15 For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned.
There are so many scriptures throughout the standard works
that describe this cleansing of the earth by fire. The wicked will be as
stubble in the field, etc. There is nothing that I can find to suggest this is
not a physical cleanse. In other words, even if these verses mean something
like the fire of a guilty conscience, etc., there is nothing to indicate that
it is not also a physical destruction. In my finite comprehension I cannot see
how the Lord will control the fire to consume the wicked and not the righteous.
When the earth was cleansed by flood the Lord separated His people and removed
them from the danger of the flood. Noah built the ark so that he and his family
could rise above the flood that destroyed all the rest. Will the same kind of
thing happen when the earth is cleansed by fire? How will the Lord separate His
people this time, considering our understanding that they are unified not so
much by location, but by singleness of heart? Whether the cleansing fire is a
literal fire or something else, I just hope that when the whole closing scenes
of this earth are played out that I am on the Lord’s side. According to what
the Savior taught in Luke 17: 22–37 (including the JST for verses 36–40) the
selection of who is spared and who is not will be quite precise. It will be
interesting to see how it all comes about.
- Malachi 4: 1
- Luke 17: 22–37
- 2 Nephi 15: 24
- 2 Nephi 26: 6 (4–6)
- D&C 64: 24 (23–24)
