Today I’d like to look at No. 242. “These The Latter Days” by looking at the meaning and application of the song, because it’s too easy to sing without paying attention to the words and their meaning.

242. THESE THE LATTER DAYS

We believe in a living God who hears and answers prayers.
We believe in the Peaceful Reign in which He will soon declare.

A Heavenly place not far from here, we know that Zion is near. 
Where angels fly, and we all sigh, at last this day is here. 
We sing songs of hope and songs of praise in these the latter days. 
Hear God our King, Salvation He brings in these the latter days.

In robes all white and anthems bright God calls his children home. 
My Zion is here, He’s calling us there, He’s calling his children home. 
We sing songs of hope and songs of praise in these the latter days. 
Hear God our King, Salvation He brings in these the latter days.

© copyright 2025 Rachel Y. Buffington

We believe in a living God who hears and answers prayers. 

The very first line of this song is a reaffirmation of the very essence of The Church of Jesus Christ — restored in fullness in this dispensation of time (the latter days). Now, let’s remember that there are many people in the world in which we live who have no understanding, belief or appreciation for a God who hears and answers prayers. We are a privileged people to have the understanding as Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8). Let’s be sure we never take this for granted, the understanding that we serve a living God who hears and answers prayers, and more importantly, we’ve seen the evidence of answered prayers in our lives!

Okay, with that as the opening line, the song continues: We believe in the Peaceful Reign in which He will soon declare. 

Now, we have an even more specific belief that even fewer understand. This is where the Book of Mormon adds such clarity to the Bible as God looks to remember the covenant He made with Abraham: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore…” (Genesis 22:17).

This clarity comes through the words of Jesus, when He visited those in the Americas, after his death and resurrection: “And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem. And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem. And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst.” (3 Nephi 26:23-25)

Jesus was reminding the people of the words of Isaiah “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:12).

And this assembly or gathering includes a remnant of Israel and all who will believe and accept Jesus as the Messiah and Savior. We understand this condition and time to be the Peaceful Region or Zion where, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:6-9)

This song is another reminder that “We sing songs of hope and songs of praise in these the latter days” when we gather as His people. Why do we do this? Is it because we’re simply excited to look forward to a peaceful condition? Maybe, but the real reason should be because we “Hear God our King,” and the “Salvation He brings in these the latter days.”

This is all about salvation! As Paul wrote to Timothy, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4).

Salvation for those of the ancient covenant that God made with Abraham and salvation for all men and women who will accept Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, who died for our sins and was victorious over the grave through His resurrection! This is the latter-day glory highlighted by living in His kingdom on earth during a Peaceful Reign. 

May God bless you.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Songs of Zion, listening to the Songs or downloading them, here’s a link, in this blog, to the church website: Church Songs and Music