Men’s hearts will fail them, but the Lord sends truth, light, & spiritual gifts

In Sections 45 & 46 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord details events in the latter days: wars and rumours of wars being told, ‘the whole earth’ ‘in commotion’, men losing faith in Christ’s coming, the love of men growing cold, iniquity abounding, people turning their hearts from God because of the precepts of men – incorrect, rebellious teachings; desolating sickness, earthquakes in many places, many other desolations, people hardening their hearts against the Lord, fighting and violence, fire and vapours of smoke, meteor showers, blood moons, men cursing God for their troubles, and everyone at war – except those of Zion.

Clearly, these are our days. The only prophecy not yet fulfilled is everyone being at war, except for Zion (the Lord’s covenant people).

At the same time, as these sections also make clear, the Lord restores His gospel and church, gathers Israel to Him and the Jews to their homeland, the ‘times of the Gentiles’ will be fulfilled, the disciples of Jesus Christ will stand in holy places and will look forth for Christ’s coming – noticing the signs and wonders around them; Satan will be bound due to the righteousness of the people, those who ‘are wise and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived’ in all these things will receive the earth for their inheritance and will have Christ for their king.

They will build a new Jerusalem – a new holy city or land of peace – which will be a refuge for the Saints of God. His glory will be there, and His terror will strike fear into the hearts of its enemies. All who seek peace and eschew violence will come to it, because it will be the only place where peace and refuge exists. Those who come will sing ‘songs of everlasting joy’.

The chaos, uncertainty, fear and violence will be everywhere, but so will the light of the Gospel. While Satan does his work and many help him do it, the Church goes about building temples and gathering people to safety in Christ. God knew all of this would come; He is not unprepared, and it won’t stop His work from progressing, as Joseph Smith prophesied. The Devil does his work, and God does His. The people of God have always needed to fight against evil, in all its forms, as it attacks goodness and light, and the places where these exist.

The ‘holy places’ we must stand in, to avoid the desolation – especially the spiritual desolation of failing hearts, rebellion against God, and hatred for others – are here, around us. God is pouring forth light into the world; it is His creation, and He reigns over it. Satan pretends it’s his, and gains the hearts of many; but he is not our lord. Our hearts need not fail us; we need not succumb to the violence, hatred, or darkness of despair around us; that is only Satan’s overlaying of false things on reality. The light of God also exists, strong and triumphant, everywhere. The mists of darkness are only a pretense, in a sense (they’re real in power – leading men to destruction – but what they present is not; it’s all lies and phantasms). We will be dismayed only if we believe them.

The light and the Gospel are more true, and really real. God is great, and will win against Satan’s evil and the evil men allow to grow in their hearts. The greatest battle we fight is in our hearts: to go after God and goodness, or after Satan and darkness.

God restored the Gospel in its truth and fulness because of these days. In Section 46, the Lord describes the spiritual gifts He sends to His saints; these gifts guard against the powers of Satan, and are needed for the world. With them, God prepares the way that all might have faith in Him, and overcome despite the desolations around them.

Wherefore I, the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments;

And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets –

The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh –

But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord… That faith also might increase in the earth;

That mine everlasting covenant might be established;

That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.

…. the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is night at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.

And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgement upon Idumea, or the world. (D&C 1: 17-23, 35, 36).