…And the Glory of His Majesty Shall Smite Them
In Isaiah chapter 2 or 2 Nephi 12, the prophet explains how the wicked will react at the Second Coming of Christ, and the phrase mentioned in the title of this message is reiterated three times. Usually, when something is repeated three times in scripture, it is a good idea to pay attention to the warning or blessing, as the case may be. This phrase stood out to me because the smiting is accomplished by the means of the glory of God’s majesty.
When I was younger and a bit more naive, I thought the smiting would come as cataclysmic events or natural disasters. However, I can’t see how the glory of God’s majesty is connected to any such thing. Verse 17 of 2 Nephi 12 says, “And the loftiness of men shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.” The destruction of wickedness is very different than the annihilation of wicked men and women.
The structures of power in the world are derived from wealth and control. Liberty is not the objective of such people and institutions. Limiting or requiring certain kinds of speech is used as a blunt-force weapon to control a narrative that makes evil good and good evil. Denying nature is another tool of the adversary to thwart the plan of God for his children.
The purpose of social media is to control the information that allows us to make informed decisions. Giving people what they want or showing us what we want to see places us in a vacuum of sorts. The algorithms that track our likes and dislikes narrow the focus of stories and information presented to us and create echo chambers that drown out opposing views. One of the three pillars of agency is opposition. When there is no opposition, there can be no choice.
You could say, “I really don’t want to see the world’s depravity,” and I would agree with you to a point. Not knowing that evil exists does not make it nonexistent; it only makes us vulnerable to manipulation and deception. Being ignorant of the world around us is dangerous. However, that doesn’t mean we should be preoccupied with discovering evil in all its forms. Using the scriptures and listening to the warning voices of the prophets and the Holy Spirit, coupled with consuming the right amount of worldly affairs, will suffice.
Death and destruction will not come at the hands of a loving God. These outcomes are the natural consequence of defying truth, nature, and reality. Please note that I mean truth, nature, and reality in the context of scripture. When we read about the wars in the Book of Mormon, they are not between the good and bad guys but between people who have lost their way and those who seek to control them.
My point in laying the groundwork on how wickedness is achieved will help us consider how it will be overcome. The Doctrine and Covenants states, “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.” When Christ reveals Himself to the world, His light will spectacularly expose political and corporate overlords. Their alternate realities will crumble and lie in ruins because of His truth. The great and spacious building of pride will crumble to the ground because every knee will bow only to Him. Only the humble followers of Christ who have given their allegiance to God will stand because they are built upon the rock of revelation and are in constant communion with the Father.
The preparations we make today will save us in the last days. These preparations consist of at least three things. The first I mentioned earlier is the ability to hear and obey the word of the Lord, meaning following the promptings of the Holy Ghost and acting on them. It is impossible to hear or heed the still, small voice when we are overstimulated and distracted by our devices. Political and ideological possession limits us to a partial reality. The Spirit is neither Republican nor Democrat, and assigning right and wrong to a party is not helpful. The word of the Lord is not found in worldly institutions. Music, art, literature, being in nature, and being with loved ones can invite the Spirit into our lives. The best way to invite the Spirit into our lives is to study, pray, and think in a quiet place free from noise and distraction. The early morning, when I am between sleep and consciousness, is when deep and profound thoughts and revelation come.
The second idea that keeps us close to God is to make and keep certain things sacred. Sacred things do not mean objects or idols but instead take the form of knowledge, experiences, and commitments. Some objects convey or remind us of sacred things and covenants we have made with God. We treat those things differently than all other objects. Christianity has the image of the cross that would fit the description of this idea. Endowed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints treat the garment of the Holy Priesthood differently than other articles of clothing and do not alter them to fit the world’s fashions but rather wear clothing that accommodates the garment. The cloth is not sacred; what it represents is. How we wear the garment and honor our covenants determines our commitment to Christ and God. I have mentioned only a small example of things that can and should be sacred to us here. Others may include marriage covenants, personal revelations, the memories of ancestors who sacrificed to make our lives possible, etc.
Responsibility or stewardship is the third thing that prepares us to withstand the glory of God. Our first responsibility is to ourselves. This is best illustrated by the phrase, “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Jesus told us to follow him and do the things he did. What he asks of us is no easy task unless you consider that not following him is much, much more difficult. The invitation to take up our crosses means to confront our carnal, sensual, and devilish natures and let them die a cruel and painful death. The part of us that emerges is in the image of Christ. Simply believing without the works that prepare us to receive salvation is not enough. As we get better at carrying our crosses, we begin to bear one another’s burden.
In summary, if we would prefer not to be smitten by the glory of God’s majesty, whether at his coming or when we face him at the final judgment, we must prepare. It is a simple idea that requires all our effort. If you feel that you would be comfortable in the presence of God as you are today, disregard everything I have said today. As I anticipate meeting God face to face, I do so with the hope that my preparation will be enough to allow me to accept the grace of Christ as he advocates for me before the Father. Maybe it is just me who thinks that being in a kingdom of glory where I am constantly reminded of my failure to do what I could have done is incomprehensible at this point in my progression toward eternity. Perhaps I can “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever.” (2 Peter 3:18)