The Final Countdown

Synopsis

At a time not too far in the future, a countdown will occur. The final countdown.

After six millennia of human history, seven events are about to lead the way to the Second Coming of Christ. These dramatic occurrences will seem supernatural and even unbelievable, as each emerges upon the stage of history in the final act of a drama that began six thousand years ago. At the culmination of these events, Christ will return to the earth and the Millennium will begin.

For centuries the prophets have predicted the events preceding the Second Coming. Now, as time grows short, it is ever more important to be wary and watchful for the signs of the times. The events of the final countdown may seem unbelievable, but everything that has been predicted by the prophets will soon take place.

In The Final Countdown, join celebrated scholar Clay McConkie in this dramatic chronicle of the final days of our world.

Introduction

With the advent of the year AD 2000, the announcement was made to the world that the two thousandth year since the birth of Jesus Christ, according to the current dating system, had begun. It was not the beginning of a new millennium at that time, as many people supposed, but rather the historic end of an old one.

Not until the year 2001 did the twenty-first century begin. Once again this was by way of the present calendar, a record of time that might be inaccurate by an undetermined number of years. There are those who believe that the birth of Christ, for example, occurred several years before the alleged calendar date, meaning that a year such as 2005 could actually turn out to be 2010 or later.

All of this can be a little confusing at times, but something that is nevertheless significant is that according to today's calendar, the year 2001 might also have been the beginning of the seventh millennium in the earth's total span of human history. This in turn suggests that the time of Adam and Eve dates back to the year 4000 bc. There is a problem here, however, since people often view the setting of the Garden of Eden much earlier in time than just six thousand years ago. In history books, civilizations are typically pictured as being well underway by that time period.

And yet the year 4000 bc still remains an interesting and unusual date, particularly in connection with the beginning of human history. It is also part of a very controversial subject. It was midway through the seventeenth century, in fact, that a man named James Ussher, an archbishop in the Anglican Church in Ireland, published his chronological calculations from the Bible, showing that the creation of the earth took place in 4004 bc. For more than two hundred years, his dating system in many instances was accepted by scholars and the public alike and was often used in the King James Version of the Bible in marginal dates and footnotes.

During the nineteenth century, however, the Ussher computations began to lose credibility for one reason or another, and today his chronology is generally not used. Dates too often do not synchronize with events in secular history, nor do they fit into the broad scheme of things chronologically. But his date of approximately 4000 bc for the beginning of human history is still interesting.

Such a date is also implied in the book of Revelation in the Bible where it talks about a book sealed on the backside with seven seals. As each seal is opened, certain things occur which purportedly refer to various divisions of the earth's human history.1 The Bible does not say so specifically, but confirmation of this is found in a record of scripture known as the Doctrine and Covenants, which is endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Referring to the seven seals, for example, this record states that "the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years, and the second also of the second thousand years, and so on until the seventh." The same record also says that the sealed book contained things pertaining to the earth "during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence.

Certainly this is an interesting and important revelation. And in a day and age when the calculations of one such as James Ussher are no longer accepted, and no consensus of opinion exists as to when human history on earth began, the information revealed in the Doctrine and Covenants is extremely noteworthy, even though the scripture is not widely regarded as authentic or canonical.

Not only is the information noteworthy, but it is also extraordinary in that it defines human existence on earth, including the years of the Millennium, as being seven thousand years in duration. In no other place in scripture or otherwise is there a more absolute statement. Without any qualification or reservation, the assertion in the Doctrine and Covenants is that when Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, they became mortal and instigated a period of time that was to be a temporal existence of seven thousand years. Regardless of how such a declaration might compare with contemporary theories and philosophies in a modern-day society, the scripture nevertheless stands as it is written, and only time will tell whether or not it is a true prophecy. In the meantime, it exists with a host of other predictions and signs of the times, showing that the earth's population is definitely living in the last days and that the contemporary affairs of the world are rapidly drawing to a close. If the present calendar is anywhere near being accurate, and if the concept of seven thousand years is correct, world-culminating occurrences are already on the horizon.

As to the imminency of these events, however, much of it depends on the calendar, whether or not the world has actually passed into the twenty-first century. Whatever the correct date at present might be, it is probable that it is at least a few years later than the present calendar date if scholars are correct concerning the birth date of Jesus Christ.

It is also important to remember that even though a new century and millennium have allegedly begun, it does not mean that the Second Coming itself is imminent. The time of Christ's return, according to what he said during his ministry, is a date known only to his father. Whatever that date might be, the prediction is that it will not occur at the beginning of the new millennium. According to the Doctrine and Covenants once again, the time of Christ's second advent will be sometime "in the beginning of the seventh thousand years," the word beginning very possibly referring to an extensive period of time, even as much as the major part of the twentyfirst century.

"We are to understand," the Doctrine and Covenants says, "that as God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth, even so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem all things, except that which he hath not put into his power, when he shall have sealed all things unto the end of all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels [is] the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years-the preparing of the way before the time of his coming."

The sounding of the trumpets, therefore, spoken of in both the Doctrine and Covenants and the book of Revelation, will be a memorable occasion. This event will initiate the final preparations that need to be accomplished before the Second Coming. Certainly it is the signal that a final countdown is about to begin, one that will eventually reach a searing climax and bring current world history to an end.

And yet before all of this takes place, certain things need to occur, and the so-called seventh seal on the sealed book needs to be opened. There is also to be a one-half hour of silence in heaven, whatever that comes to mean, after which seven angels obtain their trumpets, and the last act in the earth's human history finally begins!

Review

Few events are as discussed and speculated about as much as the Second Coming. It has long been prophesied by prophets the world over, and many religions have some sort of similar belief, that the world will come to an end and how it will take place. In "The Final Countdown: The Seven Final Events Before the Second Coming," author Clay McConkie looks at it from an LDS perspective, using the Book of Revelations, the Doctrine and Covenants, and also modern revelation, particularly through the Prophet Joseph Smith, to delineate the last events that will lead up to the return of Jesus Christ.

We begin with a chapter entitled "The Question of the Sixth Seal," in which the author attempts to define just where the sixth seal ends and the seventh begins. As we look at the prophecies that fall under those two headings and when the events mentioned therein are supposed to take place, we notice an overlap between them. The line seems a little bit fuzzy. As we go through the book, this fuzzy line is mentioned here and there, but I think that it's not so important to know what seal each event belongs to as to be paying attention to events as they happen and to be aware of them.

Other chapters are "A Time of Silence," "The Quiet Before the Storm," and one that held particular interest for me, "The Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman." This valley is located in Missouri, and I had the opportunity to visit there as a teenager. It's a beautiful place, rich with spiritual feeling and historical importance. The chapter speaks of the gathering that has been foretold to take place there, and what that gathering will mean.

We also read about the law of restoration, the signs in the heavens, the gathering of the Ten Tribes, and the curtain of Heaven. In many of these instances, the author had to use conjecture, because so few of the details of these events are actually known to us. But he lays out the information that we do have and acquaints us with the things that are expected to take place.

This book is fairly short, only ninety-eight pages, so it doesn't go into a lot of depth and detail, but if you're looking for an overview of the final events to get them straight in your mind, it would be a good resource.

Summary of Main Ideas

The opening of the seven seals referred to in the Book of Revelation is comparable to the eras of time during the seven thousand years of the earth's temporal existence.
Each of the seals designates one thousand years, number six being the sixth millennium which allegedly ended in the year 2000
A serious problem in the Book of Revelation is that the four main events scheduled for the sixth thousand years relate instead to the seventh, events that are obviously still in the future.
Important occurrences relate to the one-half hour of silence at the beginning of the seventh seal, during which time period, or soon after, the construction of temples in the American Zion and city of Jerusalem will take place, along with a historic meeting in a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman.
The final events prior to the Second Coming of Christ will commence with the Battle of Armageddon, followed by a long series of earthquakes resulting in an eventual transformation of the earth's surface. In the same vicinity of time, the lost tribes of Israel will return from a long seclusion, and according to prophesy seas and oceans will recede toward the northern part of the globe.
An exact chronology of these events is uncertain, but they will eventually be followed by miraculous signs in the sky relating to the sun, moon, and stars.
Finally the curtain of heaven referred to in scripture will be raised at the beginning of the Second Coming.

Chapter 1 - The Question of the Sixth Seal

An important question pertaining to the book of Revelation concerns what was to happen during the time of the sixth seal and the sixth millennium, or in other words, the second thousand years after the time of Christ. The first four seals, sometimes identified as the four horses of the Apocalypse, are brief in their predictions and difficult to understand. These in turn are followed by the fifth seal that is a little more explanatory and refers to "the souls of them that were slain for the word of God."

But beginning with the sixth seal, where considerably more information is given, there is an indication that certain events are out of order and that inaccuracies and inconsistencies exist. Indeed there is the suggestion of a serious problem and the possibility of translation or transmission errors in the formation of the Bible. Obviously this is a radical statement, but there is considerable evidence and proof for it.

Some of the predicted events, for example, and possibly most of them, seem to belong to a period of time well beyond that of the sixth seal or sixth millennium. The most notable of these are references to heaven opening like a scroll and mountains and islands moving out of their places. Especially in the scripture pertaining to heaven opening like a scroll, which refers to an event immediately prior to the Second Coming of Christ when he appears in clouds of glory, there is the signal that this particular event does not belong to the sixth seal. The same might be true of the so-called movement of mountains and islands as well as possibly other events.

The events in question, as recorded in the book of Revelation, are as follows: "And I [John] beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven [opened] as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island [was] moved out of [its place]."

Of course a lot depends on whether the time of the sixth seal has ended in regard to the present calendar. Even if the time of the seal has not ended, there is still a problem with the particular events relating to the scroll and the movement of mountains and islands, which probably need to be placed in time long after the opening of the seventh seal and very close to the Second Coming!

Once again the alleged misplacement of these two events alone strongly implies that there has been a translation or transmission problem in relation to the book of Revelation. In addition, the implication is that the events pertaining to the great earthquake and the phenomenon of sun, moon, and stars also belong to a later time. This in turn creates a void as well as a question as to what actually happened during the sixth seal. What other occurrences, in other words, are characteristic of this particular time period and at the same time fulfill religious prophecy?

A more likely occurrence of the actual conditions of the sixth seal, in fact, referring to the sixth thousand years of time, might more accurately be represented by the following: (1) widespread earthquakes, (2) wars and rumors of wars, (3) famines and pestilence, and (4) the preaching of the gospel throughout the world, all of which are cited in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew as being characteristic of the last days. Also, major events such as Genghis Khan's conquering of Asia and killing more than five million people, the bubonic plague in the fourteenth century taking another twenty-four million lives, and the regime of Nazi Germany executing six million Jews during World War II are all types of atrocity and pestilence that might represent things pertaining to the sixth seal. It is not difficult to find many events and circumstances that typify this period of time.

A tremendous amount of scholarship, in other words, might be unnecessary in focusing upon this problem. Instead it is a matter of acknowledging that events such as the folding scroll or moving mountains and islands definitely belong to a later time period and then attributing most or all of the scripture in Revelation 6:12-14 to the seventh seal rather than the sixth! At the same time, it suggests that the information in this particular area of the Bible is accurate and correct only if it has been translated correctly.

If this kind of situation is valid, it can be conjectured that the seventh seal has already been opened and that the seventh millennium has already begun. No one knows exactly, of course, but in viewing current history within the context and framework of the present calendar, it does not appear unlikely that the new millennium is already underway.

Although many views will undoubtedly differ with this type of statement, and recognizing that any number of things might have happened down through the centuries to affect the status of the present calendar, the following theoretical sequence of events and circumstances is a possibility. This will provide a tentative outline of what lies ahead. Seven of these events, beginning with the return of the lost tribes of Israel, are allegedly the ones that will immediately precede the Second Coming of Christ. And what is particularly interesting is that four of them, those shown in bold face print, pertain to the sixth seal in the book of Revelation!

The seventh seal is opened and the seventh millennium begins.
There is one-half hour of silence in heaven.
The seven angels are given trumpets (among other events).
Religious activity increases, including temple building, missionary work, and the continuation of the gathering of Israel.
A city and temple are constructed in Zion located in the central part of the United States.
The city and temple in Jerusalem are reconstructed.
A historic meeting takes place at Adam-ondi-Ahman.
Eventually the seven angels prepare to sound their trum pets.
The final plagues begin.
Seas and oceans go beyond their bounds.
The lost tribes of Israel return.
The Battle of Armageddon takes place.
A gigantic earthquake and other quakes occur, shaking the nations and breaking down the mountains.
Massive earthquakes continue, and the lands of Jerusalem and Zion are turned back into their own place as the earth is altered.
The sun, moon, and stars phenomenon occurs, and the sign of the Son of man appears.
The waters of the great deep are driven back into the north countries, reducing the sea level and causing mountains and islands to move out of their places and become one land.
The curtain of heaven is unfolded, and the face of the Lord is revealed.
The Second Coming and the first Resurrection come to pass.
A worldwide burning of the earth takes place.
The Millennium begins.

Such an outline of events is again theoretical, especially as far as sequence is concerned, but the main aspects of the earth's final countdown leading to the Second Coming are definitely in place. Indeed, it is possible that the seventh seal has been opened, or very soon will be, and the time is at hand for the predicted one-half hour of silence. Already the seven angels are waiting for their trumpets, and if these are the same angels who later will carry the vials containing the seven deadly plagues, or other angels like them, they will be assembling as a group and coming out one at a time from the temple which is in heaven!