David J. Ridges wrote a book entitled 50 Signs of the Times and the Second Coming. Based on his research, these are the 50 Signs and their status of being fulfilled.
Look through the list and let me know if you agree or disagree, and any other thoughts you have about it.
1- The discovery of America and the establishment of the United States of America – Fulfilled
2- The coming forth of the Book of Mormon – Fulfilled
3- The Restoration of the priesthood and the Priesthood keys – Fulfilled
4- The restoration of the true church of Jesus Christ – Fulfilled
5- The Church will grow to fill the whole earth – Being Fulfilled
6- Slaves with rise up against their masters – Being Fulfilled
7- Scattered Israel will be gathered – Being Fulfilled
8- The lost ten tribes will return – Yet Future
9- The times of the gentiles will be fulfilled – Being fulfilled
10- There will be much of despair, depression, gloom and doom and emotional instability – Being fulfilled
11- There will be extraordinarily widespread selfishness and lack of caring for others – Being fulfilled
12- The Jews will return to Jerusalem – Fulfilled and being fulfilled
13- The Jews accept the true gospel – Yet future
14- The Prophet Elijah will come to restore the keys of sealing – Fulfilled
15- Christ will come to his temple – Fulfilled
16- Genealogical research an interest in family history will spread as never before – Being fulfilled
17- Dangers upon the waters – Being fulfilled
18- Much ecological damage will occur in the last days – Being fulfilled
19- The sun will be darkened and the moon will become as blood – Fulfilled
20- Diseases, plagues, and pestilences will sweep the earth in spite of medical advances and technology – Being fulfilled
21- Knowledge, science and technology will increase dramatically – Being fulfilled
22- Wars and rumors of wars will become normal life – Being fulfilled
23- Famines, earthquakes, tornadoes, and natural disaster will abound – Being fulfilled
24 -Strikes, overthrowing of governments, gang warfare, violence, and disrespect for authority will increase – Being fulfilled
25 – Sexual immorality, homosexuality, lesbianism, and pornography will abound – Being fulfilled
26- The spirit will stop working with the wicked – Being fulfilled
27- Peace will be taken from the earth- Being fulfilled
28- Jerusalem will be a “cup of trembling” to those who attempt to fight against it – Fulfilled, being fulfilled
29- People will refuse to believe obvious truth and will instead adher to fables and falsehood – Being fulfilled
30- False prophets, false churches, and false miracles abound – Being fulfilled
31- People refuse to believe the signs of the times – Being fulfilled
32- There will be signs and wonders on earth and in the heavens – Being fulfilled
33- The Lamanites will blossom as the rose – Being fulfilled
34- New Jerusalem will be built – Yet future
35- Many temples will be built – Being fulfilled
36- A temple will be built in Jerusalem – Yet future
37- The rainbow is withdrawn – Yet future
38- The constitution will hang by a thread- Being fulfilled
39- Destroying angels will be allowed to go forth upon the earth – Being fulfilled
40- The “Abomination of Desolation” will happen again – Being fulfilled
41- Wickedness will be rampant – Being fulfilled
42- Babylon will fall – Yet future
43- A great hailstorm will destroy the crops of the earth – Yet future
44- There will be a great earthquake such as never before – Yet future
45- The Battle of Armageddon – yet future
46- The meeting a Adam-ondi-Ahman – Yet future
47- Two prophets will be killed in Jerusalem – Yet future
48- The Mount of Olives will split in two – Yet future
49- The righteous will be taken up to meet the coming Lord and the wicked will be burned – Yet future
50- Everyone will see Christ when He comes – Yet future
3 Comments;
Okay, I have some questions. (I’ll go by sign number)
#7 and #8: Aren’t these really the same thing? And couldn’t we say the #8 is being fulfilled?
#9: What does this mean? I don’t know what “the times of the gentiles” means.
#12: Was this fulfilled with the creation of Israel as a nation? How is this now being fulfilled?
#17: What does this mean? Is it refering to disasters like hurricanes, or things like pirates, or is it just that Satan has control over the waters? Looking for more clarification.
#18: How is this being fulfilled now? What ecological damage? I’m not denying it; I just am curious to what he’s referring.
#19: When was this fulfilled? Did I miss something?
#26: Isn’t this how it’s always been? The Spirit doesn’t stay with the wicked. I’m wondering why this was included on the list when this is a gospel principle.
#28: What does this mean? Is there any relation to this and the Israel/Palistine conflict?
#32: What are the signs and wonders?
#33: Not quite sure what this means. Are we talking about wealth, prosperity, having the Gospel?
#34: Maybe I should know, but I don’t know much about this. It will be on this continent. Will it be in Adam-ondi-Ahman? Just like more info on this one. What will lead up to this happening?
#38: I’d like to know where the information from this came from. It never says in the scriptures that this will happen. It only talks about if it does happen. I’m not saying that it won’t happen, in fact I think it is now. Just curious where the info came from on this one.
#39: Again another one I probably should know, but I don’t. What are destroying angels? Are these the 1/3 that went with Satan?
#40: What is the “abomination of desolation,” and how is that being fulfilled?
#42: What/Where is Babylon referring to? (I should know that, too, huh?)
#46: Would just like some more information on that.
#47: Since there is only one prophet on the earth at a time, I would guess that this would take place at two seperate times. Am I wrong about this?
#48: Is this possibly related to the earthquake in #44?
#49: Does this refer to all the righteous and all the wicked? And, can there even be any wicked on the earth during the millenium, since Satan will be bound? Also, refering to #50, will the righteous come back down with the Lord when he comes? We know that there will be much work to do during the millenium. I always thought that it would be regular old people doing it, but if all the righteous are taken up to the coming Lord, does that imply they will be translated and therefore all the millenial work will be done by translated beings?
Also, #28 and #12 say fulfilled and being fulfilled. Which is it. I don’t see how it can be both.
OK, was that enough questions for you, Mike?
This list is very interesting. I would really love to see his research. Thanks for posting this.
Good questions. Here are my non-researched thoughts:
7 & 8 ) These are two different things and the reason why is the 10 Tribes left “for the land of the north” and then got lost to the world. After that those left of those 10 Tribes and of the other 2 Tribes (there are either 12 or 13 Tribes, it depends on how you count them) were scattered. It was two different events in history and their return are two different events. And, since “the first shall be last and the last shall be first”, scattered Israel is gathered first, then the 10 Tribes will return.
9) There are 3-different sets of times or periods of missionary work in the despenstation of the fullness of times. The time of(or Mission to) the Gentiles, the times of (or the Mission to) the Israelites, and the times of (or Mission to) the heathen nations. In this context, the Gentiles are referring to anyone who is not a Jew or a Lamanite. In this regard, the Book of Mormon was brought forward by a Gentile (Joseph Smith). We are the Gentiles referred to. Towards the end of the Mission to the Gentiles, there will be the Mission to the Israelites. This includes the Lamanites. We are, in my opinion, at the very end of the mission to the Gentiles and the beginning of the mission to the Israelites. This is one reason why there are so few convert baptisms among the Gentile Nations of North America and Western Europe. And since the beginning of the Mission to the Israelites, that is why we are seeing so many of the decendents of Lehi in Central and South America joining the Church. Once the mission to the Israelites is done, then there will be the Mission to the Heathen nations that do not believe in Christ (think China, for example).
12) This was partially fullfilled when Elder Orson Hyde dedicated Palistine for the return of the Jews. This was also partially fullfilled at the creation of Israel. And this is still being fullfilled as more and more Jews are returning to Israel. It is also yet to be fullfilled as the borders of Israel do not yet meet the prophecied size contained in the Old Testament (I forget which prophet).
17) see Doctrine and Covenants 61
18) I’m not sure what exactly he is referring to here. I’ll try to look it up later.
19) In the October 2001 General Conference, President Hinckley stated: “The vision of Joel has been fulfilled wherein he declared:
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
“And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
“And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call” (Joel 2:28–32).” (Ensign, November 2001 “Living in the Fulness of Times”)
26) The Spirit is still working in the hearts of the Children of Men. We can offend the spirit, but he will return. At some point, he will leave. It happened to the Nephites. See 2 Nephi 26:11 & D&C 1:33 for examples.
28) Since Israel was created as a modern nation, it has pretty much always been at war. It has never lost. That is how it has been fullfilled. It is yet to be fullfilled because of the battle of Armageddon.
32) Acts 2:19 / D&C 45:40
33) Yes.
34) the City of Zion in Jackson County, Missouri.
38) Joseph Smith said it. Brigham Young and others have repeated it. For example JS: “…you will save the country when it’s liberty hangs by a hair, as it were.” BY: “Will the Constitution be destroyed? No; it will be held inviolate by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, “The time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction.” BY: “…and when the Constituion of the United States hangs, as it were, upon a single thread, they will have to call for the “Mormon” Elders to save it from utter destruction; and they will step forth and do it.”
39) see Revelation 7:1 and D&C 77:8
40) Prophecy by Daniel. see Joseph Smith-Mathew 1:12/32 and Matthew 24:15. Read Bible Dictionary entry “Abomination of Desolation”
42) Babylon in this sense means the wicked
46) Prior to the 2nd Coming, there will be a Priesthood meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman. Father Adam will preside at that meeting. All the Prophets will turn their keys into Adam. The Savior will arrive at the meeting and Adam will turn all keys into Him and will give a report of their stewardship. He (the Savior) will be annoited the King of the World.
47) Yes, you are wrong about this. 🙂 Every General Conference, we sustain the 1st Presidency & Quorum of the 12 Apostles as “Prophets, Seers, and Revelators”. There are normally 15 Prophets on the earth at any one time. Furthermore, John said “the testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy” but that is a point for another day. See Revelation 11:3-12. Bruce R. McConkie, in “The Doctrinal New Testament Commentary” said that this would most likely be members of the 1st Presidency and/or Quorum of the 12 Apostles.
48) I guess that it could be at the same time, but I don’t believe it will be. As I recall, during the Battle of Armageddon, the city of Jerusalem will fall and the Jews will run. They will be trapped by the Mount of Olives. Suddenly, the Mount will split into two, allowing the Jews to escape. The Saviour will be there and will lead the Jews in battle against their enemies. After the battle, Zechariah 13:6.
49) The Wicked (those will go to Telestial Kingdom) will be burned at His coming.
50) Happens at the same time as 49, IMHO.
Prophecies can be fullfilled more than once.
Hey, thanks for answering those questions. I appreciate it.