The Son of God Cometh in His Glory

Another theme of the teachings of Alma (the Younger) in the Book of Mormon is the coming of the Savior to the earth. It would still be about a century from the time Alma was preaching until the Savior would come among the Nephites, but Alma wanted the people to understand how important it was that Christ would come. He put it this way to the people of Gideon: “For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people” (Alma 7:7). I believe this statement is as true for us about the Savior’s Second Coming as it was for the Nephites in relation to His life in mortality—nothing about the future is as important as the coming of Jesus Christ. No matter how vital our work or education or sports or other pursuits in this world seem to us, when Christ comes again—or, if it be sooner, when we die and see Him again—those other activities will all fall away in priority and we will only be concerned about how we have prepared for meeting Him. Our most important focus now and in the future should be preparing ourselves and the world for the coming of Christ.

               Alma emphasized the coming of the Savior to the earth in many other teachings that he gave. To the people at Zarahemla he reminded that Christ “will come to redeem his people from their sins” and he testified, “I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name” (Alma 5:27,48). To the people of Ammonihah he gave this beautiful description of Christ’s coming: “And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers” (Alma 9:26). He later said again to them,  “And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice” (Alma 13:25). Alma truly longed for the day of the coming of the Savior and understood its importance. To the Zoramites he encouraged them to believe in Christ in these words: “Cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins” (Alma 33:22). And to his son Corianton, he also spoke of Christ’s coming: “My son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the coming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people” (Alma 39:15). Alma declared in no uncertain terms that Christ would come, and because He would come, we all would need to prepare. His invitation to the people of Zarahemla is just as important for us today: “Repent, all ye ends of the earth, for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God cometh in his glory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion. Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith: Behold the glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of men” (Alma 5:27,48,50). Christ will indeed come in His glory at some future day, and because He is truly coming we prepare and repent.