For thousands of years, people of faith have looked skyward for signs of divine communication. Among Bible believers, a brilliant comet streaking across the heavens has never been just a natural spectacle—it’s often seen as a heavenly message, a portent, a warning.
Why is that? And why do so many believers—especially those steeped in the prophetic traditions of the Bible and the Restoration—associate these celestial wanderers with the Second Coming of Christ?
A Pattern as Old as Time
From ancient Babylonians to medieval Christians, comets have long been interpreted as signs of divine displeasure, harbingers of judgment, or omens of royal births and deaths. In 44 B.C., a comet appeared shortly after the assassination of Julius Caesar. The Romans called it the sidus Iulium—the “Star of Caesar”—and believed it marked his deification.
The Bible itself speaks of signs in the heavens that will precede great spiritual upheavals:
“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.” — Joel 2:31
“There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars…” — Luke 21:25
These verses have fueled centuries of watchful anticipation, as generations looked to the skies for evidence that the long-promised return of Christ might be near.
✨ The Latter-day Saint View: Signs and the “Grand Sign”
Latter-day Saints are no exception to this long tradition of celestial vigilance. While official Church teachings emphasize spiritual preparation over speculation, the Restoration brought with it renewed insight into the signs of the Second Coming.
In one of his final sermons, delivered on April 6, 1843, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared:
“There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath… then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet…”
— Joseph Smith, History of the Church 5:337
This prophecy is echoed and expanded in other historical records from that same sermon:
“The dawning of the morning makes its appearance in the east and moves along gradually… so also will the coming of the Son of Man be… The wicked will attribute it to a natural cause. They will probably suppose it is two great comets coming in contact with each other.”
— James Burgess’s notes, 1843
Joseph’s inspired revision of Matthew 24 also shifts the metaphor from lightning to the light of the morning, reinforcing the idea of a gradual, global celestial phenomenon.
This “grand sign” has long intrigued faithful scholars and speculative thinkers alike. Could it be a comet? A rogue planet? A supernova? A misunderstood but awe-inspiring astronomical event? And would the world, as Joseph said, dismiss it as merely a natural occurrence?
⚡ Anthony Larson and the Plasma Prophets
Enter Anthony E. Larson, a Latter-day Saint author and researcher who took Joseph Smith’s words seriously—very seriously. For over four decades, Larson explored ancient texts, astronomy, and plasma physics to argue that many scriptural symbols and apocalyptic visions describe real planetary events witnessed in antiquity.
According to Larson:
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The ancient heavens were different than today’s.
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Catastrophic planetary alignments—especially involving Saturn, Venus, and Mars—gave rise to the thunder gods, dragons, pillars of fire, and other mythic archetypes found in the Bible and Book of Mormon.
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The “sign of the Son of Man” may well be a return of these configurations, visible in the sky as plasma discharges, comet-like appearances, or planetary conjunctions.
Larson believed that when the heavens “roll together as a scroll” (as in Isaiah 34:4), we shouldn’t read it metaphorically. He believed it could happen—literally.
Whether one accepts this model or not, Larson’s writings reflect a deep yearning found in many believers: to connect scriptural prophecy with observable cosmic phenomena—to read the heavens as scripture.
Why It Still Resonates
Why does the idea of comets as divine signs still fascinate?
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They are unpredictable — Even with modern science, a bright comet can still surprise.
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They are dramatic — Few natural events inspire such awe or dread.
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They feel like messages — Suspended between the stars and Earth, comets remind us that we are not alone in the universe.
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They align with prophecy — Especially for Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others expecting a Messianic return, heavenly signs are part of the blueprint.
For Latter-day Saints, it’s worth remembering that while we’re told to avoid foolish speculation, we’re also told to “watch” and “be ready.” The heavens may not declare exact dates, but they still declare the glory—and the timing—of God.
Conclusion
“Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven… and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
— Matthew 24:30
Maybe the world will call it a comet. Or a rogue planet. Or plasma phenomena. But perhaps, just perhaps, the faithful will look up and see something more.
We may not know exactly when, but according to Joseph Smith—and countless believers across time—we should expect something in the sky.
Will we recognize it when it comes?
I explore this theme in my novel, Red Sky.
