Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Worldliness Destroyed At Second Coming

In one of his portrayals of the second coming of Christ, Isaiah describes a powerful warrior coming from the city of Bozrah in the land of Edom,

Isa 63:1-4 1 WHO [is] this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this [that is] glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore [art thou] red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people [there was] none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4 For the day of vengeance [is] in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

Bozrah was considered an impenetrable fortress in the land of Edom. Edom (Idumea in Greek) was the land where Esau and his descendants settled. Because he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, Esau, his people, and his land, became the scriptural poster-child for worldliness and materialism. The Lord reinforced this concept of the wordliness of Edom in his preface to the Doctrine and Covenants,

D&C 1:36 36 And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world.

From this we learn that the Lord is coming to judge worldliness and materialism. Those who have overcome the world will be the Lord's at his coming. The following image helps to portray the scene created by Isaiah 63:1-4, (click on image to enlarge)
In the appendix to the Doctrine and Covenants 133:46-51, the Lord continues this image from his preface and explains that his garments are red because he has sprinkled the blood of the wicked on his garments during their destruction,

D&C 133:51
51 And I have trampled them in my fury, and I did tread upon them in mine anger, and their blood have I sprinkled upon my garments, and stained all my raiment; for this was the day of vengeance which was in my heart.

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