LDS Freedom Forum

Many have read the Prophecy about there not being a rainbow as one of the signs of the times. I always found this interesting and came across this quote in "The Government of God" by John Taylor,

"and if the nations of the earth observe not his laws, they shall have no rain."

no rain, no rainbow. Pretty simple. In addition to your food supply, you got water storage? Or even better, living in a "country" that observes His laws.

Mahonri wrote:Many have read the Prophecy about there not being a rainbow as one of the signs of the times. I always found this interesting and came across this quote in "The Government of God" by John Taylor,

"and if the nations of the earth observe not his laws, they shall have no rain."

no rain, no rainbow. Pretty simple. In addition to your food supply, you got water storage? Or even better, living in a "country" that observes His laws.

Had rain today, not much, but it was raining!

Bob

so you saying we are obeying His laws? Are you saying this wont happen? Just wondering what you meant.

Mahonri wrote:so you saying we are obeying His laws? Are you saying this wont happen? Just wondering what you meant.

All I'm saying is we had rain yesterday, and again today! Saw a rainbow, wasn't a great rainbow but it was there. Looks like more coming, I'll check for another rainbow.

All I'm saying is it rained, and I saw a rainbow, take it for what its worth!

Bob

Found something interesting when doing some reading that when Elijah closed up the heavens and stopped the rains he was not immune to the lack of water either. It says that the creek he was hiding by dried up. But he did have water. Maybe the same priesthood that stopped the rain provided him with water? Maybe he found a rock to smite because he was worthy? 8) We should choose not to fear the coming disasters but rather spiritually prepare to use the priesthood to survive them. An yes, water was used to destroy and maybe the lack of will be used to destroy also

Henmasher wrote:Found something interesting when doing some reading that when Elijah closed up the heavens and stopped the rains he was not immune to the lack of water either. It says that the creek he was hiding by dried up. But he did have water. Maybe the same priesthood that stopped the rain provided him with water? Maybe he found a rock to smite because he was worthy? 8) We should choose not to fear the coming disasters but rather spiritually prepare to use the priesthood to survive them. An yes, water was used to destroy and maybe the lack of will be used to destroy also

I agree. If we are REALLY doing what is needed, as stated above by John Taylor, there is zero need for fear. Fear will in fact stunt our ability to follow the Lord and be preserved.

So it does not rain for 364 days and everyone is standing there waiting for our Savior's return. We all wake up on the 365th day and it rains. Guess he is not coming this year!

NoGreaterLove wrote:So it does not rain for 364 days and everyone is standing there waiting for our Savior's return. We all wake up on the 365th day and it rains. Guess he is not coming this year!

I got a question regarding this and the rainbow. I have wondered that and does anyone know if the prophecy is literal or symbolic of something?

Drought is not the only thing that causes the lack of rainbows.

Prophecy is one of the most direct ways that the Lord has for preparing his people. A good example of this is contained in an interesting prophecy concerning the rainbow, given by the Prophet Joseph Smith. It will be remembered that the Lord set the rainbow as a token to Noah of his covenant that the earth would never again be destroyed by flood.8 Evidently, this same token will serve as a sign to warn us of the nearness of Christ's coming so that we may make necessary preparations. Said the Prophet:

I have asked of the Lord concerning His coming; and while asking the Lord, He gave a sign and said, "In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year; but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant.'"9


(Gerald N. Lund, The Coming of the Lord [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1971], 8.)

Through revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord reaffirmed that this was still the case and will be until the Lord actually comes. "I, the Lord God have spoken it; but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes."6 The Latter-day Saints accept the full implication of these scriptures and have been taught to avoid trying to place the date or fix the year of the coming of the Lord.

The Adventist movement was contemporary with the life of Joseph Smith. The predicted date set by William Miller caused some consternation among the early members of the Church, but the Prophet made it clear that this was an error. On March 10, 1844, after referring to the rainbow, he unequivocally stated:

But I will take the responsibility upon myself to prophesy in the name of the Lord, that Christ will not come this year, as Father Miller has prophesied, for we have seen the bow; and I also prophesy in the name of the Lord that Christ will not come in forty years; and if God ever spoke by my mouth, He will not come in that length of time. Brethren, when you go home, write it down, that it may be remembered.

Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that He would come. Go and read the Scriptures, and you cannot find anything that specifies the exact hour He would come; and all that say so are false teachers.7


(Gerald N. Lund, The Coming of the Lord [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1971], 15.)

NoGreaterLove wrote:Prophecy is one of the most direct ways that the Lord has for preparing his people. A good example of this is contained in an interesting prophecy concerning the rainbow, given by the Prophet Joseph Smith. It will be remembered that the Lord set the rainbow as a token to Noah of his covenant that the earth would never again be destroyed by flood.8 Evidently, this same token will serve as a sign to warn us of the nearness of Christ's coming so that we may make necessary preparations. Said the Prophet:

I have asked of the Lord concerning His coming; and while asking the Lord, He gave a sign and said, "In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year; but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant.'"9


(Gerald N. Lund, The Coming of the Lord [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1971], 8.)

Seed time and harvest, Middle of winter, full moon---something! Just can't get my mind around it---

Just one more football season, thats all I ask!

Bob