable only if we come to Christ. Any transgression or deviation from the only path to God skews our understanding and hinders our progress. Altered forms of worship ensnare many in the world that Satan rules. Only power that comes from real faith in Jesus Christ can expose the deception and overcome condemnation.
Faith is founded on the law of obedience, a law that all entering mortality were willing to observe. God is bound to reward faithful adherence or invoke penalties if laws are broken, so judgment is connected to the doctrine of faith intricately. To understand judgment we must understand faith, for “the doctrine of eternal judgments belongs to the first principles of the Gospel in the last days.” Joseph Smith taught, “The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment are necessary to preach among the first principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
To gain a deeper understanding of the fulness of His gospel, it is essential to first read the introductory volume in the One Eternal Round Series Strange Things Among Us before reading the first volume Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These volumes prepare the reader to better understand Judgment: God’s Wrath. This imperative foundation will increase understanding of the massive but pertinent subject of judgment and prepare the willing for greater doctrines discussed in subsequent volumes.
The subject of judgment weighed heavily on the minds and hearts of all God’s prophets since the beginning of time. His judgments “are always just,” offering salvation and eternal life to the righteous but everlasting misery to the wicked.
For the righteous, the day of judgment can happen in mortality, as those whom the Lord has proven and judged to be true and faithful, making their calling and election made sure. This sacred, holy privilege to attain knowledge of God during our earthly existence is the purpose of mortality, but the necessity of this ordinance has again become lost.
Holy prophets testify that the Lord is angry “with this people because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.” For many generations, “few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look [to Christ], therefore they perished” (Alma 33:16, 20).
When we refuse knowledge of God, our heart remains hard and “a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day” (2 Nephi 9:33). “Those who will not hear His voice must expect to feel His wrath.”
Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye. (Mosiah 27:31)The importance of experiencing divine knowledge to secure salvation and warrant His protection against the numerous evils that seek to thwart our progress is a major scriptural theme. Judgment is a necessity.
The Lord has mercifully and repetitively declared these truths so many times, and in so many ways, that humanity is simply left without excuse. His fiercest judgments will be poured out “without measure” on all people and nations who do not uphold His covenant. “It shall be more tolerable for the heathen” (D&C 75:22) than for those who have access to, but refuse to honor, His gospel and covenant.
The faithful are to “labor diligently . . . to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come” (D&C 88:84). But what happens if we are not prepared? Millennia ago, Mormon lamented the demise of a choice people on this land, hoping that future generations would “learn to be more wise than we have been” (Mormon 9:31).
How can a people like this, whose delight is in so much abomination— how can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against us? Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people. Come out in judgment, O God, and hide their sins, and wickedness, and abominations from before thy face! (Moroni 9:13–15)Our fate is, and always will be, determined by our choices. Let us choose to come to Christ, accept truth in righteousness, confess that He is God, and glorify His holy name as we stand worthily in His presence through the merits and mediation of His beloved son Jesus Christ. Much is riding on it.
Thou shalt preach the fulness of my gospel which I have sent forth in these last days . . . Inasmuch as they do repent and receive the fulness of my gospel, and become sanctified, I will stay mine hand in judgment. (D&C 39:11, 18)
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For the Lord will have a place whence His word will go forth in these last days in purity; for if Zion will not purify herself, so as to be approved of in all things in His sight, He will seek another people; for His work will go on until Israel is gathered, and they who will not hear His voice must expect to feel His wrath. Let me say unto you, seek to purify yourselves . . . lest the Lord’s anger be kindled to fierceness.