The Waters and the Last Days

In Revelation 16 we read of seven plagues that will come upon the wicked near the time of the Second Coming.  I was surprised to see that three of them involved water.  The second angel “poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea” (Revelation 16:3).  Similarly, the third angel “poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood” (Revelation 16:4).  The sixth angel “poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up” (Revelations 16:12).  In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord seemed to reference these desolations of water when He said this: “Behold, I, the Lord, in the beginning blessed the waters; but in the last days, by the mouth of my servant John, I cursed the waters.”  He then gave this troubling warning: “Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters….  The destroyer rideth upon the face thereof” (D&C 61:14-15, 19).  I’m not sure exactly what this means, but clearly there will be increasing dangers upon the waters in our time.  This is confirmed in another scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants.  The Lord told how his voice would be heard through “the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds” (D&C 88:90).  I think we’ve see this in the numerous stories across the world of destruction by hurricanes, tsunamis, and other water-related disasters. 

                So what does this mean for us who live in this time where much of these prophecies are likely to be seen come to pass?  Most of Revelation 16 depicts destruction that these angels are pouring out, but perhaps verse 15 gives us some counsel on how to deal with these events.  The Savior tells us in this verse, “Behold, I come as a thief.  Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments.”  As mentioned here, one of the oft repeated invitations for the Saints in the last days is to “watch” for the day.  In the Olivet discourse the Savior said, “And what I say unto one, I say unto all mean; watch, therefore, for you know not at what hour your Lord doth come” (JSM 1:46).  In the Doctrine and Covenants the same invitation occurs several times: “Watch, therefore, that ye may be ready.”  “Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.”  “Therefore, what I say unto one I say unto all: Watch, for the adversary spreadeth his dominions, and darkness reigneth” (D&C 50:46, 133:11, 82:5).  To “watch” for the Savior’s return means more than just looking casually for it.  To watch means that you have faith that He indeed will come.  We are to watch for His coming like the Nephite faithful watched for the sign of His birth: “But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night” (3 Nephi 1:8).  They had to believe in the coming of the Savior despite great danger and pressure from the unbelievers; in our day we likewise need great steadfastness as we watch for the end to come.  Perhaps the phrase “keepeth his garments” represents those who can stay pure and worthy to stand in the Lord’s house.  They are steadfast despite all the pressures around them to stain their garments with the sins of the world.  That is the great challenge we have as we seek to watch for His return.