Signs may or may not be miraculous manifestations. They may indicate something that has taken place, and also be a token of a continuance of some certain blessing. For instance, the Lord covenanted with Noah, and with every living creature, that he would not again destroy all flesh from the earth with a flood.

As a token of this covenant the Lord said to Noah, "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud." The Lord further assured Noah, "And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth;" Gen. 9. 9-17.

They may also indicate that certain things shall take place periodically, as "God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years;" 1. 14.

The prophets have foretold signs that should precede great events that were to take place on the earth. Speaking of the birth of our Savior, the prophet Isaiah says, "The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son;" 7. 14.

The Lamanite prophet, Samuel, foretold to the Nephites in the city of Zarahemla, that for two days and one night preceding the birth of Christ there should be no darkness, and that a new star should arise, such an one as the Nephites had never before beheld; Hel. 14. 3, 5. These signs appeared as Samuel predicted; 3 Nephi 1. 13-21.

He also predicted terrible judgments that should destroy the wicked among the Nephites and Lamanites when the Savior should die. Simultaneously with that event there should be thunderings, lightnings, tempests and earthquakes. These should continue for many hours, and darkness should cover the land for three days; Hel. 14. 21-27. Chapters 8, 9, and 10, of 3 Nephi, give us a very vivid description of these judgments that were predicted by Samuel.

In the sacred writings, many signs are predicted that should precede the coming of the Son of Man, in the latter days. The Jewish apostles of our Savior manifested great interest in this matter. On a certain occasion when Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, they asked concerning the destruction of Jerusalem; after which they especially inquired, "What is the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?" P. of G. P., page 38.

Jesus first answered them concerning the destruction of the Temple and the Jews. He told his disciples that they should be afflicted and killed, and be hated of all nations for his name's sake. "Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another; and many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many; and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; but he that remaineth steadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved."

"When you, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem (Dan. 12. 11), then you shall stand in the holy place." In this paragraph, continuing on to page 39, Christ says, "In those days, shall be great tribulation on the Jews, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, such as was not before sent upon Israel of God, since the beginning of their kingdom until this time; no, nor ever shall be sent again upon Israel."

After these judgments should come upon Jerusalem and the Jews, then false Christs and prophets should arise, and shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that they would deceive the Elect according to the covenant, if it were possible.

Then he assures his disciples that they shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, but he assures them that will not be the end. For afterwards there will be those who will predict the coming of the Son of Man. He tells his disciples that they need not be deceived with regard to this great event, "For as the light of the morning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." That is, the indications of his coming will be so unmistakable that they need not be deceived.

One very significant sign of his coming, he stated would be, that his Elect should be gathered from the four quarters of the earth. Through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith and the Holy Priesthood, this great work is now going on: "And they," that is those who are being gathered, "shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars, * * for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famine, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places; and again, (for the second time) because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Again Jesus gave the assurance that he who was not overcome should be saved: "And again"—that is when the Elect are being gathered and judgments were being poured out upon the nations for the second time—"This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come," or the destruction of the wicked; "and again"—that is for the second time—"shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken; verily, I say unto you, this generation, in which these things shall be shewn forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled. * * * After the tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory;" P. of G. P., pages 38-40.

This translation of the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, commencing with the last verse of the twenty-third chapter, by Joseph Smith, the Seer, is both very interesting and instructive to the student of theology. It contains much more than can be made to appear in a short sketch like this.

Every dispensation of the Priesthood has been characterized by miracles, by signs, and wonders, and none more than this, the dispensation of the fulness of times. It was to be opened up by an angel who should fly through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to the nations of the earth; Rev. 14. 6.

An angel, named Moroni, has come and brought forth to the world the Book of Mormon, which contains the fulness of the everlasting Gospel; P. of G. P., pages 49-53. It is the same Gospel that was preached by Jesus and his apostles. Thus, the saying of the Savior to his disciples upon the Mount of Olives is being fulfilled: "This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached to all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come;" Matt. 24. 14. Israel is being gathered from the four quarters of the earth in fulfilment of numerous predictions of the ancient prophets.

Jesus, also, told his disciples that they should hear of wars and rumors of wars. "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places;" verses 6, 7. The world is witness that these sayings are being fulfilled.

These are only a few of the many signs and tokens that the coming of the Son of Man in power and great glory is near at hand. Signs and tokens will increase as manifestations that God is at work among the nations. Only those who have faith in God will comprehend their meaning. He has promised his saints that it should be given them to understand the signs of the times; Doc & Cov. 68. 11.

The wicked are ever seeking after signs, but they have no faith in the Giver, and therefore their motives are evil. Jesus said, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign;" Matt. 12. 39. We are promised that signs shall follow the believer; Mark 16. 17-20. This promise is not limited to any specified time or place; but extends to all believers. They are nowhere promised to the unbeliever except for a testimony against them; for the Lord has said, "He that seeketh signs, shall see signs, but not unto salvation;" Doc. & Cov., 63. 7.

Signs are a gift of God, and, to be beneficial to those who receive them, they must come by faith; "Signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God;" verse 10. Hence, they are a blessing to the believer, but not to those who would treat with contempt a manifestation of the power and goodness of God.

Bible.

Exo. 4. 17 thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

12. 13 and the blood shall be for a token upon the houses.

Deut. 13. 1, 2 if a prophet or a dreamer of dreams give thee a sign or a wonder.

28. 46 they shall be upon thee and thy seed forever for a sign and for a wonder.

Dan. 4. 3 how great are his signs, and how mighty his wonders.

6. 27 he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.

Matt. 12. 38 Master, we would see a sign from thee.

16. 1 desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 3.

Mark 8. 11, 12 seeking of him a sign from heaven.

13. 4 what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? 22.

Luke 2. 34 for a sign that shall be spoken against.

21. 11 fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 25.

John 2. 18 what sign shewest thou unto us?

4. 48 except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe.

6. 30 what sign shewest thou that we may see and believe thee?

Acts 2. 19 I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath. 43.

4. 30 that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Jesus. 5. 12. Chap. 14. 3.

Rom. 4. 11 received the sign of circumcision, a seal of righteousness.

1 Cor. 1. 22 for the Jews require a sign.

2 Thess. 2. 9 with all powers, and signs, and lying wonders.

Rev. 15. 1 I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous.

Book of Mormon.

1 Nephi 19. 10 Zenos spake of three days' darkness, a sign of the death of Christ.

11 after Messiah shall come there shall be signs given to all Israel.

Jacob 7. 3, 14 Sherem said, shew a sign by this power of the Holy Ghost.

Mos. 3. 15 many signs, wonders, types and shadows shewed he unto them.

Alma 32. 17 many who say, shew us a sign from heaven and we shall believe.

37. 27 all these signs and wonders ye shall retain from this people.

Hel. 16. 13 in the nineteenth year of the judges were great signs and wonders.

3 Nephi 2. 1 the people began to forget the signs and wonders they had seen.

8 the Nephites began to reckon time from the appearing of the sign.

11. 2 the people conversed about Jesus Christ and the sign of his death.

21. 2 this is the thing I will give to you for a sign.

7 be a sign to them that the work of the Father hath commenced.

Ether 4. 18 and signs shall follow those that believe.

Doctrine & Covenants.

Sec. 39. 23 and they shall be looking forth for the signs of my coming.

45. 16 as ye have asked of me concerning the signs of my coming. 39, 40.

46. 9 not for a sign that he may consume it on his lusts.

58. 64 the Gospel must be preached to every creature, with signs following.

63. 9 faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe. 10, 12.

68. 10 he that believeth shall be blest with signs following.

11 to you it shall be given to know the signs of the times.

84. 65 these signs shall follow those that believe.

88. 93 immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together.

124. 98 these signs shall follow him.