Melissa wrote:heartsongs wrote:Big double rainbow this evening. Well, the Lord will not come this year! We shall still have planting and harvest time, and hopefully some measure of at least minimal prosperity, that is, according to the prophecy.
When does the year start? If it is indeed a year instead of the season - like the other poster mentioned.
Is it a Jewish year? Doesn't that start at Passover? Or am I wrong?
Melissa,
After having read "A Year With no Rainbow" I believe it is a literal year and not just a season.
[Statement #1]
I have asked the Lord concerning His coming, and while asking the Lord, He said, 'In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token, that in any year that he 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seen, the Lord would not come, but there should be seed time and harvest during that year; but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant.
(Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.340-341)
[Statement #2]
While inquiring of the Lord concerning the end of time, it was made known to me by the Holy Spirit that there would be prosperity, seed time and harvest every year in which the rainbow was seen. For to that was Noah referred as a surety on this subject. But, in the year when the bow was not to be seen would commence desolation, calamity and distress among the nations, without seed time or harvest. (Kent P. Jackson,
Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible, p.112
Lord comes in a year with no rainbow.
One of the most basic and rudimentary conclusions we can draw from statement #1 is that the Lord will come in a year with no rainbow. We learn that in any year that the bow should be seen, the Lord would not come. So, conversely, in a year with no rainbow the Lord will come.
We learn from Statement #2 that there should be prosperity, seed time and harvest every year in which the rainbow is seen. This is confirmed in statement one where it says 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.
So far the years we have experienced up to this point have been relatively prosperous when compared to the year when the Lord comes. this however will change once "the sign and token" of the rainbow is withdrawn.
~All events happen in the same year~
Another conclusion that may be drawn is that these events all occur within the same year. In statement 2 we learn that "in the year when the bow was not to be seen would commence desolation, calamity, and distress among the nations without seed time or harvest" so these events commence in that year. Then in statement one we are told that 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.
[Statement #3]
From the Joseph Smith commentary on the Bible we read: So long as we see the bow in the cloud, seed time and harvest shall continue that year. When the bow shall cease, then shall come famine, wars and so forth, after which the sign of the Son of Man shall be seen in heaven. (ibid)
So, what kind of year will this be?
We already live in tumultuous times, but, apparently, the months leading up the Lord's appearance will be especially trying for the inhabitants of planet earth. The conditions will be such that planting and harvesting will not be an option. It will be a time of famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations. So you are talking from before the spring time until into the fall.
~Sign of the Son of Man~
In statement #3 we are told that "When the bow shall cease, then shall come famine, wars, and so forth, after which the sign of the Son of Man shall be seen in heaven. So, the sign of the Son of Man will occur in this same year and apparently does not precede the Lord's actual appearance by much.
That year may look something like this:
In the beginning of the year and preceding seed time there will be no rainbow, thus the sign or token is given. This sign is confirmed in the first part of the year. Then something happens to interfere with the normal season of planting. From the prophets statements on the rainbow above we know that we will see famine, pestilence and great distress among the nations. Desolation, calamity and distress among the nations and famine, wars and so forth.
Look at the sequence found in D&C 29:14-21 which describes the year mentioned above.
14 But, behold, I say unto you that before this great day shall come the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be turned into blood, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and there shall be greater signs in heaven above and in the earth beneath;
15 And there shall be weeping and wailing among the hosts of men;
16 And there shall be a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.
17 And it shall come to pass, because of the wickedness of the world, that I will take vengeance upon the wicked, for they will not repent; for the cup of mine indignation is full; for behold, my blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not.
18 Wherefore, I the Lord God will send forth flies upon the face of the earth, which shall take hold of the inhabitants thereof, and shall eat their flesh, and shall cause maggots to come in upon them;
19 And their tongues shall be stayed that they shall not utter against me; and their flesh shall fall from off their bones, and their eyes from their sockets;
20 And it shall come to pass that the beasts of the forest and the fowls of the air shall devour them up.
21 And the great and aabominable church, which is the bwhore of all the earth, shall be cast down by cdevouring fire, according as it is spoken by the mouth of Ezekiel the prophet, who spoke of these things, which have not come to pass but surely dmust, as I live, for eabominations shall not reign.
These versus paint a partial picture of the destruction that will take place before Christ appears at AOA. It is known as the Abomination of Desolation or destruction of the wicked just before the 2nd coming.
Melissa, to have a far better understanding of all of the above and more I suggest you read the following "free" book.
The link to download the free PDF version is at the end. Of course the writer originally thought that issues with the L.A. temple in 2008 following the Prop 8 stuff was the given sign to start the 42 month countdown, the time table is a bit off, but, I believe in my opinion, that the rest of what he says is about spot on. I do believe we will have the sign, it just wasn't that particular temple incident. However the dedicatory prayer for the SLC does speak of a day when we cannot use the temple.
Anyway, here is the link for the book. It is very much worth the read and makes things a whole more clear than what I can do.
(all of the above information was taken from his book "A Year With No Rainbow" Chapters 4 and 5. You also need to read the whole book to gain a clear understanding of what is being said as all the chapters tie into one another.
http://www.ayearwithnorainbow.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Also, here is a link to the video he does for his timeline:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1fNTdxI1Jg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S33D8r_SDGA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfTuWPcWpQM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVXYKk5-aU0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;