And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:12-13)
For behold, and lo, vengeance cometh speedily upon the ungodly as the whirlwind; and who shall escape it?
The Lord’s scourge shall pass over by night and by day, and the report thereof shall vex all people; yea, it shall not be stayed until the Lord come;
For the indignation of the Lord is kindled against their abominations and all their wicked works.
Nevertheless, Zion shall escape if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have commanded her.
But if she observe not to do whatsoever I have commanded her, I will visit her according to all her works, with sore affliction, with pestilence, with plague, with sword, with vengeance, with devouring fire. (D&C 97:22-26)
Bruce R. McConkie: We do not say that all of the Saints will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and who are seeking to do all that he commands.
It may be, for instance, that nothing except the power of faith and the authority of the priesthood can save individuals and congregations from the atomic holocausts that surely shall be.
And so we raise the warning voice and say: Take heed; prepare; watch and be ready. There is no security in any course except the course of obedience and conformity and righteousness.
O God, our Father, wilt thou grant us peace and security and safety in the days of tribulation that shall come like a whirlwind upon all the earth.
Wilt thou hedge up the evil powers, and open up the way before us, thy people, that as individuals and as a Church we may stand independent of every creature beneath the celestial world. ("Stand Independent above All Other Creatures," Ensign, May 1979, 93-94)
IS THERE AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST THESE PLAGUES?
THE WORD OF WISDOM
And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen. (D&C 89:18-21)
The first destroying angel was sent by the Lord to kill the firstborn in Egypt. The term Passover, has reference to this destroying angel passing over those dwellings which had lambs' blood painted on their door frames (Exodus 12). The destroying angel entered all the other homes, killing the firstborn of man and beast.
The deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt is a type for the deliverance of latter-day Israel from the wickedness of Babylon. The Lord, with a mighty hand, will save his saints while Babylon will suffer the wrath of His destroying angel. How will this destroying angel know whom to destroy?
For the saints, it will be those who did not keep the Word of Wisdom as they had been taught.
Colloquially, the Law of Tithing is referred to as fire insurance. Those who keep it will "not be burned at his coming." (D&C 64:23). Similarly, the Word of Wisdom can be referred to as life insurance. Those who keep it will not be killed at his coming. As the Lord has warned:
I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (Luke 17:34-36)
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