The plausible physical events that will lead to these signs will be discussed in 3 Nephi when they occur. At this point it is important to note that they are fairly precise indications of the coming signs of the Messiah’s death, and that they are all aspects of nature to which Mesoamericans were attuned as representing divine action. Compare the description of the coming signs to the following description of general Mesoamerican thought:
“Among the most potent and dramatic natural phenomena of Mexico are lightning storms which light up the sky and shake the earth with thunder. In particular, lighning is regarded with special interest.” (Mary Miller and Karl Taube. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. Thames and Hudson, London, 1993, p. 106).
The first three items mentioned by Samuel are thunderings, lightnings, and trembling of the earth. Those same three descriptions are grouped together as a set in Miller and Taube’s description of Mesoamerican thought. Samuel is telling them that a divine event is coming, and it is one that they will recognize as portentious.