Henry & the 2nd Coming
October 1, 2012
While I was preparing to teach Institute a couple of weeks ago, I read this in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
It just so happened that our son and daughter-in-law had just welcomed a new baby boy into the world. Our son Paul wrote in an email: “Henry is here! I knew he was coming, but things sure do happen quickly when they actually happen. Amy thought he was coming Sunday night since she was having contractions…..”)
Then our son went on to explain that even though he knew Henry was coming, and even sort of knew when, and the contractions had begun, he wasn’t quite ready….and of course, you never know for sure when the exact moment will be.
It’s a good image (childbirth) to use, as the apostle Paul did in Thessalonians, about the Second Coming. Think about the changes and the difficulty in the nine months before childbirth. This mounts in intensity until the very last when in the minutes just before birth the pain in unaided childbirth is excruciating! But then it’s over. The child is born and the pain of the past is overwhelmed by the joy in the presence of the long anticipated baby child!
Prophetically, isn’t that the way it is to be before the Savior’s Second Coming? Changes, difficulty, turbulence—all mounting in degree and intensity as the expected day, looked-forward-to by believers comes closer and closer. When the world is at its worst in suffering and misery, then the Savior comes again! He is the peace, the love, and the salvation we all have looked forward to—and for which we have endured many trials and temptations and woe.
The other image Paul uses of the Second Coming of Christ—“a thief in the night”— is interesting too. Funny how babies are usually born in the middle of the night or early morning hours.
Henry wasn’t actually born on his “due date” but pretty close. Who will be surprised when Christ comes? Thessalonians even tells you that in chapter 5:4-9: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of the darkness.” BUT, “let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We know the signs of the Savior’s Second Coming from the scriptures as well as other sources.
Notice, a little further on in verses 12 & 13 it says: “we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.” I think that means our general authorities and local leaders. If you want to know ALL about what the word ‘labor’ means, you can ask Amy, or any woman who has recently given birth! Women understand that word more than men! 
I love the idea that WE are all children of the light! Children of the day! But there’s no time to sleep in the day (unless you just had a baby!). There is so much to do to get ready. Sins to repent of, service to render, scriptures to read, knowledge to pack into your head, families to prepare!
And other children of the light are coming down all the time! (WELCOME HENRY!) And they need their breastplate put on, and their helmet of salvation fitted! Oh, and their diapers changed! They grow, too, and need new breastplates and helmets all the time! Our role is to help them, to pass on the help we have been given.
Like a doctor who can see and help a mother in her pregnancy prepare for the coming birth, our Prophet and the General Authorities are receiving revelation to give us help as we individually look forward to and prepare for the second coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ! General Conference is just around the corner, so let us be sober!
“Esteem” those who work for us! They have prepared messages of profound importance!
~ Pat Barton
